Credits - Priyanth Elango, B.Tech, Mechanical Engineering 2025

University

UCLA

Programs and Countries applied to

PhD programs in the US. (Accepted in UCLA, CMU, Purdue, UIUC, UT Austin)

Application Timeline

1) Started out by databasing research groups over the summer and during the beginning of 7th sem. 2) Began drafting my Statement of Purpose and CV in Sept. Priority given to CV in order to begin mailing potential advisors in Oct. 3) Approached and finalized my LoR by late Oct. Gave them ample time to write and submit LoRs before the 1 Dec application deadlines. 4) Sent out my SoP for reviews from profs/peers/seniors throughout Oct and Nov. Finalized SoP by early-mid Nov. 5) Began starting the online applications for univs by late Oct/early Nov. 6) Submitted applications by last week of Nov, in time for early Dec deadlines.

Application Strengths

1) Research experience from summer intern and BTP. 1 under-review publication.

2) There was a logical connection between my summer intern and my bachelor’s thesis, which allowed me to paint a neat progression of interest while explaining my motivations. Also highlighted my range of skills (experimental/theoretical/computational) with projects and experiences.

3) Had 2 strong LoRs from project/intern advisors. Last LoR was from a course instructor with whom I had significant classroom interaction.

SOPs, LORs, Resume

Resume: pretty standard Since it was a PhD application I highlighted all the work done in the domain I was interested in entering. My SoP was structured around the same to paint a narrative which explained my interest and the initiatives I took to cultivate it. SoPs are difficult to start but just start with a barebones structure and keep adding content as you go. SoPs are also very personal because they reflect who you are, so there’s no fixed recipe or structure that needs to be followed. Ensure that your SoP undergoes multiple rounds of reviews you can refine the tone and obtain clarity on what really is important.

Regarding LoRs, give ample time to your professors or managers to write them. Generic LoRs are not particularly useful, to strengthen your application you would want a strong LoR that details your characteristics and skills that you have demonstrated to the writer via interactions with them or through your work.

CVs for graduate applications are fairly different from PT cell resumes. Highlight only important profile relevant stuff in CVs and space things out more so it’s more readable. The policy of cramming every sentence to the fullest need not (should not) be followed. You have more freedom in constructing the appearance of your CV so feel free to make it easy on the eyes. Additionally you could also choose to link personal websites, papers, reports and other relevant material to support your projects. As mentioned already, keep things concise with a focus on the technical aspects of your work.

Resources Used

None really, just make sure you send your SoP and CV to trusted seniors who’ve been in your shoes before for multiple rounds of reviews. Your final SoP after reviews will very likely looks quite different from your first draft.

Reflections & Advice

7th semester is quite hectic, particularly if you plan on applying for higher studies alongside placement preparation. Plan out the semester very well and stick to your personal timeline for graduate applications. When things get hectic due to placement tests/ppts and coursework, there’s always a chance that your grad prep might be affected; particularly in November when you’ll be juggling endsems and course projects as well. When it comes to SoP reviews, there’s a chance you might get conflicting suggestions, especially since SoP writing is a fairly subjective process. Try to understand the source and purpose of these conflicting suggestions and go with your gut in the end.