“I already heard back from [Ivy] and was admitted for the Fall 2017 PhD program. I am really excited about this and obviously have some tough decisions ahead depending on where else I get in. Thanks again for all your help with this process, it clearly paid off!” ~ Client testimonial
Dr. Nica Davidov
We can help you plan for, apply to, and get accepted with funding by the best graduate programs to achieve your goals. Dr. Nica Davidov, a tenured TPII staff member who has served as Director of Graduate Study and coached 100s of clients, will walk you through all stages of the graduate school application process. She works with all fields, from the initial planning stages, to editing your Statement of Purpose and other application materials, and prepping for admission interviews. See Nica’s bio below.
For those of you seeking help making that initial contact with prospective advisors, we offer a $24.99 Guidance Package (see below) that walks you through the proper language and organization of an inquiry email. You can read more about our proven approach here: “How To Write an Email to a Potential Ph.D. Advisor/Professor.“
1. A 2-Email Consultation Service – $150. We discuss the pros and cons of attending, and also, which institutions, departments, and/or offers are the best for your goals. (This service is available only for applicants in humanities and social sciences).
2. 30-Minute Graduate School Consultation by Skype – $125. Wondering whether to go to graduate school? During this 30 minutes we’ll talk about your goals and ask the hard questions that anyone considering graduate school must answer. These may include (but are not limited to) questions of financing and debt, the hierarchy and status of graduate programs, domestic vs. foreign graduate programs, advantages and pitfalls of interdisciplinary PhD programs, the job market, and evaluating potential advisors and areas of study. (This service is available only for applicants in humanities and social sciences).
3. 2-Email “Application Assistance” Service – $150. This service is designed to walk you through questions that may arise in the process of applying to graduate school, for example, how (and whether) to reach out to a potential adviser, who should you get letters of recommendation from, and other miscellaneous issues.
4. Document Editing – $100. We help you edit your statement of purpose; includes two rounds of edits — a structural/conceptual edit (first round) and a line edit (second round). Each subsequent statement of purpose for additional programs is $50. Editing for writing samples, statements of diversity, and other documents that may be required for an application to a PhD program is also available; pricing depends on the length.
5. Interview Preparation – $250. This hour-long Skype session is designed to help you prepare for an interview for a PhD program. We will go over “scripts” for likely questions, streamline your ability to talk about your research experience and goals, develop appropriate questions to ask your interviewees, and make sure that your affect and body language signal calm confidence.
6. NEW: How To Contact a Prospective Ph.D. Advisor Guidance Package – $24.99. A package of materials that walks you through the composition of an email of inquiry to a potential Ph.D. advisor, with instructions and examples drawn from STEM, social science, and humanities. Does NOT include live individual editing. Find this product here.
TPII Graduate School Application Coach Prof. Nica Davidov
Dr. Davidov completed a Ph.D. in Anthropology from New York University in 2008. She lived in the Netherlands and worked in Dutch academia for five years (at Maastricht University and Leiden University). In 2013 she moved back to NYC, and is now Associate Professor of Anthropology and Monmouth University in New Jersey, where she also directs the anthropology graduate program. She also co-chairs the New York Academy of Sciences Anthropology Section board, and co-directs the Ecology and Culture University Seminar at Columbia University. She has mentored aspiring grad students through the application process, and she will help you navigate all aspects of applying to graduate school, including deciding whether to do and where to go, and how to finance it. She will work with you strategize a grad school plan, assist you in contacting potential advisors and programs, coach you in writing a kick-ass Statement of Purpose, help you prep for your interview, and evaluate and leverage offers.