Phd application and funding etc

Is anyone else findIng the whole phd application and fundIng process confusing and a potential minefield. I’ve just had a rude email back from a university (after I asked for clarification) that made me feel 5 years old!! Some want you to liaise with potential supervisors, some don’t and how do you get supervisors to become involved? Not happy😐. Also do you call academics Professor so and so, Dr so and so or by their first name. Again, not clear. No wonder there are problems with lack of diversity in student applications!!!

Is anyone else findIng the whole phd application and fundIng process confusing and a potential minefield. I’ve just had a rude email back from a university (after I asked for clarification) that made me feel 5 years old!! Some want you to liaise with potential supervisors, some don’t and how do you get supervisors to become involved? Not happy😐. Also do you call academics Professor so and so, Dr so and so or by their first name. Again, not clear. No wonder there are problems with lack of diversity in student applications!!!

You get potential supervisors to get involved by outlining an interesting research topic and/or writing an interesting and strong proposal that coincides with their areas of research interest. They are under no obligation to you and do not have to respond if they think your ideas are untenable, your proposal poor, or not in their area of expertise, although in my experience, most will respond will helpful suggestions even if all the above apply.

It would be polite to address potential supervisors by their academic titles until they themselves sign off with a different title.

Hope this helps.

Is anyone else findIng the whole phd application and fundIng process confusing and a potential minefield. I’ve just had a rude email back from a university (after I asked for clarification) that made me feel 5 years old!! Some want you to liaise with potential supervisors, some don’t and how do you get supervisors to become involved? Not happy😐. Also do you call academics Professor so and so, Dr so and so or by their first name. Again, not clear. No wonder there are problems with lack of diversity in student applications!!!

Is anyone else findIng the whole phd application and fundIng process confusing and a potential minefield. I’ve just had a rude email back from a university (after I asked for clarification) that made me feel 5 years old!! Some want you to liaise with potential supervisors, some don’t and how do you get supervisors to become involved? Not happy😐. Also do you call academics Professor so and so, Dr so and so or by their first name. Again, not clear. No wonder there are problems with lack of diversity in student applications!!!