Outside of the International Affairs Building, which is home to the Political Science and Economics Departments. Also where Christian has probably spent most of his time at Columbia. Photo Credit: Christian Flores.
Phds were always mysterious to me. Growing up, I had no exposure to an academic, let alone my parents who were poor immigrants from a developing country. All I knew is that it was the highest degree one could get, and in a world where credentials carry so much weight, it was something that I presumed I wanted to attain. It was not until I came to Columbia and began interacting with faculty members that I learned about the doctorate, and subsequently what it takes to get one in the social sciences. These are some of the tidbits of advice that have resonated the most with me as a first-gen, low-income student. I should mention that the question about whether or not to pursue a PhD is related but deserves its own post. For now, given that application season just passed and decisions will be imminently released, I figured that I would write up some of the lessons I picked up from my professors over the years. I also want to emphasize that while there is great advice out there on getting into PhD programs, this is my own perspective and I hope that anyone who lacks the knowledge that I did before college finds these thoughts helpful.
