High Score in PhD Qualifying Examination – How to Achieve It?

Importance of the PhD Qualifying Exams for Students

Most doctoral programs require students to take a final test at some point. Exactly when depends on the academic field as well as the particular institution. A student may be in a program for two years or more asking help from writers or passing them on their own. Generally, PhD qualifying exams are taken after all coursework is complete.

Regardless of the format or field, the main purpose of the examination is to determine if students have acquired the necessary knowledge to conduct their dissertation research. Maybe they need additional time or additional help with course work to improve their practical & theoretical skills. Generally, research for students cannot begin until PhD qualifying exam has been passed. Anyway, if you have a question: “how to write my test?” you must remember that it is a complex exam that requires a lot of preparation.

Pass Rates

One of the major concerns of students in the pass/fail rates for those taking PhD qualification exam. Unfortunately, this is a question which doesn’t have a simple answer. Pass rates for PhD qualifying exam advice depend on the institution, department and academic field. In some programs, 95 per cent of students taking graduation quiz are successful. In other programs, the pass rate maybe 20 per cent or lower.

It is necessary to check with each individual institution to determine what percentage of students pass their preliminary exam PhD. Even at the same institution scores could vary a great deal from one department to another. Fortunately, failing it doesn’t always mean the end of your hopes. Many programs will allow you a second and sometimes third chance at the exam.

Even the best and most PhD qualifier students still face prelims challenges. Taking a PhD qualifying exam requires a lot of effort, preparation, and knowledge on your part. After all, the standards and expectations are high. Let’s take a look at the acceptance rates of some of the world’s best universities.

• Cornell University. Across all programs, the acceptance range ranges from 13% to 16%. For their PhD in Computer Science, they have an acceptance rate of 16.4% whereas, in History, it is just 14%.
• Duke University. This university has a relatively low acceptance range. History PhD is only at 9% whereas English PhD is at 6%.
• Harvard University. Considered to be one of the top universities in the world, in getting into a PhD business program, the average acceptance rate is at 10.7%
• MIT. In Massachusetts Institute of Technology, across all grad admissions, the average rate is 13% which is relatively higher compared to others.
• New York University. If you want to get into the School of Business, brace yourself for the NYU is not that easy to get into. Their acceptance rate of PhD Accounting is at 2.1%.

Tips and Suggestions

PhD qualifying examination is very challenging to hurdle. To get into a reputable university and the program, you really have to exert a huge amount of effort to pass the test. The following are some basic tips you could use to assist you with your preparations for the questions:

• Determine what is expected. Find out what format the PhD exam would take, how long you have to take it and what criteria are used to assess the exam. This information can benefit you when it comes time to take the exam.
• Talk to people. What people? Students who have already taken the exam are a great source of information. Your professors and committee members are also a valuable resource you should take advantage of.
• Take and save notes. Make sure you take detailed notes in lectures and on relevant literature that you read. Organize your notes so that information is easy to locate.
• Prior to taking the exam, be aware of what is expected from you. Dialogue and not being afraid to ask questions can significantly help. Plus, there’s much information about the doctoral qualifying exam on the web.
• Preparation is key. In an exam, you need to give yourself enough time to prepare. Make sure that you organize your data. When writing proposals, allot about 2 months so have time to study and master everything that you need to know.
• Read and read. There is no guarantee that you can answer everything. But when you read and write notes, you are most likely to be able to answer the questions.
• Practice exams. One of the best ways to prepare for PhD qualifying exams is practice tests. Taking a practice exam will give you an idea of what to expect and help you identify any areas you are weak in.
• Set attainable goals. Preparing for your qualifying exam PhD may take 3 to 6 months. Set some daily or weekly goals that you can realistically achieve. Meeting goals you have set will help keep you in a positive frame of mind and give you confidence.
• Ask for professional help. It is not a secret that there are a lot of ways to get assistance. Sometimes it is much better to find a good service that will help you to prepare for your exam.

Contact us for expert help with preparation provided by PhD degree holders in your field!