I've shared my full successful HHMI Gilliam Fellowship application, broken into three annotated pages. Walks through what I was trying to do in each section, why I made the choices I did, and what's changed since I applied in 2021.

My actual Scientific Leadership statement from my winning HHMI Gilliam Fellowship application. Walks through why I chose to open with an unconventional story, how I bridged it to my scientific work, and what made the essay memorable.

The actual text of my successful 2021 HHMI Gilliam Fellowship research plan, annotated section by section with commentary on what worked and why. Covers Background, Hypothesis, Specific Aims, and a complete walkthrough of Aim 1A (Rationale, Experimental Design, Anticipated Results, Limitations).

My actual Career Statement from my winning 2021 HHMI Gilliam Fellowship application, annotated paragraph by paragraph with commentary on how I built the narrative, what worked, and what I'd do differently now.

The GRFP personal statement has to cover your life story, research experience, future plans, intellectual merit, and broader impacts — in three pages. Here's what I tell my clients about structure, specificity, and the mistakes that cost strong scientists a fellowship.

What biomedical PhD programs are actually looking for, roughly in order of importance. From a Harvard PhD, admissions committee member, and coach who has seen what makes the difference between an application that lands and one that doesn't.

The problems in most GRFP drafts aren't about the writing — they're structural. After coaching 25+ applicants across STEM, I see the same five mistakes in nearly every first draft. Here's what they are and how to fix them.

What to expect at PhD interview weekends, how to prepare for one-on-one faculty interviews, and the mindset shift that changed my whole approach — drawn from 40 interviews across seven programs and years of coaching applicants through interview season.

A decision-making framework for students choosing between PhD offers — covering funding, student culture, advisor fit, geography, and the things that actually predict whether you'll thrive. Written from my experience choosing between Harvard and Stanford, and years of coaching students through the same decision.

If you're an undergraduate thinking about graduate school in STEM, or a first-year PhD student looking for funding, you've probably heard of the NSF GRFP. Here's everything you need to know — from eligibility and application components to the major changes that hit in 2026.

A detailed walkthrough of every component of the HHMI Gilliam Fellowship application — from the equity and inclusion statement to the community engagement plan — written by a three-year Gilliam Fellow with advice from successful applicants and HHMI leadership.

A start-to-finish guide to biomedical PhD applications — choosing programs, writing your statement of purpose, getting strong recommendation letters, navigating interviews, and making your final decision. Written from my experience applying to 7 programs, getting into all 7, and years of coaching applicants since.