How do I explain a career gap?

[silver_wisps]

Hi all, I finished my Masters in 2011 from one of India's best universities.Till 2011, I had no gaps in my academics career. I was the youngest in my class at my Masters and one of the teachers favourite too.I was good at studies. In my last year of Masters' I faced a lot of problems- class politics against me , lies and rumours about me etc which adversely affected my cgpa. Also in my Masters' dissertation, in the last semester I got a highly uncooperative guide who made things very miserable. ( we were assigned guides according to our roll numbers and we couldn't have chosen our guides). After masters got over I was a bit shaken-there was a loss of confidence. I thought okay, maybe if I work for a while in a lab, my confidence will come back. I got a job as a research assistant in july 2011, immediately after my masters but my problems didnt end there. My new guide told me he could leave me before 2013 or dec 2012 plus the work conditions were so gruesome and hard there ( 16-18 hours/day lab, no weekends off ever, substandard food, remote place, transportation problems etc) that I quit in dec 2011.

I know I was a bit kiddish back then. Things others said about me affected me-I tried to stay strong yet I just couldn't.

In July 2011, I wrote the old GRE . Though I had almost lost all the will to study at that time and hardly prepared for GRE, I got some 640 in Quant, 540 in verbal and 4 in AWA. My CGPA at Masters finally came out to be 3.3.

in a normal state, maybe I wouldn't have been affected much but I was already kind of battling depression when I finished my masters and this new job only increased it. After dec, I came home- for a while I just remained away from science- I did some travelling around my country, got into spirituality, read a lot of literature, basically relaxed. After a while I started a science blog- wrote about the things which interested me...and slowly I got my interest back in science. Then after a while I made my blog into a website, it's gonna be good.

I wish to apply for a PhD now and I am going to write my GRE this time, with all I have got. I am just a bit worried now about how to explain this gap. My professors are happy to write me a LoR. My CGPA I know isn't amazing but I am confident to get a nice GRE score.

Is there any way I could make my application stronger now?

[1Q84]

It doesn't sound so much like a career gap as you had some mental health issues (depression) that sound like they really impacted your outlook and interactions with your colleagues. I'm told it's quite common.

I'm unsure how to approach that with adcomms. I'm quite sure all universities would have a policy about discrimination against disability/health issues but who knows how that might affect individual professors in their decisions? I wouldn't throw it out there as an "excuse", but I'm often told that you should, in 1 or 2 sentences, address the low GPA or other difficulties with a simple reason and then move on to highlight your strengths.

[silver_wisps]

It doesn't sound so much like a career gap as you had some mental health issues (depression) that sound like they really impacted your outlook and interactions with your colleagues. I'm told it's quite common.

I'm unsure how to approach that with adcomms. I'm quite sure all universities would have a policy about discrimination against disability/health issues but who knows how that might affect individual professors in their decisions? I wouldn't throw it out there as an "excuse", but I'm often told that you should, in 1 or 2 sentences, address the low GPA or other difficulties with a simple reason and then move on to highlight your strengths.

Thanks. This was helpful. And you are right- if I talk too much of the problems I faced, it does seem like an "excuse". Thanks for showing me the light so succinctly. And all the best to you too

[1Q84]

I should add, however, that pretty much everything that I've read has recommended that you don't mention any mental health issues. Universities like to know they're taking someone aboard who is stable and won't cause trouble, as terrible as this is. So in explaining your low GPA in your SOP, just leave it as brief and to the point as possible without mentioning the depression. Sucks, I know.

[Dal PhDer]

A lot of students take time off between degrees...either to travel, work, or just get out of the school environment. I think you can phrase the gap in a way, as the poster above mentions, that doesn't comment on the specific negatives of why you left. Focus on phrasing it in a positive light, and that during this gap you learned about your true interests. You could say that you took time away from the academic setting to gain experience in research within an applied/working environment. You also took this time to explore other interests (e.g., travel) that have rekindled your true passion....frame it as an opportunity that you used to grow, gain knowledge, and solidify your choice in applying to grad school....if you explain the gap as a much needed adventure that has been beneficial too you, that is what the committee will see!

[silver_wisps]

I should add, however, that pretty much everything that I've read has recommended that you don't mention any mental health issues. Universities like to know they're taking someone aboard who is stable and won't cause trouble, as terrible as this is. So in explaining your low GPA in your SOP, just leave it as brief and to the point as possible without mentioning the depression. Sucks, I know.

This totally makes sense. I certainly won't be mentioning being depressed--it is easy to judge someone based on health issues, specially mental health issues. I shouldn't even talk about it. Though all those problems taught me many valuable lessons about people and how to deal with them and made me a better human but this is for me to know. Instead I will cover it up with more positive aspects of me.Thanks so much The best thing you said earlier was what I went through is common. For a while I was just not able to accept the fact that I acted so weakly. That is unlike me. Anyway I guess such things happen and one moves on only by forgiving themselves for being weak. Thanks again

A lot of students take time off between degrees...either to travel, work, or just get out of the school environment. I think you can phrase the gap in a way, as the poster above mentions, that doesn't comment on the specific negatives of why you left. Focus on phrasing it in a positive light, and that during this gap you learned about your true interests. You could say that you took time away from the academic setting to gain experience in research within an applied/working environment. You also took this time to explore other interests (e.g., travel) that have rekindled your true passion....frame it as an opportunity that you used to grow, gain knowledge, and solidify your choice in applying to grad school....if you explain the gap as a much needed adventure that has been beneficial too you, that is what the committee will see!

Yes I would be mentioning my break as something like a journey which helped me find myself because indeed, that is what it became (though without my own conscious choosing ). I traveled, I read english lit, history and geography,I got into spirituality, meditation, photography. I would be starting a diploma course and hopefully an internship soon to cover the time from now on to next year fall. Hope things work out. Thanks for helping me look at it more positively

Edited August 15, 2012 by silver_wisps