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Can I apply to PhD programs without my MS advisor reference letter?
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ConfusedNoobie is in Mississippi
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I am just about to finish my master’s degree. Unfortunately, the relationship with my advisor has turned out to be difficult, and he has made it clear he won't be giving me a reference letter.

The primary reason being I decided not to do a PhD with him.

My question is if I apply to PhD programs without his recommendation letter, would it raise questions? My stats are fine. In my MS, I have a 3.9 GPA, 5 publications and 3 talks, one of which won best paper. I am mainly worried about the lack of a reference letter from a research advisor. If it helps, two of the post-doctoral fellows that I worked with during my master's can provide me with a letter.

EDIT: I am interested in a PhD (machine learning) in a different area than I did my MS in (biomedical imaging).

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Posted
4 years ago