Trying to get a PhD position
This was removed from r/academia (didn’t realise it was breaking their rules)
I’ve been working on my masters thesis and am close to finishing. I’m planning to publish between 1 and 2 papers from my work, but that will only come once I’m finished. I’ve been looking at PhD positions and so many of the professors I’ve contacted have told me I need to have at least 3-4 papers published in order to get funding for a PhD. I’m only 25 and I’m just so confused about how I could possibly have so many papers published when I’ve only completed a Masters. Even when I’m finished my Masters, I won’t really be able to publish much without a PhD, but it seems you need to publish to get said PhD. I feel like I’m in a catch 22 where I can’t get anywhere without publishing first, but I can’t publish without getting somewhere first. I may need to go into industry first if I can’t land a decent PhD position, but that certainly won’t get me any further in terms of getting papers published.
Anyone have any advice? I’d really like to do my PhD after Masters, but I’m feeling a little lost.
(I’m in the field of urban ecology, based in Cape Town)