Dr. Philippe Barr
Founder of The Admit Lab | Former Professor | Graduate Admissions Consultant
Dr. Philippe Barr is a former university professor and graduate admissions consultant who helps applicants earn admission to competitive PhD, Master’s, and MBA programs and make intentional choices once they are admitted.
With more than 15 years of experience across academia and graduate admissions, Dr. Barr works with applicants pursuing doctoral, professional, and research-focused graduate degrees in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe. He is known for helping applicants understand how admissions decisions are actually made and how to position themselves strategically, not generically.
He is the founder of The Admit Lab, a graduate admissions consulting firm specializing in PhD, Master’s, and MBA applications.
Academic and Professional Background
Dr. Barr holds the following degrees:
- PhD in French and Francophone Literature and Culture, New York University
- Master of Arts in Romance Studies, McGill University
- Bachelor of Arts in French Studies, Université de Montréal
He previously served as a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received multiple institutional awards for academic leadership and research excellence, including:
- Vicki and David Craver Academic Leadership Grant
- Junior Faculty Development Award
- UNC Research Council Award
During his academic career, Dr. Barr served on graduate admissions committees and mentored doctoral and master’s students through research design, funding decisions, and long-term academic planning.
Publications and Scholarly Experience
Dr. Barr’s research has been published by established academic presses and presented at more than 30 peer-reviewed academic conferences across the United States and Europe. His scholarly background informs his admissions work, particularly for research-driven PhD and thesis-based Master’s programs.
Graduate Admissions and Administrative Experience
In addition to his faculty background, Dr. Barr served as Assistant Director of MBA Admissions and Program Consultant at Kenan-Flagler Business School. This role gave him direct insight into professional graduate admissions, including MBA application evaluation, interview processes, and institutional decision-making.
This combination of faculty-side and administrative admissions experience allows him to advise applicants across disciplines and degree types with a rare level of accuracy.
Public Education and Graduate Admissions Outreach
Dr. Barr is also the creator of a growing educational YouTube channel focused on graduate admissions strategy. His channel reaches more than 30,000 viewers per month and has over 4,000 subscribers, including PhD applicants, Master’s applicants, and current graduate students.
Through long-form strategy videos and practical admissions guidance, he explains how graduate admissions decisions are made, how committees evaluate applicants, and how students can position themselves realistically and strategically. His content is widely used by applicants preparing for PhD interviews, refining Statements of Purpose, and deciding between competing offers.
This public-facing work complements his private consulting by making expert-level admissions insight accessible to a global audience.
Watch graduate admissions strategy videos on YouTube
Admissions Philosophy
Dr. Barr’s approach to admissions is grounded in clarity, strategy, and realism.
His work is not focused on templates or surface-level edits. Instead, he helps applicants develop a clear academic and professional narrative that aligns with how programs evaluate candidates and what they expect students to do once admitted.
His goal is not only to help applicants get in, but to help them enter graduate school with a clear understanding of what they are signing up for and how to make the experience work on their terms.
Areas of Specialization
Dr. Barr specializes in:
- PhD application strategy and research positioning
- Master’s admissions for academic and professional programs
- MBA admissions strategy and essay development
- Statement of Purpose and research statement coaching
- Graduate admissions interview preparation
- Program selection and competitiveness analysis
You can explore verified outcomes and recent admits here:
Work With Dr. Barr
If you are applying to graduate school and want clear, expert guidance grounded in real admissions experience, you can explore services by degree type below or schedule a free consultation.
PhD applicants:
Master’s applicants:
MBA applicants:
Meet Karen
As a master of narratives, Dr. Karen Santos Da Silva expertly shapes stories with the rigor and depth that only years of extensive academic experience can provide.
With 18 years in higher education, she brings a unique blend of scholarly insight and practical knowledge to those navigating the complexities of finding the right story for their master’s and PhD statements of purpose and personal statements across a wide variety of disciplines.
Academic and Professional Journey
- Ph.D. in French and Francophone Literature and Culture, New York University
- B.A., Comparative Literature, University of California at Berkeley
Dr. Santos Da Silva’s experience in higer education has enabled her to develop a keen insight into the academic landscape and to possess valuable knowledge for those applying to graduate programs.
As a senior lecturer teaching writing and literature courses at Barnard College and Columbia University since 2010, she possesses exceptional editing skills, a deep expertise in the art of narrative crafting and the nuances of academic writing.
Publications and Presentations
Dr. Da Silva’s impact on the academic community is notable, as evidenced by her extensive body of work. With an edited volume, numerous translations, book chapters, and journal articles published in prestigious academic presses, Karen stands at the forefront of scholarship, positioning her as an invaluable resource for students charting their paths through graduate studies.
Her Philosophy
“In the journey toward graduate school, crafting an application that radiates academic excellence is not just important—it is essential. I love to share my keen eye for detail and deep understanding of academic conventions to help prospective graduate students articulate their distinctive experiences and aspirations in a compelling way. What truly drives me is to empower them to transform their vision into a resonant narrative that captures the attention of admission committees and turn their academic dreams into reality.”
Ready to Shape Your Future?
Whether you’re stepping into the realm of business, immersing yourself in the humanities, tackling the social sciences, or making discoveries in the natural sciences, your graduate school ambition deserves nothing less than excellence.
Get in touch to begin crafting your success story. Together, we’ll turn your potential into achievement.
