When I was a senior at my university I took a biology class. It was mostly freshmen. The class was lectured by a professor and graded by a teachers assistant who was a PhD student.

Being 22 as a senior, I would regularly head out to the bar at night and on the weekend. I got to know the TA for the class. One night he admitted that the professors would not let students going for a PhD get one if they had any religious belief of any kind. They only allowed atheists or strong agnostics through.

I've heard about this kind of thing happening. That was the first time I had someone in the system point blank tell me about it.

It's worth knowing there is merit to the accusations about the beliefs in this area being filtered or otherwise shaped.