Sometimes, it's so totally frustrating trying to work with the uni I'm at.

* Was told not to write for three months until I finally insisted
* 'annual' review was at 7 months, and I failed on things they'd never mentioned before.
* So far supervisors/department have refused to follow their policies to review the decision and insisted on making changes without this review meeting.

I'm trying to move universities - having discussed with other people who were horrified to find out what was going on and told me to go to their university, I would advise people NEVER to attend the one I'm at. But I am really concerned that I won't be able to obtain a decent academic reference and am really worried about it all :( Which obviously isn't helping my writing much!

How should we know not to go to your university if you don't tell us which one it is?

I think the original post is less about warning people away from the OP's current University, rather a request for assistance/advice in the possibility of moving to an alternative Uni.

19thcenturygirl, just want to clear up a few things - are you still in your first year? If so, can you possibly get academic references from the people with whom you did your masters (if it was somewhere different to where you currently are). If that seems unlikely is there anyone you can speak to outside of your department but in the same uni that could help, for example a head of research/graduate studies? There should be a University policy regarding when and how annual reviews should be conducted and you should contrast this to your own experience then go to a more senior member of staff.

It does seem as though you are having it pretty rough, but try to work things out where you are as transferring often means starting from the beginning (and there may be a problem with your refs)

thanks - just venting frustration in hopes of some advice rather than slagging off my uni online!!

Seems helpful to go higher up; also talking to the SU for their advice too