Have sent my research proposal about a month ago and still waiting for a reply. Understand from this forum that everything takes ages in academic circles, yet got fed up and started ringing. Spoken to the secretary stating that supervisor not there while hearing her talking on the background, asked by secretary to ring back next week. Is that adult behaviour?
I have send an E mail exactly describing explicitly the experience and stating next week I will be busy! Is this childish?

very - but everyone makes mistakes.

no supervisor is gonna want such a phd student, but lets hope they forget about it.

The application process takes 3 MONTHS. It is only after these three months that your enquiries would have been justified. Your email is under no circumsances justified as it makes too many assumptions - maybe it was another secretary. Anyhow, keep your fingers crossed and hope they forget all about it.

Sounds like you got a bit carried away. To be brutally honest, I don't think it will have endeared you to them, but hopefully they will realise that you are best candidate and give it you anyway!

did the secretary reply to your email?

Well in a way I understand your impatience - but 4 weeks is even too short even to get a confirmation that they have received your application and it's complete etc. The application process is usually 8 to 12 weeks, and I think that most universities clarify that in their webpages.

thanks for your replies,

you seem all quite cool about this issue and apparently it is normal that one has to wait for a long time.
Maybe did not express myself clearly: Obviously I had discussions with the supervisor before the research proposal and I have been doing a literature review for many months. Then when finally finished it and sent it in. I can even live with having to wait, yet find unprofessional behaviour (not wanting to speak to you) unbearable.
I believe in mutual respect and in my every day work where I deal with clients and collaegues this is not often an issue. I would expect from a supervisor at least a minimum level of professionalism

are you sure it was him in the background?

her not him, sorry

404

definitely! The secretary tried to connect yet something must have gone wrong as I heared my supervisor and her speak to each other and it was very easy to recognise the voice and what the supervisor said. Then secretary spoke to me again claiming that supervisor was busy and to ring again next week.

I am just not used to this type of behaviour

I would assume that they're asking you to call back next week because they haven't made a decision yet, or that the supervisor was too busy at the time to talk to you there and then. From the sounds of it, I don't think they've done anything wrong.

yeah, maybe it is me who is strange

maybe it is strange to expect the supervisor to respect the student and vice versa

I wouldn't say that, you're just keen to know the outcome. Perfectly normal!

I don't think you are strange either Rick, just keen. That can't be a bad thing.