Overview of mellory

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occupational hazards of a PhD?
M

Actually it's quite alarming that so many PhD students declare to have problems with eating, either too much or too little.

I was thinking it's only my stupid, not very sophisticated way of dealing with stress.

What does it say? That studying is stressful above everything else? What about dangerous substances, biohazard, radioactivity, computer monitors damaging sight and so on?

PHD's at American Uni's
M

From my observation US likes and wants people who are already educated and likely to bring profit to them as a country without any serious investments.

I think it is possible to find a PhD there though. Again, they like profit and if you convince them that investing the money first will make you a profitable worker later, you should be able to find something good.

Try all kinds of UK-US cooperation organisations or charities. Embassy will most likely have something that will oblige you to come back to the UK after you finish. If you are ready to commit urself for after the PhD then you might try that.

European PhD stipends are easier to get I think, but they say American science gets more funding, hence better possibilities...

Good luck anyway.

lucky thirteen? Gulp!
M

Fingers crossed!
I have been on a studentship list and missed it slightly, it's like winning the fourth place in a competition.

Are there any serious reasons why they would have to award less studentships this year? I really hope you get it:)

Good luck!

got it! and already have questions...
M

hey guys,

Stu - thanks for explaining how it works, that's the advise I was really looking for.

On the other hand I really appreciate advise from golfpro - thanks. I am one of those people who believe that software should be free. I am using Open Office and found a program for reference managing that is free and is called Biblioexpress. Anyone knows anything about it's quality?

Please, please don't argue, it's a festive period:)

Interview Next Week
M

If you don't have the advertisment, you can try to search for it in google (it usually is searchable by google longer than it is advertised). Next to the result, there is a link to google copy of the website, and copies are longer available than the actual advertisment website.
I hope it helps.

got it! and already have questions...
M

Hey guys,

I finally got my dream PhD studentship:)
I love the project, I really got to like the team and I am so excited bout the city!

I will be starting in a couple of weeks and would like to ask you about the referencing software.
I had a look at the archives, I am just not sure why is it so good/essential to use it? Is it just for keeping the record or does it actually help with referencing? Would using a standard database software be enough?

Thanks in advance for your help:)

DVD Box sets will see you through!
M

Friends, but usually after something hard that I have managed to do.

First I watched episodes randomly, now in order, they are fun both ways

Stressed: How on earth to you get a PhD?
M

I might have missed it but how did it turn out to be so good?

You said you lost all your chances? They have changed their minds? Offered you something else? I am quite curious and desperate to hear a success story.


Well done:)

Waiting for PhD response
M

hey,

It depends on how many candidates they have. You could have been the first to be interviewed.
I waited 5 weeks to get a rejection.
I think it's not fair saying they would give you the reply and then don't give it to you for another two weeks. They either can't be bothered to inform you you didn't make it or have serious trouble to decide between you and someone else (fingers crossed it is the second).

I hope you make it and it goes well.
I am waiting for two replies as well, one of them is just my dream project with perfect team and perfect department and perfect location and everything and I am just too scared to ask them about the outcome.

Good luck:)

Didn't she come on here not long ago?
M

I am so eager to start that I cannot imagine I could ever have a problem to finish. I am not saying it is easy but I am sure I would do it within planned time.
The only thing that comes to my mind is that there is something wrong with the choice of candidates, maybe wrong people are picked...


I guess I might change my mind once I face such problem.

how can this happen!?
M

big hug from me.
been there. know how you feel. i won't be surprised if they tell you, you were excellent and a strong candidate and everything was fine with your application. i believe it is about luck as well.

keep trying. this is the only thing to do. this year or next. if you bug them long enough, they must give you this opportunity. think of something else as well, i would give up a group which does such a thing...

i finished my master's and am a full time phd/job seeking desperate;)

good luck, we will make it one day

What would you think?
M

I chase them, I remind them, I just can't do anything about it if I don't know someone asked for references.

I am upset because I know from my UG supervisor that recently not many reference requests arrive at all. This was my dream program, I tried to keep in touch, read around, I just didn't talk about it much in case that would be tempting fate. And here I am, defending my thesis in 2 weeks, and having no options for now. I really am trying to be optimistic. It's just hard to do every day.

What would you think?
M

My referees prepared my references in September.
One of them, my thesis supervisor is extremly busy, I understand that. Except this one situation he always finds a minute to send out my references and cheers me up that I will get something eventually.

The other supervisor from my undergraduate times asked me to prepare those references. Whenever she gets the reference request, her secretary calls her (she's on the leave), then she calls me, then I go to the secretary, ask her to print out the references, chase my supervisor to sign it, and send it away myself. I knew no one asked for my references because I didn't get a call from that supervisor. And then I get it, past the deadline, because the request got lost among other papers she received from the office.

My third supervisor is same as the first one, extremly busy and does me a great favour agreeing to be my referee as he knows me least.

Any suggestions please
M

At least they send it on time

If it makes you feel better, change your referees for any future projects, not the ones you have already applied to, but I agree with Stu, this is not the most important part of your application.

What would you think?
M

I got that feedback.

My statement wasn't as convincing as the statemets of other students.
Additionaly NO ONE of my referees forwarded my references on time.
Hence they had to judge my application on the basis of my statement only.

I just thought I'd sum up this topic.