Hi-de-hi PhD people,

What is the typical cull rate at the first year review stage?
Anyone with horror stories, first or second hand, about failing to progress to the second year?

I think it is certainly better for your state of mind to focus on success stories rather than "horror" stories.

I've never heard of someone failing the first year review.... So, if you've read a bunch of papers, have a general feeling of what is the problem you are tackling you will be allright.

I agree with Athos, I've never heard of anyone 'failing' as such. A number of people I know weren't upgraded straight away and had to rewrite the work they had submitted or else clarify their research aims and approach. Generally I think that there will be a drop in numbers around this time though - some people will decide that PhD just isnt for them and choose to leave. Just from my experience!

Thanks for the replies guys! I think I have a strong tendency towards paranoia, but I'm constantly feeling like I must be a 'weak' candidate, and wondering how much longer my supervisor will continue to be patient with me. I haven't been very productive so far, and I figured maybe they would take the opportunity of the first year review to kick me out!

i am also going to be interviewed next week, but a more serious one will be in september. now i even didn't finish my powerpoint slides for presentation. wots more, i feel dyslexia in materials. anyway, i must face it. hope for best, prepare for worst:-)

Like the other posts.. I've never heard of someone being culled from their PhD at the first year review stage.. Where people have left it has been their choice because they decided the PhD wasn't for them.

The feelings of inadequacy in the first year are perfectly normal and so don't feel downhearted by them. I'm in my final year and I still feel like a phoney sometimes :)

hi, i know exactly how you feel - i have a meeting today to discuss beginning my first year report, and it's like all of a sudden i have realised they have the power to chuck me out! my progress to date seems to have gone ok and my supervisors seem happy with my work, but i can't help but worry that i've been completely deluding myself for the last 9 months and i'm actually completely incapable!! i'm sure this isn't true (well, not entirely anyway...!) but i think it's perfectly natural to feel nervous and worried at this stage as there is always the possibility, however slim, that you may not be able to continue. no doubt i'll feel better this afternoon once this meeting is over and done with, and i'll wonder what i was making so much fuss about! i've never heard of anyone leaving at this stage other than through choice, so i'm sure it's pretty unlikely, and i like to think my supervisors would have let me know by now if they didn't think i was up to the standard.