Hi Everyone,
I have an interview for a PhD next week. The topic has been shortlisted for funding and a named student is needed. So basically I am applying to be named student and, hopefully, be successful. This is my dream topic and I desperately want it. So my question is...
How best to present my self? What am I likely to get asked? How can I best convince them that I want it? Unfortunately the stipend is very generous in comparison with many (circa £16,000) which must inevitably increase the competition.
Also, the topic has been shortlisted. Does anybody know how many projects usually get shortlisted? And, consequently, how good/bad the chances are???
Thanks for your help - stressing out just thinking about it!

This comes up regularly. We once made a list but I can't find the thread. However, this may help a bit:

http://www.postgraduateforum.com/showmessage.asp?thread=4126&cat=3&keyword=sylvester&newview=1&stype=U&category=0

But overall:

Motivation for a PhD and the topic in question (with a realisation that it will be a rolleroaster ride).
Knowledge of the topic area
Perhaps some outline ideas of how you might proceed with it
Highlight your academic achievements
Why that dept/ that uni etc.
Be (slightly) humurous / easy to get on with (the supervisor has to put up with you for three years plus after all!)

Anyone anything else..

Brown-nosing the supervisor by mentioning their past papers often goes down well (particularly if relevant to the topic) but you should take a judgement call on this tactic!

I agree with sylvester.. another thing to make sure is that you come across as an enthusiastic person as they want you to have lots of enthusiasm to carry you through the tough bits!

Out of interest what is the field?

Hi, thanks for all the replies. The project is about chickens, hunger and appetite preferences

Ooo cool.. I work with chickens too looking at intestinal microflora

Hi - I followed the link - great! Hopefully I should be okay - I only vaguely know one of the supervisors (and non of the others) through being taught by him a couple of times, but his colleagues taught me for a whole semester and I can think of at least 2 assignments that I managed to corrupt into a piece of research into chicken behaviour or welfare !!! I'm just stressing more than greater enthusiasts will apply...
any, in today's political climate there might not be any chickens left to study if they did give us the money

Hey Tricky - that's ace. Where are you based?

I am at the institiute of food research.. where have you applied to?

The Scottish Agricultural College....
Where is your institute based?
Funnily enough mine would be in, er, Scotland!
I'm not sure yet though - I know partly in Ayr at the poultry station but beyond that I am unclear at the moment. Will be either Glasgow, Edinburgh or Ayr.

Its in Norwich but I will be spending time up in edinburgh as my sponsor company is up there.

Great - if I get in and am in Ed. we'll have to meet up for a drink!

Haha and discuss all things poultry!

cockadoodle-doooooooooo!

Dress nice and be relaxed but confident in your motivation to do the damn thing.