PhD support group?

studentphil

cupid_stunt wrote:

i know with our degrees almost all our reading was online papers. all of which the uni subscribes to and can be easily accessed through any uni computer.
we had about 2 books on our reading list in the third year. One everyone had bought and the other I got for 50p from Oxfam books by the corn exchange

I slipped up doing an arts subject as they just try to kill you with the reading and that is without doing extra reading. Philosophy is not like History either as the reading is so very complex it takes an age to read.

melancholly

cupid_stunt wrote:

i know with our degrees almost all our reading was online papers. all of which the uni subscribes to and can be easily accessed through any uni computer.

same for me - i also had to manage a degree without my own personal computer because i couldn't afford one....
i remember 'fun' evenings in the library photocopying chapters from reference copies of books when it was really needed!
i also asked to borrow a book from a lecturer when i could get hold it anywhere else - gave it back a week later after taking extensive notes (but i guess i wa a little keener than most students!)
i think the way that top students distinguish themselves from average ones is in their ability to use initiative and self motivation, rather than expecting everything on a plate!! by the time someone is an adult at university they shouldn't need stretching, they should be able to stretch themselves!

studentphil

My friend got a third in her degree and went on to do a PHD and as daft as it sounds she struggled to get a post doctorate job because of her degree class. Sadly employers can not see the value that she has Maths problems due to dyslexia and to get the third was a real battle for her and the PHD an even greater achievement. Sometimes the weak UG student can go on and do great PHDs even if they do tend to have to research less standard areas.

dumpy

Does it make you mad when people say "Oh I did a PhD but I never wrote up?"

NNOOOOO if you didn't write up you didn't experience the full horror of the experience.

studentphil

dumpy wrote:

Does it make you mad when people say "Oh I did a PhD but I never wrote up?"

NNOOOOO if you didn't write up you didn't experience the full horror of the experience.

Surely the write up is one of the most straight forward bits esp. if you have voice dictation software.

melancholly

studentphil wrote:

Surely the write up is one of the most straight forward bits esp. if you have voice dictation software.

if only it could all be written down in one sitting!
it is the most horrible part and i am fully dreading it!!
probably best not to say it's easy if you haven't done it.....!

studentphil

melancholly wrote:

if only it could all be written down in one sitting!
it is the most horrible part and i am fully dreading it!!
probably best not to say it's easy if you haven't done it.....!

Straight forward is not the same as easy.

cupid_s

studentphil wrote:

My friend got a third in her degree and went on to do a PHD and as daft as it sounds she struggled to get a post doctorate job because of her degree class. Sadly employers can not see the value that she has Maths problems due to dyslexia and to get the third was a real battle for her and the PHD an even greater achievement. Sometimes the weak UG student can go on and do great PHDs even if they do tend to have to research less standard areas.

I didn't think they'd let you do a PhD unless you get a 2.1....?
I know in my department they don't. They wont even let you do a masters unless you get a 2.2

studentphil

cupid_stunt wrote:

I didn't think they'd let you do a PhD unless you get a 2.1....?
I know in my department they don't. They wont even let you do a masters unless you get a 2.2

I do believe she did a MSc first though, but I think she had a fight to get onto that.
I think you can do 2.2. masters then PHD, but 2.1 is really a must to go BSc to PHD directly.

misskool

CrazyChemist wrote:

Eugh Yuk. Genetics. :rotfl: You're a fraud!!!!!!

How far through the PhD are you now??

It's the best any wo(man) can get.

End of third (turd) year, trying desperately to motivate self to finish by end of term 1 of 4th year.
:eek:

Any motivational words? Or words of wisdom?