Many thanks ! Kirsty , will there be any chance you are base at Bart's Medical School (Queens Mary University) , because I saw a project there on Cancer therapy , viral vectors and thought of applying but didnt at the end.

I had to wait 4 weeks for the offer from Cambridge after the interview , but it wasnt my first choice anyway so I wasnt too nervous waiting ; but the one at Leeds which was my first choice - I had to wait a week until I received the offer . It worth the wait thou since I really like the project and the department there . And some of my fiends are already there ! It is a fantastic City.

Hi Kirsty and masters

I will be in London too, I'm not in cancer reserach, but I am in life sciences. My current degree is Biochemistry so I should (hopefully!) know what you're talking about!

I was surprised to get offers at the two places I was interviewed, because in each one I was floored by one question. In both cases I heard the same day by email so no waiting around.

If you're going to be in London perhaps we should have a meet?

ejc x

For my interview at Cam I was floored by about 5 questions , but still got the offer . I have said '' I am not sure '' so many times in that interview , I thought they were getting sick of hearing from me. We didnt even shake hands in the end and I literately storm out of the room, thats how bad I thought it went.

I still cant believe they offer me the funding , maybe they prefer someone who is honest in their answers . I was polite and charming until the final 30 seconds , may be thats the quality that they were looking for. I prob were their 2nd choice anyway , as the other person turned down the offer.

EJc, I am at Leeds and not London !

masters, yup I realised that but Kirsty said she will be in London.

ha ha masters, That did make me laugh about you storming out of the Cambridge interview, mine all ended pleasantly with shaking of hands and goodbyes so I have no horror stories to share I'm afraid! I'm sure I am imagining yours to be worse than it was though, slamming doors, evil looks and all that

are you moving to london then ejc or have you lived/studied here before?

Welcome all, hope you find this forum as entertaining/useful/place to vent your spleen in moments of intense displeasure but above all;
Enjoy the PhD

Hi,

I accepted a place a few months back and start in October, i was unsure if i had the place as the panel didnt give alot away, i actually thought it didnt go great. I actually rang the supervisor a month after my interview to ask what was happening as i had another offer and didnt want to accept that if i had his, he emailed me the next day offering me the place!

Would love to take time of but am currently doing a Mres and it is lots of work until September the 15th, then my birthday then i start in October. I am very excited, kinda wishing away my masters as i prefer my PhD topic, i understand thats probably not the best attitude!

Kirsty,

I didnt slam the door , but I should have done to make a more dramatic exit . I was angry with the panel as well at one point because they asked me alot of impossible questions and it was a no win situation . I got the offer in the end but I wasted £25 on the application , £62 on travel which they didnt reimburse , 2 references and a whole day !

I also had to wait a month for their decision as well ; by then I wasted more time to apply to two more universities . I should have phoned them like you did CM , but I wasnt that bother as it was going to be my 3rd choice at the time.

Kirsty,

Are you registered on the other forum? I just don't like posting the entire details of my life on this public one and the other one allows pms.

ejc x