lyra777: here is not a such thing as 'PhD programme' in Cambridge. There is no coursework, no exams, only research. All what you are expected to do is to do research and produce Thesis.

verdy. is not actually true. I had to take exams and do course work as well as my research during the first year of my PhD in Cambridge

maybe not every grad student has to take courses and do course work but I would argue that this doesnt make things easier and research is the primary concentration of any PhD

I have met people who have had a really good experience here - just not very many....

Many people roll over their MPhil into a PhD so they will have had course work and exams in their first year.

Some PhD students I have spoken to say that sometimes they have to be in the lad about 9-10pm, and even weekends as well, not such thing as holidays. So it seems quite tough. I am trying to enjoy myself as much as I can now before I start in oct

My impression is that lab-based projects get better supervision but the trade-off is the long hours in the lab itself.

Smiliodon,
Lab based PhDs get better supervision? That's an interesting comment. I wouldn't be so sure about that.

I started last october. I had my first project meeting about one month later. The next meeting after that was about 6 weeks later.

Then around March or April I was asked by my supervisor what I had been up to for the last 6 months? because he just didnt know. In fact, the first time he had a look around my lab, while I was in Cambridge, was in April about 6 months after I started!!!

Well the ONLY people I know who have had good supervision where in labs. Lab supervisors are often working in the same lab and have a vested interest in the project as part of a team effort.

Not in your case clearly. (And I went most of a year without seeing my supervisor.)

rjb203: Haha legendary. I also heard that the Winnie the Pooh society have an annual 'Pooh Sticks' contest. They have a website with the rules and everything - eg 'sticks must not be self-propelled'. Laughed my head off!!

I've heard about the tough lab hours for PhDs, and it's not only confined to Cambridge students. My project involves using fMRIs so I think long-nights at the department await me...

As someone already said, in the months between now and October I'm going to try and make the most of my social life!! Being in Nottingham right now it's the place for partying!
On that note that's another thing I wonder about - after spending three wonderful years as an undergrad in Nottingham (and one year working) because the social life was so great, how will I stomach the transition into Cambridge? Hmmm.

But going to Cambridge has been my dream ever since I visited here as a child. I couldn't ask for anything more, lack of social life or not!!!!!!

I agree, its been my dream too. where are you from, you talked about visiting as a child.

Well I am zimbabwean and it has always been my dream to have a cambrodge degree and i cant ask for anything more.
God has really heard my prayers

simuzosha: I am of mixed race - half Japanese, half British and was brought up in Japan till I came to the UK for University, and intend to stay here. I think you're the first Zimbabwean I've met :)

Simo - I lived in Zimbabwe (Harare) for 18 months in the 90s - before the troubles. Very beautiful country. No wonder you don't get the car problem. I remember trying to explain to people that back home in London there was often no room for your car outside your house. They looked very puzzled.

As it happens I'm half-Pakistani (raised in the UK). I think there is an international students society of some kind - I've been to a couple of dinners. Certainly postgrads here are a very international bunch.

Zimbabwe was a nice place. I left in 2002 but since then things have got from bad to worse.
the britsh pound is 1:200 million zim dollars.
I love my country and pray that it will be okay one day.
I hope that when when I finish my PHD in 2011, I will be able to go back and stay there beacuse it is a lovely country.

When I left there were more car parking spaces that there were cars. so parking problems were non existant.
The university of zimbabwe was an all comprehensive compound. you could literally live in it without any contatct with the outside world beause it had everything including banks, and again no restrictions on bring your car

It's been a rough ride and I've been feeling pretty jaded about the whole thing. You and Lyra help me remember the excitement I felt when I first started out - which is good.

Simo - I used to know a team up at the Babaraham who have all moved on now. They were a good bunch and seemed to work well together - I hope you have a good, friendly lab like that too.

We would love to visit Zimbabwe again one day, we have very fond memories of our time there. Have you given up sadza since moving? And did you know that Nandos has opened up here? There's one in town. I buy their peri peri sauce still from tescos.

thanks good. my husband is zambian and he is addicted to sadza.i try to cooom him fancy meals sometimes but all to no credit at all. cook him sadza, spinach and fish, you are in business.

I hope I will have a good time in babraham as well

When abouts do we find out which college we've been allocated to? May?