======= Date Modified 25 Oct 2008 07:28:02 =======
Hi Vicky,

I do think you're having a bit of a moan here - there is absolutely no reason why having less affluent background should stop you from becoming a lecturer. Most PhD students get funding and this is not means-tested, so a rich or poor background should not make any difference. When you add up the cost of a PhD in total then most middle-class families would struggle to fund the 3/4 years, and it is only really upper middle-class/upper class families that can give their eager off-spring a free ride (although many do not). Basically, you are no different from a good 50% (or more) of PhD students. I'm saddled with a load of debt after funding my Masters and prolonged my funded PhD work. I think you have to accept that debt and/or no money is part of the investment cost of doing a PhD.

Similarly to Thecoastman, I have only come across truly wealthy PhD students who have been internationals. I haven't met any domestic PhD students who aren't struggling (excluding those who have established professions).

However, I think your class concerns may be more legitimate when it comes to actually finding an academic post. Academia is generally snobby and elitist despite the 'open-door' facade (although this may vary depending on your subject). You'll also find money/class is more of an issue on an international level when you'll meet fellow students with a string of postgraduate degrees from top US universities that cost a prohibitive amount of money.

Congratulations Ju-Ju, it must be such a relief for you.

Good luck with your viva! (up)

======= Date Modified 23 Oct 2008 10:28:22 =======
Bluesky, why don't you just contact your prospective department or PhD administrator and ask about the travel/conference allowances that come along with your studentship?? Studentships are all different, so no one can give you a definitive answer. Generally, studentships have no travel/conference budgets attached to them, but you can apply to your graduate school/department for funding for specific conferences, they usually set money aside for that, but don't expect much (maybe a few hundred).

Ignore Sandy...she's spam.

Pineapple, I harbour many of the same sentiments as you. I am a few years older, but basically in your position. To progress my career will involve more years of study and the prospect of getting a graduate/entry job at my age is becoming more and more bleak (so much so I will probably re-locate to a country that isn't so hung up on age). In many respects, I feel I have wasted years my 20s when I see my friends in executive homes, high-end cars, and a few kids in tow. These issues bother me so much that it has led to my research grinding to a halt...so I would strongly recommend you sit down with yourself and reconcile your thoughts.

If you really want to do the 2.4 children/white picket fence lifestyle, then you need do need consider whether you can juggle that with continued academic work. However, also consider whether you'll be better off in a 9-5 job - as others have mentioned the grass is not always greener (and rarely is). Many of your 27 yr old friends with kids may end up in negative equity or find their jobs redundant in the next few years. However, you have given yourself a career that offers the flexibility to work in many countries and you won't have a massive mortgage around your neck.

Given the economic downturn and my own wishes to travel/work around the work, I think it is quite possible that there has never been a better time to have a PhD.

======= Date Modified 22 Oct 2008 22:09:15 =======

======= Date Modified 22 Oct 2008 21:57:39 =======
Yes, the University of Nottingham is an excellent university and a 'research-led' university (i.e. member of the Russell Group). Outside London and Oxbridge it is one of the best - definitely in the top 20. Of course, this is general commentary. You must look at the individual supervisor and department as Phdbug suggests.

Hi,

Reading is relatively cheap. You won't face London prices, nor prices of some parts of Austria. You will be able to survive on £12,500.

Are you looking for a small room in university accommodation or a private place? You may benefit from getting a room in student accommodation as your utilities (electric, gas, internet) will be included and these things are very expensive at the moment. Renting a room in private accommodation sometimes has running costs within the price, and then sometimes you have to pay a portion of the overall bills (this can get messy and expensive).

You'd probably get a private room as a lodger/flatshare for £400 with utilities included, or £300 in student accommodation (check out spareroom.co.uk for private lets). Travelling to Oxford won't cost much if you forward plan buying train/bus tickets online (check out trainline and national express websites).

You biggest cost will be visiting Austria every 6 weeks (the UK does have budget flights to Budapest & Graz, check out ryanair).

Everyone should be quite happy with their money - only 2/3 years ago it was significantly lower (£8-£10k).

Although you're not paying tax, try to pay your NI (if you plan to stay in the UK).

I somewhat agree with Jouri -book reviews don't really count for much. I have seen students do 3/4 book reviews and it just looks a bit desperate. However, doing a book review is a good way to ease yourself into the whole process of publishing and dealing with journal editors/copy-editors.

I have steered clear of book reviews because of the inherent critical nature i.e., you have to critique someone elses work and that person will usually be more experienced and qualified than yourself. You are left with the choice of putting your neck on the block and writing exactly what you feel about the book, or otherwise writinh some generic review, chapter-by-chapter.

I'm quite old school - I have articles filed in two big cabinets. If I have made notes - I'll staple them to the front of the article. This is all sectioned into different chapters/broad categories. This can all be cross-referenced to my bibliography. I also have a similar electronic system for thousands of articles I have not printed out. They are also categorised by chapter/subject-matter.

When you write-up, your notes will invariably be unhelpful and you'll refer the original source, so try not taking too many notes or ideally none. Instead, write broad reports/or draft chapters directly from your reading. Something like MS OneNote is a good place to create an electronic filing system of your ideas/references.

This is quite poor. Not only are you miffed about it, but surely the external (who has to probably travel some distance/plan the day) is also now inconvenienced. I am not at the viva stage myself, but my friend took over 1 year to sort out issues with getting examiners together as her supervisor was very slow. I can only advise that you communicate with your supervisor and urge him/her to get the internal examiner to arrange a date asap. If the examiner cannot commit to a date, then asking for a new examiner seems a very reasonable request.