The analysis bit concerns me somewhat too. Alright, I'm only at the end of year one but then I'm somewhat aware that I will need to find a cut off point where I agree with my supervisor that I have enough to go with and write up from there. Trouble is, supervisors will always want that bit more, so how do you agree an appropriate cut off point?

It's an interesting debate. If you make the reasonable assumption that the 20% who went to university back in the day were pretty much the brightest 20% of the population (money aside), then by definition increasing the participation rate to 50% must lower standards.

Why then, does the proportion of students gaining 2:1s or higher every year remain more or less static (except for the ex-polys who dish them out like confetti)?

Maybe 20% of the students I taught last year were completely unsuited to HE - no talent and no motivation. High fliers aside, it begs the question, why are these weak students prepared to wrack up £30k of debt if their chances of a decent job at the end are so weak?

9-5 is fine and well-disciplined if you manage it. Maybe the industrial part of it will help. I'm a 35 hour-a-weeker, so I often vary my chosen working hours according to what else is going on in my life and how I feel that day, just so long as I do my 35 hours.

Just remember it is a marathon, work steadily in your first year and take time for holidays. Year 2 and 3 are where the hardwork is, so don't burn yourself out in year 1! Well done and good luck.

Morcheeba - Rome Wasn't Built In A Day. - proper feel good stuff!

1595

January 29 or January 30 - William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet is probably first performed.
William Shakespeare writes A Midsummer Night's Dream.
May 18 - The Treaty of Tyavzino brings to an end the Russo-Swedish War (1590–1595).
May 24 - Nomenclator of Leiden University Library appears, the first printed catalog of an institutional library.
June 9 - Battle of Fontaine-Française. Henry IV of France defeats the Spanish, but is nearly killed due to his rashness.
October 28 - Battle of Guirgevo. Transylvanian forces under Sigismund Bathory, allied to the Habsburgs, defeat the Turkish army of Sinan Pasha, securing Transylvanian control over Wallachie.
Mehmed III succeeds Murad III as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
The Austrians incite a rebellion against the Ottomans in Bulgaria.
The Spanish navigator and explorer, Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira leads the voyage that discovers (for Europeans), the first known islands of Polynesia, the Marquesas.

Maslow, self actualisation?? Not a bad place to be if you've reached level 5 of 5!

Well, if you're disclipined it is quite possible to work hard and play hard - so long as each bit has its place. The PhD can be a lonely life but doesn't have to be.

In your first few weeks make sure you are a "yes" person and do lots of social things to make lots of friends. I met my partner as a friend of a friend so time well invested in getting to know people.

Good luck!

Have a good break this summer and give your head a break, then in the week before you start, read up on what you're going to be doing so you can impress your supervisor in your first meeting. First impressions and all that!

I can't see why age would be an issue anywhere. Alot of supervisors prefer older students (I'm 33 BTW) because they have a bit of life experience and maturity, and often bring skills learnt in the workplace to their research. Go for it - if you don't ask you don't get.

Well done folks, welcome to PhDland!

Well, if it paid well, I'd quite like to be a crane driver, not for construction but demolition where you swing the large ball into derelict buildings. Talk about job satisfaction!

In a nutshell, yes it is possible if you can get a Distinction on your Masters. Your UG degree is something of a millstone which may ultimately prohibit funding until you've proved yourself on your Masters. Alot of it depends on what prospective supervisor thinks of you, in which case time to go on a charm offensive and only mention the UG result later.

Erm, hadn't noticed I'd done that. But now you mention it....

went away, came back for a few days, went away again for 3 weeks, back again for next 10. Sylvester is back on the bored.