It would appear so. The people around the uni are okay, but people outside have definitely been afflicted by the incompetence disease. My useless estate angel, my clueless solicitor, my under-equipped electrician, the parcel delivery company that doesn't turn up, the call centre who refuse to deal with me unless I can recite my account number. I could go on but I'd be accused of becoming a grumpy old man!

Yes, to improve your chances of getting a place, but also to experience how other places work.

What I was going to say about other unis is to contact potential supervisors and basically charm them so they like you and will help you with your proposal. This will improve your chances of getting funding as you will have them on side. Also, they will be expecting your proposal when it arrives at the uni.

Or put another way, think of what you can do to get ahead of the competition.

Are you applying to your own uni or somewhere else? Thought I'd ask, as there are certain things you should do before applying to a new place.

Sara, any news from today?

I did just that, straight from BSc to PhD. Had to get a First on both degree and dissertation though. If you're advisor thinks you'd make a good research student you go for it!

Got up at 8.30, in library for 9.30, thought about work, surfed a bit, fancied nap, slept for 90 minutes (yes, in the library). Woke up, decided it was too close to lunchtime to start work, went back to surfing, went for lunch, came back more surfing. Took another 90 minute nap (dreamed about girl next door), woke up went for a coffee, went to supermarket for rations, came back, surfed some more. Decided it was too late to start work, started posting on here instead.

Contribution towards PhD today: 0.0000000000000000000000000000%

all the while the banks are, well, laughing all the way to the proverbial bank.

There seems to an awful lot of self-diagnoses going on on this board lately. Okay, as Phd students we're meant to do alot of reading, but some people seem to have got into the self-diagnoses of medical conditions by reading a list of symptoms and convincing themselves that they suffer from most of them. Only trained professionals can make these judgements so leave well alone.

Yick, if it makes you feel better, I'm the shy type that tends to be in the quiet corner in parties and only occasionally adds something to a group discussion. However, I noticed a marked change in myself since I arrived and this uni and became a "yes" man. I've started to come out of my shell alot more. I still talk to myself though!

To my mind, certain things in life should be sheltered from the full forces of capitalism - the so called safety factors. Everyone needs an affordable roof over their heads, they need heat, light, power and they need food and water. The prices of all these things (extravagant foods aside) should be held in check by the government by enforcing lending limits and by legislation to limit the price of these "safety" goods.

On the flip side, much as I want a widescreen TV, I certainly don't need one so you can tax me to high hell on that and I can choose whether to buy one or not.

I do it. My MP3 player has a an inbuilt microphone which is rreally handy. I use it to write the minutes and then circulate them.

You get the feeling that something is going to happen in the future. When you have a whole generation of intelligent, highly-skilled and motivated citizens who can barely function in society through sky high house prices/rents, very high taxes, poor transport, expensive energy and overall crippling debts you know the country's heading for some sort of breakdown.

You can see the day when the vast majority of property in this country is owned by the few. I just don't think people will put up with this forever.

If this is how the country treats its next generation of "knowledge workers", they should hardly be surprised if that they use their "get up and go" and leave the country. That or have kids and go on the dole.

The chickens have to come home to roost sooner or later.

try opening the window (preferably at midnight) and shout ARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH at the top of your voice. Works a treat!

Obviously be fully-familiar with all that you wrote in your proposal, you will be quizzed on it. Make sure you emphasise your achievements to date. They are bound to ask you questions you do not know the answer to. Don't try to sound knowledgeable on something that you're not, instead just say that you don't know, but that you would have to find out.

Also, be clear on what your motivations are for doing the PhD and why at that particular uni. Most of all, sound keen, enthusiastic and motivated to do it whilst appreciating that the experience will be a rollercoaster ride. Perhaps something to think about is what you can do to make yourself appear better than the competition.

Good luck, you'll be fine!

It depends on what your money is to be spent on. My stipend (12.3k) I keep outside of my research budget. However, my research budget is only £500 per year which is clearly not enough. For this reason, I go to the department and to other potential sponsors for more money. Some may disagree, but my stipend should not form part of my research budget.

How old is this thread? Does anyone think she will answer?