Hi DrCorinne, thanks for your reply, I definitely submitted it on time (the deadline was one month before) and received acknowledgement. They just failed to inform me whether or not I had been accepted. I take it I am right that unsuccessful authors would usually be informed then - I guess it was a little badly organised.

I had my first go recently at submitting a paper to a graduate conference. Around a week before the conference, they had not contacted me to say whether my submission was successful or not, and when I emailed the graduate student organising the conference to enquire he failed to get back to me. I found, by checking the conference website repeatedly, that I was not successful when they posted the speaker list, less than a week before the conference.

It strikes me as rather rude of the conference organisers not to tell people who were unsuccessful and to merely post the list of speakers online just a few days before the conference. Am I entitled to be irked, or is this a normal way of doing things?

I've noticed there are various guide books available offering advice on PhD study.

Just wondering which one people think is the best - and specifically which is the best for a philosophy PhD?

Thanks

Late reply but maybe this will still help. I moved from a philosophy BA, where I studied a certain amount of philosophy of mind, but not really cognitive science (ethics was my strongest area), to a cognitive science master's. I'm totally pleased I did it, as cognitive science is incredibly interesting; there's certainly no academic field or career path I would prefer to have pursued in hindsight. I have been accepted onto a PhD in philosophy of cognitive science which I am planning to begin this autumn.

I don't think there is any need for your original degree to have been in the same discipline as the one you want to do a PhD in, if your master's covers the field in question. There may be some non-academic applications for your combination of degrees, although I'm not sure what they are! But do it because it's interesting!

argh. I don't know what to do.

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Thanks for all the replies : )

Natasha, no I live with flatmates at the moment, and have never lived alone thus far, so doing it in a new city is a doubly big thing! It does appeal in some ways though.

This is kind of similar to the accommodation thread below, but I'm hoping someone can help with my specific worry. I'm moving to a new city to do a PhD and I won't know anyone there. Unlike my current London location, however, I will be able to afford a 1 bed flat by myself, and I am thinking of taking advantage of this so I can have my own space and avoid the gamble of moving in with strangers.

I'm a bit scared I could be making a big mistake though. Will I end up feeling really lonely if I live by myself?

I'm in the exact same boat - moving far away for my PhD to a new city where I won't know anyone - and I agree it is a tricky decision.

Not keen on shared private housing with unknown house mates, because there is a risk of getting on with them really badly. Even if they are alright people and we don't hate each other, I still feel a bit uncomfortable sharing living space with people I don't know that well.

Living in halls is an interesting idea, but I am not so keen in my late 20s to live in a tiny pokey room in an institutional environment.

So this leaves the living in a flat by myself idea. The idea is very appealing in many ways and is my most likely option. But I'm scared it could be a mistake and I might end up feeling really lonely.

I'd be interested to hear from more current/past PhD students on this issue.