I have been offered a place at a good uni to do a really cool sounding PhD - I was completely shocked that they made me the offer I was convinced all the otehr guys at interview had a much better chance than I did, co it's not a subject I'm wholly familiar with (if at all). At first I was really ahppy but now I am completely afraid; I know my technical skills in the lab are not great and I'm really worried I'm not going to be able to handle the workload, be creative and original enough with project planning etc etc. I feel like a fraud being given this place and I know I'm not that great a scientist though I convinced them I would be a great student, I'm wondering if It's even the right thing for me to be doing - has anyone else felt like this? How did people cope at first with their PhDs? Are there many stories of people just dropping out cos they can't take the heat?

don't worry!

The fraud feeling thing is normal - there was a post a few days a go where we talked about it - but its fine

no-one expects you to be a genious the minute you walk in! give it a day or two

only kidding! obviously - it takes anyone a long time to pick these things up and no-one will expect you to know the field and be that inventive from day one! take a look at tje other post from folk who are 6 months in and feel like they have done nothing - that is also very very normal.

As long as its the subject you are interested in, and the supervisor seems keen and interested, the rest will be fine

Well done on the offer, stop being so hard on yourself

Good luck

S

Thank you for the reply. just had a look at the previous posts mentioning imposter syndrome, very interesting! It's nice to know others can feel like this. Still really scared though! :/

Hi aloevera

I totally understand how you feel. I have been offered (and have accepted) a place on an exciting PhD programme to start this coming October. Competition was fierce and I was certain that my chances were shot after the interview.

I am a final year undergrad at the moment and my grades are good enough but not stellar so I was even more surprised.

I was so worried that I would disappoint (the supervisors) by taking up the place that I went to talk to them. I said that I was so excited by the place that I wasn't going to let my own self-doubt make me turn it down, but that I didn't think that I was good enough so I was putting my faith in their judgement and their selection process. If you have a supervisor (or selection panel) who has (have) supervised other students they will know what to look for at the interview stage. And it is definitely not in their interest to pick a "fraud" who "will not be able to keep up"!

Best of luck.
ejc x

Other than the superstars, everyones grades are roughly the same. What supervisors want to see in their potential students is the drive and commitment to complete. If they are worth their salt as a supervisor they will identify that and be able to draw the rest out of you. Dont worry. My reference really helped as my head of course stated that I had just that - commitment and staying power. That way the supervisor is not embarassed when you quit!!!