hi. iv got an interview coming up in the next few days. having done my bacholors and masters at same uni, iv never branched out. i am now. i applied to 2 other unis. the uni i did both my degrees at and a different one. wasted time and effort applying to the different one, sending in references etc. they took a while trying to locate a supervisor only to give me the news that they had no one competent enough in my field of research to take me on (humanities). uni i did both my degrees at has just been a shambles- they never return emails sometimes for 2 weeks at an end. i just got fed up and checked out another uni a little distance from me, sent in my proposal and within a week, i got email saying come in for interview and meet potential supervisor. its this week! what is involved in the interview? what do i wear? i did my masters a year ago and i hope i dont have to slog over academic books for this interview? help!

QUOTE: 'i did my masters a year ago and i hope i dont have to slog over academic books for this interview? help!'

why are you applying for a PhD then!!?

main reason for me? self achievement.
when i say i dont want to slog. i mean - im taking this short time off as a time to relax before the hard slog starts. i have spent time perfecting an excellent proposal which i slogged over. i am just enjoying this time off until my doctorate starts when i know i will knuckle down and work hard for 3years minimum. That simple really!!!! im also spending this time working getting the money together for my fees (i am self funding)

ok... advice appreciated from anyone who's been through the interview or anyone who's conducted one etc. thank you x

It sounds like you have done the 'hard slogg' bit already then!

wear something smart, but not too smart, I would not wear a suit for example, but not jeans either! Just relax and try to be confident... Be prepared to defend or expand on your proposal... I think enthusiasm and initiative are the most important attributes to convey in an interview for a PhD position... I also got asked stuff like ' where do you see yourself in 5 yrs time' and 'why do you want to do a PhD?' etc etc.. I was told by one of the profs at our uni that one of the best answer to this is 'to gain training to become a researcher' after all, that is what a phd is all about...

Good luck!

thank you ju ju. i should be ok then as my main career aspirations is to remain in the academic world lecturing and researching. im very passionate about my research and future academmic aspirations and that will come through in the interview im sure. they must like my proposal as i sent it to them gosh...just over 2wks ago asking for admission in october. and though its late, they'v arranged the interview with view to starting now. iv also today spoken to my old uni who are dragging their feet and just been told the proposed supervisor i know has been very busy but they are happy for end october start. so fingers crossed...i have 2 options. i do get worried starting a PhD as i hear of so many bad stories.. eg dropouts, clashing with supervisors etc. but i know i really want to do this. doing this will complete me as a person. thank you x

ok. nite before my interview. tried on so many outfits..lol. settled on navy smart trousers and a jumper with bow tie... lol.. top is so not me :-) my daughter says i look like a frumpy school teacher - i said brill...that should do! feel nervous.. having done both degrees at one uni close by me... know the layout, lecturers etc. branching out is so new to me... feels scary. so easy to stay at same uni.. but feel its right for me to go elsewhere and attend the interview and see how i feel about this uni and the potential supervisors they say they have. obviously they also want to see if they feel im right.. fingers crossed! il let u know how it goes. hopefully in next two weeks i should be a PhD student...lol.. which uni.. time will tell. il keep u posted. and hey Ju ju.. thanks for the advice xx

interview went ok. felt nervous and felt i rambled on a bit. im waiting to hear back for a january start. i was very impressed with this uni. their research facilities are top class and i was informed they are in the top 6 in the country for research. iv emailed the top guy who interviewed me saying thank you etc and how i like it there and waiting to hear back. i felt they seemed happy. not confident i answered all the questions they threw at me very well. but i know i was nervous. anyhow... fingers crossed!

ooo my fingers are crossed for you! sounds like it went really well!
keep us posted!
x

thanks ju-ju. feeling very down today. thinking dont feel il start. got email off my old uni-the guy who's meant to supervise. said my proposal wasnt focussed enough. feel bad cos i know i could get it focussed but it was that way becos i was trying to strike the right balance between what he wanted and what the ethics board would allow so hence the ideas were everywhere :-( its got me really down and feeling like just giving it up. its caused me a loss of self confidence. making me think maybe i havnt got it in me after all. sorry to go on but just feel down. thanx for ur advice and i hope i get a favourable reply. havnt heard from the place i went for interveiw. have rang but as they have reading week, neither of the 2 people i want to speak to are there. feel like i really shouldnt be chasing them.

feeling much better today. rang the uni i went for interview and had brief chat. said to them im willing to rewrite the proposal to make it more focussed. they are waiting on my references from old uni. spoke to my ex lecturer who's writing me a reference. he told me he's already written it and im not to worry as he's sending a brilliant one as he has so much faith in me :-) i will rework my proposal again and decided to check on where i will be doing my research (iv already secured access). il check with them current developments in my research area and from that, rework my proposal. i do hope i get in the uni i went for interview. they are just so brill! im not sure i should go back to my old uni. i bumped into a lecturer from there who said to me I'd be mad to go to my old uni. his words to me - 'its the drags'. he said id be mad not to go to the uni i went to for interview as they are tops. he said my old uni he teaches at focus on undergraduates but not on postgrads. he also said they have a habit of mainly only taking foreign students for PhD's as they need the money as they dont get much funding. in fact my proposed supervisor at my old uni said to me they have a high drop out rate! :-( that to me is scary to hear :-( the uni i went to for interview have a high success rate :-) i feel it is better i go somewhere where i know the support for doctoral students are high on their agenda. anyhow..il wait to hear. the uni i went for interview say once they get in my references they'd decide from there and if needed, then they may ask me to rewrite the proposal. on my part, im gonna start that now...fingers crossed xx

I GOT OFFERED A PLACE !!! the uni i went to for the interview :-) just got the email today.... i am soo soo excited. its a brilliant university. i am so happy.

Congratulations Jade. I am hoping to start my PhD in January too. I am planning to apply in a couple weeks, as soon as my potential supervisor okays my proposal. Can I ask you what types of questions they asked you at the interview? I am interested in my area, but no where near expert, and really want to be prepared. I plan to self fund.

hi. they started off with questions like why i wanted to do a PhD. the reasons why. my future aspirations. what i see myself doing in the future. i found they had spent time going through my proposal prior to the interview and they started asking me more academic questions to do with my proposal eg wanted me to explain more about the theoretical principles i had chosen in my proposal and why.
i had thought the interview would mainly be more about me and why im doing a PhD, so i hadnt expected id be asked all the academic questions i got. in hindsight i would have read up before going for the interview and i hadnt. but i did try talking my way through it :-) they seemed impressed that i wanted to be active in the department eg i did say i wanted to be able to do some teaching which they seemed very impressed with. they like the fact that i wanted to be an active student as i asked them what they had on for students to keep one's motivation going. they told me of the weekly seminars etc and i nodded away happily and said i would certainly be attending them and also as many activities as i could. they replied that their PhD students are very visible in the department. i also after the interview emailed them a day later to thank them explaining that i was nervous at the intervivew. i also rang a few days later asking for feedback. thats how my experience went. lol...i found it nerve racking enough.. hence i didnt want to do it again. so glad i got an offer and at such a fantastically brill uni! i did feel i rabbited on and talked a lot out of nerves. and when i rang, i apologised if i came across nervous. Mmmm.... hope this helps. but yeah..in hindsight, i would have done some reading before the interview xx