Hi guys, i'm crying my eyes out. I know some of you have been here before. Can you give me any kind or sage words or virtual hugs please? I'm in a bad way. My supervisors loved my thesis as did i and my examiners gave me mixed messages today saying they loved it but want 6 months corrections that they think i'll get done in less than 3 months. Please. Any kind word would mean so much to me right now. Thank you.

Ok it sounds as though you've passed, subject to making some specific changes.

So well done! And stop being unhappy :)

Your examiners will give you a written report specifying what needs to be done. Do that, and you should be passed finally just fine.

Different universities have different rules about changes and time taken. 6 months of corrections is not that huge, and as your examiners say can probably be done in a fraction of the time. They always allow longer than you will really need. You are *not* going to be working on these for 6 months solid!

So be happy. You have passed. The examiners want you to make some - not too huge to be honest - changes to improve your thesis before you are finally signed off. But you are through, and this is just a matter of time.

Hi J stanley

Congrats ! But for now, take a good break from your thesis. Go somewhere for a good rest; a seaside trip or where ever. You'll come back after the break with new spirits hopefully !

My viva outcome was much worse. I got an R n R. I've been given 1 year to do my corrections. So now I'm doing a little bit at a time, in between my translating and proofreading jobs.

You're going to be fine. Take care of your health and you'll be bouncing back in no time !

Thanks both. I have the puffiest sorest eyes imaginable this morning. Hardly slept a wink but cried so much last night. What's really hard is family and friends (who haven't gone to university) asking how it went and just having to say it went great but I've to make some changes. Also, I feel the messages I got were very mixed. We love it but do this, this and this. No longer my thesis then. Ho hum. But what can you do. That's life. It's taken the passion right out of something I loved.
Bilbo I followed your story and you gave brilliant viva prep advice so thank you and CharlieB I also followed your story and it really angers me when people get r & r or majors. Shouldn't happen imo but I can't help but feel there's a big element of luck of the draw at play. Thank you for your kind words and I'm wishing all the very best to you too.
Edit: I should add that I began crying when the examiners were gone and I was talking to my supervisor. I said I had to go before I really went in for a shoulder heaving cry at least. It was only the beginning of sobbing but jesus it's embarrassing. I'm not the sort that would ever do that but it just came out. I feel so embarrassed now. Anyone else ever do that?

This is a totally normal viva outcome, so just get the corrections done and congratulations!

I can imagine you've been so close to your thesis for so long now that this feels like a huge deal. But you're almost there - they want one round of corrections and that's it. You can do it!

I still don't understand why you cried while you should have been celebrating. I also got given 6 months to make some minor amendments but did it in less than 3 weeks.

Ok, thank you all. My supervisor wasn't happy either with the result. We weren't expecting the kind of big structural changes that are being asked I guess. Anyway, thank you. Much appreciated.

It seems much worse than it is right now and you'll figure that out over the next few weeks.

I was in a similar situation - my supervisor was really pleased with my thesis, I was happy enough with it, but the examiners were very critical about some aspects, especially the external. Like you, I started tearing up afterwards in front of my supervisor and just managed to make it home before having a good cry. And yes, the whole not knowing what to tell expectant friends and family - so hard.

I managed to do my corrections in just under 3 months, working on them a couple of days a week. I can see that it's a better thesis as a result, too, and in retrospect am glad I had the opportunity to improve it although I certainly didn't feel like that at the time. You just need a bit of space and perspective and you'll feel better about the situation. Well done!

I got an R an R but when the report arrived and I read the corrections, I was shocked considering that it was a major correction. However, my university does not have major correction instead, major= R & R. That said, people already are judging me in the dept especially the junior faculty. Most junior faculties don't get to be examiners and they are inexperienced and I don't care about what they think. However, I have not cried but it's difficult to pull yourself together and it's two months now and I haven't looked at my thesis and their corrections yet. However, I will be submitting a rewritten draft sometime in dec for sure. R & R has not stopped me from applying for post docs elsewhere. In my case, it was entirely my supervision that failed me. When I hear about your relationship with your supervisor, I remember an advice given by someone whom I know well and is an HoD in social science dept from US. her advice was never trust a supervisor who is always smiling and does not warn you or criticise you. In my case, supervisors never told me anything about if the thesis was in good shape. Instead, they said they cannot supervise me anymore so I must submit! That is why I submitted. If my supervisors really cared, I would have got a Minor. It's not fair at all. You just have to stew and see others go ahead while you are stuck with no certainty. My examiners were not that bad. They cleared me in the viva. They knew it is a major but the university regulations constrained them for an R & R outcome. You are going to continue to question where things went wrong but there is no point as you just have to get on to write what your examiners want you to. My external didn't like that I supported her contemporary so she has suggested so many corrections. I didn't know that until I later googled their names together and I can see that they must have striping views about things that they are both interested in. My fault was I found this later after submission.

Thanks Kelpie and Ganesha. I know some people are saying congrats and it's not that bad but to call a spade a spade I think it's very disappointing to get this outcome when your supervisors said it was all hunky dory. Presentations were always a blast. Everything was great. If it was so great why has this happened. I'm just bitterly disappointed because I loved what I was doing and it just doesn't feel like mine anymore. Anyway, no-one died I guess. Build a bridge. Move on eh. Ta folks. I do appreciate it. Thank you v much and Ganesha I wish you the very best. These things shouldn't happen. I don't get how supervisors (who are also examiners at times) can ok something and then someone else come in and rip it up. Onwards and upwards. Keep going :-) It's not the end of the world.

Well, I know of students who were brilliant and received major corrections on their viva - it is sometimes down to throwing the dice I suppose.

Aye, I agree. Thanks marasp. Most people are of a particular standard surely or we would never have reached submission stage but then it's as if it's partly down to who you get as an examiner. Marasp, I have followed your story and admire your resilience to get up and get on with it. Can I ask you about whether you put your job as a sandwich artist on your CV for the academic job that you now have? I remember back in June you were working briefly at the deli job and I wondered whether you had that listed on the CV you put in for the job you subsequently got? Would really appreciate an answer. I'm in a bit of a pickle like that myself. I guess that makes it hurt all the more too being judged by people on bloated salaries while you're on the breadline.

Hi JStanley and thanks for the support. I should hear back from the examiners soon. I did not include the deli job on my CV, as it was irrelevant to the academic job I was applying for.

Ta, Marasp. Ok, onwards and upwards. I've started on corrections. Thank you, folks.