======= Date Modified 08 54 2010 18:54:59 =======


Hi,

I just finished my undergrad with a 2:1 (Biology/Anthropology) and I also have a Diploma on Biology again from another university. Even though I worked really hard on my dissertation I only got a 68% cause my supervisor really didn't like me. I informed him that the reagents he had available for use were contaminated but he sent my samples to be sequenced anyway which led to me having to results to display after over a year's work, among other things. Plus he asked me out of 10 students to pay extra to get my results done (about £100). And on top of that he refused to give me a reference. For the record, no argument took place between us, except in the very end when I couldn't take the discrimination any more.

I have now found a PhD in another university (Biology) which is exactly the topic I was researching for my dissertation and I'm very interested in it. I do have two other academic references from my course. One is from my placement supervisor who I have excellent relations with and from my year tutor.

So I got 2 questions:

1) Will the fact that my old supervisor hates me create a problem for me in my application?

2) About the fact that the project is self-funded, can I look into finding funding myself or do I do this with the supervisor (before the project starts)?

Thanks

hi dwro8ea
I remember having to pay for sequencing but this was because my (very first) supervisor did not have any funds left; I gladly paid it, my samples were good; and it definitely cost less than £100! I'm sorry to hear that your supervisor refused to give you a reference. Sometimes we do get along, and sometimes not.

My previous supervisor was just ok I guess, however she said I put pressure on her and she avoided me (!). She did not answer my emails and stayed away from her office! Whenever I had a problem, I had to solve it myself because she offered no help. I couldn't even change supervisors or change my project. Later I found out that this was her personality; she also treated other students like this. It was not personal. I maintained a cordial relationship with her; and I did not ask her for a letter of reference (because I thought she would have written me a really lousy one; just cut and paste, and change the name for every student who asked her for one).

In answering your two questions:

1) No
2) Yes, and do speak to the prospective supervisor about it

good luck
love satchi

During my second master I had a really bad supervisor. He didn't offer any help, he didn't answer any of my questions, he was telling me to change things and then in his feedback he was telling me that these things were wrong and the correct ones were in the first draft, and so on! On top of all these, he believed that I shouldn't have been studying in a British University, because I am not British, and that I was a crap student, not worth of a postgraduate degree (I had another master from a better uni but he was saying that I got it out of pity!!!!).
I never asked him for a reference of course. I got my references from my undergraduate teachers, with whom I have excellent relationships (the ones I had during my first master have just disappeared from the uni and I couldn't locate them).
I was accepted at all the unis I applied for PhD and I never had any problems.
I don't know whether my former supervisor has contacted my present one, but even if he has, I don't care. I have a very good relationship with my current supervisor, she helps me a lot, gives me really good feedback and understands me and my research.

Good luck with whatever you do!!!!!

Thanks guys, I feel a bit better now. At least I see I'm not alone.

The thing with this guy was that he wasn't weird all the time. He'd be fine one day and the next he'll just treat me like I'm stupid in front of everyone. And for the record most of my classmates had no clue of his topic, even though they were doing their dissertation with him. I think his issue was that because I did already 3 years of biology I was able to see his mistakes and that bothered him. I hope if I manage to get a PhD position that my supervisor will be more open-minded that this.