Thanks for the info! I've already graduated so I think I've met all of the requirements. I've been told I'll get my 'official' letter of acceptance from the department after April 10th. Guess it's going to be awhile.....

When abouts do we find out which college we've been allocated to? May?

simuzosha: I am of mixed race - half Japanese, half British and was brought up in Japan till I came to the UK for University, and intend to stay here. I think you're the first Zimbabwean I've met :)

rjb203: Haha legendary. I also heard that the Winnie the Pooh society have an annual 'Pooh Sticks' contest. They have a website with the rules and everything - eg 'sticks must not be self-propelled'. Laughed my head off!!

I've heard about the tough lab hours for PhDs, and it's not only confined to Cambridge students. My project involves using fMRIs so I think long-nights at the department await me...

As someone already said, in the months between now and October I'm going to try and make the most of my social life!! Being in Nottingham right now it's the place for partying!
On that note that's another thing I wonder about - after spending three wonderful years as an undergrad in Nottingham (and one year working) because the social life was so great, how will I stomach the transition into Cambridge? Hmmm.

But going to Cambridge has been my dream ever since I visited here as a child. I couldn't ask for anything more, lack of social life or not!!!!!!

To rjb203

Thanks for you reply!

I'll be based at the Downing science site. I was thinking first of making Downing my first choice, but then I heard about the Winnie The Pooh society at Pembroke and decided it had to be my first choice :P

I'm getting quite scared reading the testimonials from ex-Cambridge students.... My supervisor so far seems very supportive so I'm hoping that I will not have the same problem!!

Hello! I just received an offer to do a PhD there too in psychology on the MRC scholarship. Very, very excited, and so far my supervisor has been wonderful and supportive so I've accepted my offer.

I've put Pembroke down as my first choice, and Downing as my second, purely because of the location! Could anyone tell me anything about these colleges?

I'm also worried about how rigorous the PhD programme is going to be......

Also, what's it like living hand in hand with freshers in colleges? Does their revelry get annoying?

Is it true that it is more competitive in the US? And are you more likely to get funding in the UK or the US?

Thanks for your reply!

Just out of curiousity - why is it harder to get a job in the US with a UK PhD?

I am a third year undergraduate psychology student aspiring to be a professor. I will be applying for a PhD (most probably with a 2:1), and have quite a good idea of what I would like to do my PhD thesis in.

Firstly, I was wondering how detailed the proprosals you sent to the professors were — the ones you send via e-mail *before* you send your application to earn beanie points.

Secondly, to those who did not unfortunately get a spot, what did you spend a year doing?

Finally, I am torn between applying to the UK and the US, and am thinking of taking a year off and applying to both (taking the GREs and everything). If anyone has had the same experience, can they give me any advice?

Many thanks!