Taking a Year Out and Reapplying!

Hi, just wondering if anyone else is doing this after they graduate?
I got offered a funded PhD this year but I wasn't 100% that it suited me, and I was pretty close at getting in to other places. So I decided I'm taking a year out to travel, learn new skills and do 6 months or so of internships before applying again :biggrin:

Got my grades the other day and they were good for what I need so BRING IT ONNN! :smile:

Reply 1

AmyJ

I've just graduated and I'm doing the same :smile:

I need to do 3-4 placements this year to get me any chance of acceptance onto the PGDip/MA I'm after..and I also need to work for the tuition money. Fingers crossed!

Reply 2

Seelentherapie

Yup, same plan here. My MSc degree was so stressful that I simply didn't have the time to focus on PhD applications properly. I'm going to work and earn some money while applying :smile:

Reply 3

shokan

Original post by TheRandomer

Got my grades the other day and they were good for what I need so BRING IT ONNN! :smile:

Hey I think we are in the same boat. Is it easy to find research placements for graduates? I have been struggling to find any in this country. Most of the ones for physics seem to run only during the summer and are restricted only to undergrads. It seems one needs strong personal contacts.

Reply 4

TheRandomer

Original post by shokan

Unfortunately not :frown:

I started organising mine ages ago but it took me a long time to finally find anything. Might help to ask your professors for help, and see if they know of anything. Are you astro too, or a different Physics?

Reply 5

shokan

Astro yes . Most places I contacted including my own uni said that they only take students in their 1st/2nd or penultimate years. Outside the UK though there seem to be a few such as at CERN or say in the states at the observatories but again only for the summer. So if you don't mind me asking, have you started yours already? And is it for just a few months or longer? Thanks.

Reply 6

TheRandomer

Original post by shokan

Nah I decided to take the summer to travel a bit, refresh my brain etc. but I'm hoping to start in October, and then do a placement until Christmas. Then I've got another after Christmas and I'll do that for at least a couple of months :smile:

Good luck finding something, it's really hard! Which Uni were you at, by the way?

Reply 7

shokan

Wow sounds nice! So where will you be working? Are your placements astro based? And will you be getting paid? I think most places would be happy to have me working if it were for free lol.

I was at Surrey.

Reply 8

TheRandomer

Original post by shokan

In the Netherlands and then at Manchester, but I'm working for free in the UK and the Dutch are paying me but I'm not too bothered about the money so long as it covers my accomodation and all that so I'm not bankrupted haha :smile:

Yep they are both astro based. I hope to maybe get something else next summer too or extend my internship time in one of the places, just so I get as much experience as possible!
Where do you intend to apply next year?

Reply 9

shokan

Original post by TheRandomer

Yh same here. I just want to acquire as much research experience as possible but at the same time relocating does cost money so have to consider that. Its nice you will be getting paid in the Netherlands. I am thinking Edinburgh or Manchester.