choosing a phd?

labrat

Hello! i have recently finished an Msc and i would like to do a phd. Apart from the actual project itself, what else should i be considering or thinking about when deciding about a particular phd? things i think about at the moment are things like the supervisor, how many papers have been published by the department. i am just curious to know what everyone else considered before they applied for a phd and what you think is important! i have just applied for a phd at my current uni and i am not sure whether it is the right decision to accept it. my current uni is not a well known institute and has a poor publication record and didn't score too highly in the RAE. should i turn down the postition in the hope and aim at securing a place at a more established research institute or should i be grateful that i have been offered a phd and just accept it?

Thanks :smile:

some good labs mayb be in less well established institutes, but in general the best universities and intsitutes have more funding and attracting the best scientists who are doing leaidng research in their field. Joining their labs would allow you to have more resources for your project and maybe gain good publications during ur phd, so i would suggest defo go for good labs with good publication records . I would suggest that u should try out other labs too. U need to pick the supervisors too! see what offers u get and pick the best one. A lot of students do that. Go for it!

Things to consider

Subject matter of the research - does it interest u? is it a significant field of research?
Lab skills learnt - will a wide range of useful techniques be learnt, which will benefit ur future career?
Supervisor and lab - good publication record, approachable supervisor
PhD studendsthip - amount of stipend and amount of time covered
Academic reputation of institute - afterall, it is a degree gained from a uni, so it is advisable to pick a good uni which is better for future prospects

Reply 2

OP

hiya!

althought the project (Cancer research) is of interest to me i do have some concerns about the things you think i should consider

1. the stipend for the phd is very low and there is no external funding for the project. the main reason for this is the fact that the academic reputation of the institute is not very high and so they are really struggling to obtain external funding.
2. the supervisor is excellent and comes highly recommended by past and current students - however, he has a poor publication record as does the institute as a whole
3. as there is no external funding for the institute, i am worried that i will be restricted in what i can and can't do - i think the supervisor won't want to hold me back but if there is no money there won't be much he can do about it!
4. because there is only so much equipment in the labs i might be restricted in the type of skills i can learn
5. also, there i are very little opportunities to attend conferences, seminars etc or do collaborative work with other institutes.

my gut instinct tells me to turn down this phd and hold out for one at an institute in a better position. but i don't know how trivial or important my concerns really are when choosing a phd - does how much the project interests me count for more than all more worries? or should i be rethinking? also, i'm assumming that these places at better institutions are very competitive and i would be at a disadvantage having obtained my Msc from a struggling institute

i am having trouble focusing as i keep going round in circles about what i should do. this is a big decision for me. a phd is what i want to do and i want to get the most out doing one as it will be the most important qualification i will obtain in my life!

what uni?

OP

Wolverhampton

Reply 5

labrat

Wolverhampton

I think you are worrying too much! I think it wont be a bad place for doing your phd since u said that ur supervisor is good and the subject material interests you. But there can be BETTER ones. As long as u got a good degree and good refs, I think u have a good chance to get a better PhD. Since u have got a MSc which some students wont have too. All in all, i think u should go for it, there is nothing to lose. Since u havae found a PhD position already, and a funded one as well, at this early stage, it is a very good sign showing that u have the qualitites supervisors look for. Go for your gut instincts, because it is a large commitemnt and ifu have problems about it now it is still early to rectify!

Reply 6

OP

hiya handbaglady!

just to clarify what you are saying - do you think i should turn down the phd and start applying for ones that have better prospects?

Reply 7

labrat

hiya handbaglady!

just to clarify what you are saying - do you think i should turn down the phd and start applying for ones that have better prospects?

why do you have to turn it down? what is the time limit on the decision?

Reply 8

OP

I'm sorry Shiny! i meant shall i re-think about applying to the uni?

Reply 9

labrat

I'm sorry Shiny! i meant shall i re-think about applying to the uni?

unless there is a deadline, I will apply to all. at least have an offer as a fall back plan i.e. from somewhere which mostly likely will take you. there is no need to turn down any offers at this stage, unless they say that there is a time limit.

Reply 10

*what handbaglady said* :smile:

Reply 11

OP

Thanks guys! :smile:

I guess i will hold onto an offer from the uni and apply for other phds and if i get an offer from somewhere better i will turn it down but if not at least i will have something to fall back on! will it be really rude if i do this?

Reply 12

labrat

Thanks guys! :smile:

I guess i will hold onto an offer from the uni and apply for other phds and if i get an offer from somewhere better i will turn it down but if not at least i will have something to fall back on! will it be really rude if i do this?

no. everybody does this! some turn down offfers because the other ones are better / have higher stipend etc. You can actually use this as an excuse, because nowadays students are faced with so much debt, money is a very important thing, if u say that u found something with a higher stipend, it would not appear as though u have something against them - it is just practical. Dont worry about being impolite, because it isnt! Thats the way it is, everyone applies for multiple jobs and degrees, and if u turn them down in the end they will understand, because I am sure all supervisors have experienced this before! The fact that u r actually worrying about this shows that u r a polite person and it would have shown. Just apply for what u want, dont worry about other things too much! The priority now is to send those applications and prepare for interviews, worry about the decision when all the results come out!

Reply 13

OP

Thanks handbaglady! :smile:

i guess i'm worried because for some of the phds i have applied to - the closing date isn't until a few months time but the phd i applied to at my current uni is holding interviews next week and i'm assuming i will here about their decision before the closing date even comes up for the other uni's to which i've applied. so i may end up having an offer before i'm even interviewed for other phds - what should i do if this happens?

i know i'm such a worrier - probably not a good sign! but thanks for your patience and advice! :biggrin:

i really appreciate having someone to 'talk' to about this as none of my friends or family can really help me as they are all in stable jobs and the thought of phds is just not them!

Reply 14

labrat

Thanks handbaglady! :smile:

i guess i'm worried because for some of the phds i have applied to - the closing date isn't until a few months time but the phd i applied to at my current uni is holding interviews next week and i'm assuming i will here about their decision before the closing date even comes up for the other uni's to which i've applied. so i may end up having an offer before i'm even interviewed for other phds - what should i do if this happens?

i know i'm such a worrier - probably not a good sign! but thanks for your patience and advice! :biggrin:

i really appreciate having someone to 'talk' to about this as none of my friends or family can really help me as they are all in stable jobs and the thought of phds is just not them!

I understand totally why u r worried. I think each institute has different policies, so I am not quite sure if they will force u to make a decision early on. if I were u i would apply to a range of institutes with various deadlines, including some with nearer closing dates. i dont think they can force u to make a commitment at this early stage, so dont worry about it. my advise is apply to some with earlier deadlines, at least email the supervisors to see how keen they are. THis give u an indication whether they consider you as a competent candidate in general. If their replies are enthusiasitc, it gives u an idea that ur applications will be considered in many places, but if not, maybe the current choice would be taken more seriously. But don't worry, my suggestions are just so that things can be on the safe side, I am sure things will work out fine. Another thing is that it can take some time for them to reply to ur application, so patience is quite important, but dont be discouraged.

Reply 15

labrat

I guess i will hold onto an offer from the uni and apply for other phds and if i get an offer from somewhere better i will turn it down but if not at least i will have something to fall back on! will it be really rude if i do this?

they shouldn't feel offended. i applied to surrey uni for a phd but had to drop out because oxford gave me an offer. when i emailed the guy i had applied to say i was pulling out of the application process he simply said "yeah, i understand, go for it! oxford have a great lab!"

Reply 16

OP

hi handbaglady! i have been in touch with the supervisor of the phd at my curent uni and he would like the successful candidate to start in january but the phd which i would ideally like to get doesn't have its closing date until january. :frown:

hi shiny. did you turn it down after you were offered it? i hope you don't mind me asking but what do you feel are the benefits of doing a phd? i would like a career in research and so a phd is an important qualification and experience i want to gain. also i have spent some time with the phd students at my current uni and they all obviously have different workloads and agendas but would you be able to tell me about your typical day and the way your department works. i am interested in how other departments differ to my current one. apart from lab work what other things have had the benefit of that you consider would be an advantage when getting jobs after a phd - such as seminar presentations etc?

thanks :smile:

Reply 17

labrat

hi shiny. did you turn it down after you were offered it?
no, i hadn't received an official offer at the time.

labrat

i hope you don't mind me asking but what do you feel are the benefits of doing a phd? i would like a career in research and so a phd is an important qualification and experience i want to gain.
if you want a career in research then a phd is invaluable really. benefits of a phd? personally, i like thinking up crazy ideas and doing a phd lets me go wild with the nutty stuff. i like madness :smile:

labrat

also i have spent some time with the phd students at my current uni and they all obviously have different workloads and agendas but would you be able to tell me about your typical day and the way your department works.

most of the guys in the department have a disciplined 9-5 routine. whereas i don't show up till 10, like to have 2 hour lunch breaks and tend to disappear around 3.30 for tea :redface:

there's usually a seminar/talk each day of some sort and i can usually be found avoiding them when they happen :vroam:

however, most of my work is very ideas-driven so i tend to spend time sitting around and think random thoughts - ok, i'm a bit of a slacker really! :redface:

Reply 18

OP

Thanks Shiny! You make it sound like a great lifestyle! :wink:

when i did my research project for my undergraduate degree i did mostly 9-5, i guess i'm just that kind of person - but i like the idea of being flexible so that if i want to work other hours if i can! :smile:

what attracted you to the phd you are doing at the moment?, apart from the fact that it was oxford!

Reply 19