my ph.d prelim orals are tomorrow and I can't concentrate at all

[democrat in Tallahassee]

maybe they'll be nice I did well on the tests> Too much crap comin down

[Fenris]

1. What's your Ph.D in, might I ask?

[greekspeak]

4. Yes do tell

One PhD Student to another!

[DrZeeLit]

2. Breathe! Breathe! Breathe!

It's not so bad, really.
And then... it's over.
Just like your first driver's test.. the one in the car.
You passed, right?
So you shall pass this!

Sending good vibes to another doc!

Kerry On!

[WoodrowFan]

3. relax

If you passed everything else, they don't want to flunk you now. That's what I was told before I did the oral defense for my dissertation. If they flunk you now, after you've gotten THIS far, it makes your advisor AND your department look bad.

relax and good luck and let us know tomorrow how well you did!!

WF

[Lisa]

5. I know that feeling!

One of the profs in my department (a real kidder) used to sit in the audience at field camp and finger a very long, sharp hunting knife during student presentations. He did it to get people to consider that comps and defenses weren't as life-threatening as all that. I think about him whenever I have to go into this type of situation (even job interviews). What's the worst that can happen? Unless you're matriculating at Guantanamo Bay, they won't want to hassle you until you collapse (let alone inflict physical pain!). As someone else noted earlier, that would just make them look bad.

Basically, they seem to use the orals as a way to get people to consider how to fix stuff that might be wrong with their assumptions and techniques. Better to address this now than with the external during your final defense! If you think of this as useful criticism -- and that a whole bunch of distinguished faculty are taking the time out to help you -- it'll feel more pleasant. (That's how I got through my comps, and my defense ...)

Good luck! Let us know how things go!

[Mikimouse]

6. Take deeeppp slowwwww breaths...and remember...

you are supposed to feel like someone lut a tap into your head and drained eveything out, its the whole point of orals. After all, your committee members must have some fun. You'll do just fine, as long as you remember that prelims are, more or less, a rite of passage.