The first-year of grad school was good...
It's time for Oral Qualifying Exams*!!
It's time to hit the books...
...and try to make sense of it all.
And don't forget the most important part: typing the research proposal...
...getting feedback from your advisor on your latest draft...
...and then writing some more.
Most days you finishing studying and just want to relax.
Your advisor is constantly asking if you are ready...
...but your classmates know the real response.
The morning of your exam arrives.
They start you off with something easy, like a derivation.
Sometimes you get a question right...
...and sometimes the questions are really off-topic.
Before you know it two hours have passed and the committee must deliberate.
The deliberation goes on for what feels like hours.
They call you back in, and you're trying to keep it cool.
Your initial reaction to "You passed!"
...which quickly transitions into a desire to hug the committee.
And when your labmates ask how you want to celebrate:
Congratulations!
(Just think, only another 3-4 years until you face the firing squad again.)**
* The Oral Qualifying Exam (aka orals/comps/quals/prelims) is an exam taken in either your second or third year (depending on the university) that determines if you are ready to conduct independent research. Though the specifics vary between schools, typically the exam consists of writing and defending an original research proposal before a committee of faculty members. Passing the exam allows a student to "advance to candidacy" or enter the research and thesis writing phase of a doctoral program.
**For those schools that have a thesis defense.
Special thanks to creative consultant louiseg @ jeezlouiseg
**For those schools that have a thesis defense.
Special thanks to creative consultant louiseg @ jeezlouiseg
hahahahahaha just saw this. Very well done!! And spot on lol. Was the derivation bit about mine? :P
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