orals march 13. Mostly it should be doing any problems I missed (and it’s on me to figure out which ones those are. I did get a hint that it’s more than the two I thought it was.) but apparently I should be ready for them to throw anything else on the syllabus out there.
It should be a new different horrible than a 6 hour written exam. They should tell me that day – they’ll deliberate right then. If I’m getting kicked out of the program, I’ll know by 1pm.

Most people do have to take the oral makeup. It’s not a huge terrible thing. But I would still rather not have had to. And being allowed hope for a week was no fun.

also:
Public Choice final March 12. Public Choice paper due March 13. Functional Analysis take home test one due March 19. I should probably do something for Bayesian sometime this semester.

Back when other people would try to scare me about comps, I looked at them with disdain and said, “How bad can it be? You’re being tested over the stuff you’re actually interested in! This has got to be better than prelims.”

I hope I was right.

yes, other things are happening as well, but none of them are nearly as important. Comps in 14 days. I had some scary moments getting my committee together to schedule a date and make sure that the test would magically appear on that date, so just getting the dang thing scheduled is a load off my mind.

It’s a 6 hour written exam. If I don’t pass, (and don’t totally and completely bomb it) I may have to have a 2 hour-ish oral exam as a makeup two weeks later. Since the two oral exams I’ve had in my entire life consisted of my two attempts to get my judo yellow belt (note: I failed the first one) I would really rather not, thanks.

I have been actively studying for this test since last June. (Originally I had planned to take it in December – but there is so much material to cover!)

If I pass this, I WILL get a Phd. I know I can write a dissertation. (It may be a slow, painful process – but I believe it can be done. )

I’m kind of glad it’s this early in the semester. I’m kind of giving myself permission to blow off my classes in prep for this. (and am taking at least one day off work that week) So, it’s good that I’ll have to rest of the semester to recover.