This page is for those of us that made it through the orals process to pass on advice to ESPM students getting ready to take their orals. It is not so much about official protocols (you can find that in the handbook), but a place to compile all those tidbits of advice that other grad students gave you in the hallways, or at coffee hour, that ultimately ended up being so important for you. All the stuff you need to know, that isn't written down anywhere.

1. Start meeting with each of your committee members regularly three to four months before your exam is scheduled. Find out if they hold office hours, and if so, sign up for every week or every other week until your exam. When you go to the meetings, bring a list of questions that came up from your reading list, or studies. Some will simply answer your questions, others will turn it around and start asking you questions, either way it is invaluable practice, and it shows them that you are actively working through the material. If you do this, more often then not you will already have passed your exam before it even starts, because you will prove to them that you know your stuff in these meetings. It also gives you a better idea of what types of questions they like to ask.

2. Should I bring food to the exam? Yes, you don't want a cranky committee with low blood sugar, but you should absolutely not do it yourself. You'll be too nervous, and you don't need something else to worry about. Ask one of your labmates or someone from your cohort to do this for you.

3. Should I have a "mock orals?" Most people set up a mock orals a week or two before the exam so that you get a chance to see how it will feel to be put on the spot on exam day. I recommend doing the mock orals as close to the real situation as you can - give your intro talk, leave the room while they talk about you, etc. It will feel a little silly, but it really helps to calm the nerves on the real exam day if you have practiced going through all of it.

4. Practice your intro talk! This sets the tone for the entire exam, so you don't want to be so nervous that you are stumbling over your words. Start it all off by showing them that you are confident and that you take the whole thing seriously enough that you practiced the intro.