Tips for Surviving Prelims
Prelims or “preliminary exams” are the exams that many departments require students to take and pass before these students can officially become Ph.D. candidates. Though departments all have their own procedures, most require students to answer, in writing, a series of questions on broad topics related to the field of study. For many graduate students, taking prelims can be a stressful time, as the exams are often coupled with teaching and research responsibilities, as well as additional classwork.
As someone who is just about finished taking his prelims (I’ll answer my fourth and final question on Tuesday), I must say that I found the process to be one of continuous effort and hard work, but not one that was particularly stressful. I do have some advantage over others in that I am a research assistant this semester, rather than a teaching assistant, and that I am taking just two classes, rather than my usual three. Nevertheless, I wanted to share some of the reasons why I believe my prelim taking experience has been easier than others’ experiences, in the hopes that any future prelim-takers can have an easier go of it.
The first pieces of advice I have are good general advice as well. An English professor I once had relayed the best piece of advice he had ever received on to his students, and I try to pass it along as well: work steadily and you will never have to work hard. I prepped my reading list in August, made a strict schedule for what I would read each week, and never once fell behind. I never fell behind because I didn’t let myself. Now, it helps that I had a good schedule set up for achieving such a goal, which is the second piece of advice: your schedule creates success. I spend every weekday, from 8:15 until 4:45, on campus, no exceptions. And I often work in the evenings and Saturday and Sunday too. You might think your most productive time is 8 PM to midnight, but if, for four days of the week, keeping those hours isn’t possible, you may need to reevaluate. To get up earlier, go to bed earlier; to go to bed earlier, get up earlier. Your body will adjust quickly.
The second bits of advice are relational. Meet with your question writers regularly, every week if possible, to talk about the material you are preparing. If your department has a set procedure that means everyone in your cohort gets the same questions, then meet with your advisor and other cohort members regularly. Because I met with my question writers regularly, I knew the basic outline of two of four questions (one of which I will complete Tuesday), and for the other two, I had a good sense of what I might be asked. The questions were all very related to topics that we discussed, and I got the sense that no one wanted to trick me with their question. The encouragement that I received from my committee members was also key to staying confident for each question.
My final advice may be somewhat counter-intuitive: don’t change your normal schedule! This advice makes the most sense if you’ve got a good schedule already established; if you don’t, make this adjustment before taking prelims. What I mean specifically is that the more you can keep your life functioning normally, the less stressed out you will feel. Through my four months of preparation, I never once missed working out five times or more per week. I didn’t change my cooking habits, meaning I still cooked dinner six nights per week and always brought lunch to school. I kept the same waking hours, even going to bed 30 minutes earlier while I was in the midst of end of semester papers and prelim questions. Keeping this normal schedule helped me feel as relaxed as possible.
Every department is different, and individuals completing this work in a stressful, non-supportive environment may find my advice lacking. No doubt it is easier to prepare and keep your life the same if it feels like people want you to succeed. But even in the cases where you face more adversity than encouragement, the more you can set yourself up to triumph, the easier it will be to pass. Most importantly, start making important changes now (as needed), rather than waiting to adjust your sleep and work schedule during the months leading up to your exams. When you start believing in your productivity and success, both will follow.
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