The University Thread - Exams YEAH! Life after uni?

[Curls]

I can't stand revision over Christmas hols. LEAVE ALL THE XAMS UNTIL MAY YOU TWATS.

But in seriousness, I think the Exam System is Marjory flawed.

I do 4 modules a semester and therefore have 4 exams, I think they should split it in 2, so I have 2 exams at the end of November and coincidently 2 exams in January, 2 exams before easter, and 2 to end with.

I've done it again, I've revised 2 of them well, 1 of them reasonably and the last one not at all

[Little Old Man]

Has anyone got any experience/advice on transferring universities. Basically I'm currently at Surrey, first year is done, and I almost finished second year, aside from my three summer exams, as I left early due to illness in June (currently at home). My department has said I can sit these exams this summer in June or August, which is a relief, but after that due to my condition it makes sense to do my final year at a University up north, where I would be nearer home.

Is it common to even transfer directly into third year? I have good marks, but I understand that courses do differ, so would it be more likely they would ask me to do my first/second year again? Also, aside from just getting in touch with my current uni and those I'd like to go to, is there anything I should do?

[Corazon de Leon]

Finally getting my PHD applications together now. One at the University of Idaho which I would love to do and the other at the University of Oxford which I'm kind of interested in and it's slightly out of my area of 'expertise' but it's Oxford and I can strawberry float Karl up there so why the hell not

How have you gone about these applications, mate? I'm trying to get some sorted out just now as well but I'm a bit confused as to how to apply.

[Moggy]

It's alright, I just want to get onto the next modules though as this module is a bit of a mismatch of two that were squashed together from before. One minute you're learning about processors and computer technologies and what not, then all of a sudden you're learning about transmission and more communication technologies. I know someone who I play Starcraft with who did the two together last year since it was mandatory, but as I said they moved it into one big module.

I realise my score in level 1 doesn't really count to anything, but if I can get the best marks I can now, hopefully it'll put me in good stead to know I'm working hard enough. :p

My TU100 materials arrived today (although I think there is more to come later!). strawberry float me it's a big scary looking box! Methinks it will be more work than the 10 pointers I have been doing so far!

[Fargo]

Slightly worried about one of my core modules for my masters. It's gonna be a close call I reckon

[That]

... the other at the University of Oxford which I'm kind of interested in and it's slightly out of my area of 'expertise' but it's Oxford and I can strawberry float Karl up there so why the hell not

Is that a PhD programme at the AOPP? I have my tutorials there - let me know your room number if you make it in and I'll drop by sometime.

[andretmzt]

Finally getting my PHD applications together now. One at the University of Idaho which I would love to do and the other at the University of Oxford which I'm kind of interested in and it's slightly out of my area of 'expertise' but it's Oxford and I can strawberry float Karl up there so why the hell not

How have you gone about these applications, mate? I'm trying to get some sorted out just now as well but I'm a bit confused as to how to apply.

Well it seems for me that everything is done online, which is fairly easy to do. Most the information on how to apply should be somewhere under graduate information, but asking someone in the specific department might be worth trying, especially if they work in the area you are interested.

[Corazon de Leon]

Yeah, I've noticed that a lot of stuff is online applications as well. Have you come up with ideas for things you'd like to work on, or are the places you've applied to offering research projects of their own? I've found that I need to have ideas of my own for the vast majority of universities and that's surprisingly difficult.

[andretmzt]

All the places I'm going for are offering their own research projects which is good as it is indeed a right nightmare to come up my own ideas that don't sound like utter crap. Leeds require a 6 page maximum proposal which I thought was insane

[kiera229]

10 days until my thesis is due and I've lost all sense of anything resembling a diurnal cycle. I wake up, I work until I feel tired, I sleep until I wake up. Right now it's almost 8am and I've been up since 5 after going to bed at 3. I'll probably work a few more hours then nap in the afternoon, then work all evening. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been outside my apartment in the last week.

I didn't think anything could be as bad as my undergrad exam periods were, but this definitely tops them. I don't even have the energy to rant properly.

Come the 26th I plan to drink enough to erase everything I've learned over the last 8 and a half years.

When people tell you, "Don't do a PhD unless you really love what you're going to be researching," they're not kidding.

[Pacman]

10 days until my thesis is due and I've lost all sense of anything resembling a diurnal cycle. I wake up, I work until I feel tired, I sleep until I wake up. Right now it's almost 8am and I've been up since 5 after going to bed at 3. I'll probably work a few more hours then nap in the afternoon, then work all evening. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been outside my apartment in the last week.

I didn't think anything could be as bad as my undergrad exam periods were, but this definitely tops them. I don't even have the energy to rant properly.

Come the 26th I plan to drink enough to erase everything I've learned over the last 8 and a half years.

When people tell you, "Don't do a PhD unless you really love what you're going to be researching," they're not kidding.

Been there. Not to PhD extents but you'll get through it all the same. Keep on truckin!

[andretmzt]

The amount of gooseberry fool you have to do to get a phd in America, jesus christ. I won't have enough money to last until October anyway but I'm having to spend $500 to just to meet all their bloomin' requirements. Still, could be worse, could have 10 days left 'til my thesis is due

[kiera229]

Been there. Not to PhD extents but you'll get through it all the same. Keep on truckin!

Thanks mate. I just feel like I'm in some kind of Twilight Zone at the moment - the days have never seemed longer, or shorter.

The amount of gooseberry fool you have to do to get a phd in America, jesus christ. I won't have enough money to last until October anyway but I'm having to spend $500 to just to meet all their bloomin' requirements. Still, could be worse, could have 10 days left 'til my thesis is due

Sounds like one day you will be where I am now :p

One other bit of advice: learn LaTeX. Start now so that you're familiar with it by the time you get to writing your thesis. You do NOT want to be dealing with Microsoft Word's formatting bullshit on top of everything else when you're trying to write a hundred-plus page document with diagrams and tables and all the rest. I decided to teach myself by writing every research report and lab discussion paper over the course of my PhD in LaTeX, and I cannot stress how much of a lifesaver it's been for my thesis.

[Exxy]

I applied for University today!

[Igor]

I applied for University today!

University of Northampton, yeah?

[Exxy]

Of course

I've been there once and it was gooseberry fool. No way I'm going anywhere near it again.

[Rodders9]

I applied for University today!

Nice one. My UCAS is also in the system.

Glasgow, please let me in.

[Harman]

I applied for University today!

Where did you apply to mate?

[kiera229]

Handed in my thesis draft.

I shall now sleep for approximately one million hours.

[YouSmellOfWee]

Handed in my thesis draft.

I shall now sleep for approximately one million hours.

Congratulations.