School and University Life

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 04 Sep 2013, 20:20

A large majority of us are at school/college/university studying many different things, and every so often in various threads, we mention what we are up to (particularly at the start of new academic years). So this is the place to discuss it. Go!

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 04 Sep 2013, 20:24

At Sixth Form starting my second year. As mentioned before, I got some pretty good grades in AS and I am hoping to build on that.
I'm studying Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry and doing an Extended Project, which I am starting to have doubts about completing.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 04 Sep 2013, 20:36

I think I'm the only one on here studying at Brunel University? And ironically (considering what F1 is about and what Brunel - the engineer and uni - are famous for), I am not studying engineering, but occupational therapy.

And I guess I am the only one who already has a Bachelor's degree and is one year away from a second Bachelor's? My first was French and History of Ideas from Kingston Uni. I seem to be drawn towards West London... Means I then have a city blocking Essex from me!

All this means that in a year's time I will be Mr Baker BA BSc. Not a doctor after all. :lol:

Shizuka · Post by **Shizuka** » 04 Sep 2013, 20:39

I would have completed an MA course this summer in my hometown, if I would have had ANYTHING to eat before the interview in June 2011. I still scraped 62 points together there out of 90 (max was 100, if you had papers for extra points), but I firmly believe I could have taken on the communication MA course there. It would have been a sharp switch from a librarian course, mind you!
I tried again in 2012, I paid the entry fee, but then in June, when receiving my first YouTube payment, I had to choose: giving my father financial support, or paying the interview fee (which I could only get from my not caring brother a year before)? I picked food instead...

...and the weird thing is that I wanted to take on the communication course because I got inspired by my former teachers to write. Even my BA degree essay's feedback said that its writing style was quite unique and enjoyable, which was echoed by others earlier, when making other essays for previous courses. By that point, I already was an online news editor for a console gaming magazine, the only one in Hungary. I applied to the post by a joke, but as time went by, I started to take it seriously. By 2011, I was unoffically second hand to the editor-in-chief, and by 2012 September, I did get a kick up to co-editor, when my former boss left. I got my break in August this year to write into the printed version...

...and that's where I am right now. So basically, despite not being able to take upon the interview in full power, I still managed to achieve what I was dreaming of earlier. And since all my 8 pages needed was fixing minor punctuation, two typos (and both because I finished it up late at night), and one sentence rewriting due to the different order in the magazine, I pretty much didn't need that course after all!

University was good for me...

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 04 Sep 2013, 20:43

dr-baker wrote:I think I'm the only one on here studying at Brunel University? And ironically (considering what F1 is about and what Brunel - the engineer and uni - are famous for), I am not studying engineering, but occupational therapy.

And I guess I am the only one who already has a Bachelor's degree and is one year away from a second Bachelor's? My first was French and History of Ideas from Kingston Uni. I seem to be drawn towards West London... Means I then have a city blocking Essex from me!

All this means that in a year's time I will be Mr Baker BA BSc. Not a doctor after all.

I'm considering applying for Brunel Uni, but that is next year, so I'll miss my chance to meet you.

Edit: 1000th post.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 04 Sep 2013, 20:54

good_Ralf wrote:
dr-baker wrote:I think I'm the only one on here studying at Brunel University? And ironically (considering what F1 is about and what Brunel - the engineer and uni - are famous for), I am not studying engineering, but occupational therapy.

And I guess I am the only one who already has a Bachelor's degree and is one year away from a second Bachelor's? My first was French and History of Ideas from Kingston Uni. I seem to be drawn towards West London... Means I then have a city blocking Essex from me!

All this means that in a year's time I will be Mr Baker BA BSc. Not a doctor after all.

I'm considering applying for Brunel Uni, but that is next year, so I'll miss my chance to meet you.

Unless I happen to get a job in the area perhaps? Who knows!

Post by **Londoner** » 04 Sep 2013, 21:04

good_Ralf wrote:At Sixth Form starting my second year. As mentioned before, I got some pretty good grades in AS and I am hoping to build on that.
I'm studying Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry and doing an Extended Project, which I am starting to have doubts about completing.

You're doing an extended project? I did one last year and quite frankly, it was a complete waste of my time. Got a C at the end of it, but hardly any of the universities that I contacted when I had to go through Clearing last month had a clue what it was.

As I've mentioned elsewhere on the forum, I'm about to start at University Campus Suffolk in Ipswich, studying English. To be honest, I'm glad I've got away from sixth form, as the way the place was being run by the time my exams came around was utterly ridiculous. Complete incompetence. I have many a tale to tell from my two years there. Although from September 2011 (when I started AS level) to March 2012-ish, it was a great place to be studying at. Plus the fact that the sixth form college itself was brand new when I started...

I wish the university would sort out my accomodation pronto though. I don't really want to be getting the train to uni and back every single day. Especially when said train service is slower than Chanoch Nissany.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 04 Sep 2013, 21:09

East Londoner wrote:
good_Ralf wrote:At Sixth Form starting my second year. As mentioned before, I got some pretty good grades in AS and I am hoping to build on that.
I'm studying Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry and doing an Extended Project, which I am starting to have doubts about completing.

You're doing an extended project? I did one last year and quite frankly, it was a complete waste of my time. Got a C at the end of it, but hardly any of the universities that I contacted when I had to go through Clearing last month had a clue what it was.

As I've mentioned elsewhere on the forum, I'm about to start at University Campus Suffolk in Ipswich, studying English.

Let me know what Ipswich is like. It's where I was born and lived for a year as a baby. My mum says it's the worst place she has lived...

roblo97 · Post by **roblo97** » 04 Sep 2013, 21:15

I am studying I.T and doing some photography thing when I start collage tomorrow. After that, hopefully some A & AS levels and then UNI in Holland or Germany purely becaus it's much cheaper there than it his here thanks to our incompetent goverment

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 04 Sep 2013, 22:23

I'm at Lincoln Technical Institute. yes this one:

I must say, SOME have had good experiences here. I have not. As you know, the whole IndyCar Essay Internship contest thingy was a HUGE bust(i actually ended up enjoying the GPoB more than the guy that won, as he was stuck in the promotional booth instead of working in the paddock lol) plus added things like they way they are handling their budget by paying for new TVs in the hallways and not safer equipment in the Auto Shop. The nicer shop is the separate smaller one that BMW America used to instruct and train students in, but since they left five or six years ago, no one's allowed back there except guests on tours.
anyways, i've been gaining certifications as i go along, right now i have Brakes and Fuel systems. I have fellow students who have gained further knowledge outside of the school while working at Dealerships, namely Toyota ones. They teach you straight up, then you get paid to work. hooray! i might try that out once i get out of Lincoln in December.

watka · Post by **watka** » 04 Sep 2013, 23:27

Sat my A-Levels, skipped uni and went straight into work, worked as an auditor and set my NVQ qualification and chartered qualification alongside working, qualified last year, left in July after hating the job for the past couple of years and having by secondment opportunities closed in my face because of a "merger" (i.e. take over). Currently unemployed.

f1-gast · Post by **f1-gast** » 05 Sep 2013, 14:32

I have the niveau to go to the University, but over here the school system is a bit diffrent, after i got my papers for probably in England its called Network Engineer, i just started to work.

And back then, 3 years ago, i was to lame to go to some Uni for another 4 years of whatever study, i wanted to work , and well i cant pay it to go to the Uni, it's way expensive here.

Vepe · Post by **Vepe** » 05 Sep 2013, 14:55

I'm about 6 months from completing my ylioppilastutkinto (a-levels) and after that, no idea... For me it'll start next tuesday with English listening comprehension test. I should be fine, given that today we did an old one for practise and I scored 80 out of 90.

roblo97 · Post by **roblo97** » 05 Sep 2013, 16:36

f1-gast wrote: and well i cant pay it to go to the Uni, it's way expensive here.

I thought it was quite cheap in the Netherlands with the tuition fees around 1500 euros?

Gerudo Dragon · Post by **Gerudo Dragon** » 05 Sep 2013, 18:32

Just started Year 10, I thought it would suck but it's actually good so far with all the unnessecary bull**** lessons cut out and just mostly the stuff I chose.

andrew2209 · Post by **andrew2209** » 05 Sep 2013, 18:39

good_Ralf wrote:At Sixth Form starting my second year. As mentioned before, I got some pretty good grades in AS and I am hoping to build on that.
I'm studying Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry and doing an Extended Project, which I am starting to have doubts about completing.

I'm a year behind you, having just started sixth form, and I'm taking Maths, Physics, Chemistry and System and Control (Electronics basically).

Alextrax52 · Post by **Alextrax52** » 05 Sep 2013, 18:46

andrew2209 wrote:
good_Ralf wrote:At Sixth Form starting my second year. As mentioned before, I got some pretty good grades in AS and I am hoping to build on that.
I'm studying Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry and doing an Extended Project, which I am starting to have doubts about completing.

I'm a year behind you, having just started sixth form, and I'm taking Maths, Physics, Chemistry and System and Control (Electronics basically).

I too am in 6th form studying Drama and Business Studies

Post by **Londoner** » 05 Sep 2013, 18:53

Oh no, don't remind me of A-level Maths. AS level was alright, but A2 was a complete disaster.

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 05 Sep 2013, 18:56

Dark77 wrote:Just started Year 10, I thought it would suck but it's actually good so far with all the unnessecary bull**** lessons cut out and just mostly the stuff I chose.

Yeah, it is. Though I still had to do RE...

roblo97 · Post by **roblo97** » 05 Sep 2013, 19:05

Salamander wrote:
Dark77 wrote:Just started Year 10, I thought it would suck but it's actually good so far with all the unnessecary bull**** lessons cut out and just mostly the stuff I chose.

Yeah, it is. Though I still had to do RE...

your lucky because I no choice last year over the bull**** lessons but the year behind me can choose what they want to take :evil:

Post by **Londoner** » 05 Sep 2013, 19:07

Salamander wrote:
Dark77 wrote:Just started Year 10, I thought it would suck but it's actually good so far with all the unnessecary bull**** lessons cut out and just mostly the stuff I chose.

Yeah, it is. Though I still had to do RE...

Fun fact, in Year 10 at my high school, EVERYONE failed RE. Think the highest grade anyone got was a D. :lol:

Year 10 and 11 were great years, which I remember fondly.

takagi_for_the_win · Post by **takagi_for_the_win** » 05 Sep 2013, 19:08

East Londoner wrote:
Salamander wrote:
Dark77 wrote:Just started Year 10, I thought it would suck but it's actually good so far with all the unnessecary bull**** lessons cut out and just mostly the stuff I chose.

Yeah, it is. Though I still had to do RE...

Fun fact, in Year 10 at my high school, EVERYONE failed RE. Think the highest grade anyone got was a D.

Year 10 and 11 were great years, which I remember fondly.

You have religion exams?

Lol wut.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 05 Sep 2013, 19:25

Freeze-O-Kimi wrote:
I too am in 6th form studying Drama and Business Studies

I bizarrely misread that as Drama and Ballet Studies initially. Sorry!

And I was the last of those who did not study separate AS and A2 courses but just a single 2-year A-Level course, back at the turn of the century/millennium.

takagi_for_the_win wrote:
East Londoner wrote:
Salamander wrote: Though I still had to do RE...

Fun fact, in Year 10 at my high school, EVERYONE failed RE. Think the highest grade anyone got was a D.

Year 10 and 11 were great years, which I remember fondly.

You have religion exams?

Lol wut.

Not compulsory to sit the exams at age 16, but it's an option...

midgrid · Post by **midgrid** » 05 Sep 2013, 19:35

I haven't been a student for a couple of years now, but I do work for a university! Also hoping to return to student life (although it will be very different from the undergraduate experience for several reasons) to do a master's degree next year.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 05 Sep 2013, 19:42

midgrid wrote:I haven't been a student for a couple of years now, but I do work for a university! Also hoping to return to student life (although it will be very different from the undergraduate experience for several reasons) to do a master's degree next year.

Yes, being a student for a second time (even at the same level) is different, mostly because you're older and have that little bit more experience of life that 18 and 19 year olds just don't have.

The Dutch Bear · Post by **The Dutch Bear** » 05 Sep 2013, 20:05

roblomas52 wrote:
f1-gast wrote: and well i cant pay it to go to the Uni, it's way expensive here.

I thought it was quite cheap in the Netherlands with the tuition fees around 1500 euros?

It depends on which study and which year of that study you are in, but it is generally speaking about 1500 euros.
I'm in my third and probably last year of my bachelor Economics and Business Economics. After that a 1 year Master still to go.
In the Netherlands you get 'studiefinanciering' study financing which is a low interest loan that can become a gift if you finish your studies in time.
Rooms are quite expensive here, because there is no housing on the campuses and in such a crowded country space comes at a premium.

An unique aspect about student life here are the student associations, that exist outside the studies themselves and are basically for every student.
Somewhat comparable to the American fraternities and sororities, but then much larger and mixed when it comes to gender. My student association S.S.R. Rotterdam has about 1000 members, male and female from just about any study.

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 05 Sep 2013, 22:45

takagi_for_the_win wrote:You have religion exams?

Lol wut.

You don't? Everyone in my school had to do Religion for the Junior Cert, miserable experience.

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 05 Sep 2013, 23:16

i didn't... and still don't because tech school

Post by **tommykl** » 06 Sep 2013, 15:41

I started my final year of secondary school this week, and adding to all the school trips and frequent tests, we also have a very important paper that everyone has to do by the end of the year. Basically, you choose a teacher to assist you as you write around 25 pages about a subject relating to that teacher's class. Being me, I chose "The evolution of aerodynamic design in Formula One cars from 1950 to the present day." And I'll be doing it in English to get my best shot at Oxford Brookes University, which is where I really want to go.

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 06 Sep 2013, 16:03

tommykl wrote:I started my final year of secondary school this week, and adding to all the school trips and frequent tests, we also have a very important paper that everyone has to do by the end of the year. Basically, you choose a teacher to assist you as you write around 25 pages about a subject relating to that teacher's class. Being me, I chose "The evolution of aerodynamic design in Formula One cars from 1950 to the present day." And I'll be doing it in English to get my best shot at Oxford Brookes University, which is where I really want to go.

What subject teacher will be assisting you then? Unless your school offers classes in Formula One, which would be amazing

As for me, just started my A-level studies at a new school, studying Physics, History, Maths and Biology.

Post by **tommykl** » 06 Sep 2013, 16:32

pasta_maldonado wrote:
tommykl wrote:I started my final year of secondary school this week, and adding to all the school trips and frequent tests, we also have a very important paper that everyone has to do by the end of the year. Basically, you choose a teacher to assist you as you write around 25 pages about a subject relating to that teacher's class. Being me, I chose "The evolution of aerodynamic design in Formula One cars from 1950 to the present day." And I'll be doing it in English to get my best shot at Oxford Brookes University, which is where I really want to go.

What subject teacher will be assisting you then? Unless your school offers classes in Formula One, which would be amazing

As for me, just started my A-level studies at a new school, studying Physics, History, Maths and Biology.

Physics, obviously

And we actually don't really have any A-level equivalent. You keep basically the same core subjects every year, with only the amount of periods changing. There are some optional classes on the side, but not many.

takagi_for_the_win · Post by **takagi_for_the_win** » 06 Sep 2013, 19:06

shinji wrote:
takagi_for_the_win wrote:You have religion exams?

Lol wut.

You don't? Everyone in my school had to do Religion for the Junior Cert, miserable experience.

It's optional, but given that everyone in my school (teachers included) see Religion as a class to sleep/study/flirt/do homework, no-one really gives a single shite about it.

Post by **Ataxia** » 06 Sep 2013, 19:09

takagi_for_the_win wrote:
shinji wrote:
takagi_for_the_win wrote:You have religion exams?

Lol wut.

You don't? Everyone in my school had to do Religion for the Junior Cert, miserable experience.

It's optional, but given that everyone in my school (teachers included) see Religion as a class to sleep/study/flirt/do homework, no-one really gives a single shite about it.

Although Religion and Philosophy was an optional class to do for GCSE, everyone in my secondary school had to endure the vaguely-named "Citizenship", which was a half (yes, HALF) GCSE about political, religious and ecological issues. Very dull stuff.

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 06 Sep 2013, 19:14

Ataxia wrote:
takagi_for_the_win wrote:
shinji wrote:
You don't? Everyone in my school had to do Religion for the Junior Cert, miserable experience.

It's optional, but given that everyone in my school (teachers included) see Religion as a class to sleep/study/flirt/do homework, no-one really gives a single shite about it.

Although Religion and Philosophy was an optional class to do for GCSE, everyone in my secondary school had to endure the vaguely-named "Citizenship", which was a half (yes, HALF) GCSE about political, religious and ecological issues. Very dull stuff.

I see your half-GCSE in Citizenship and I raise you a GCSE in 'General Studies', which was practically a pub quiz. A complete waste of everyone's time.

takagi_for_the_win · Post by **takagi_for_the_win** » 06 Sep 2013, 19:18

pasta_maldonado wrote:I see your half-GCSE in Citizenship and I raise you a GCSE in 'General Studies', which was practically a pub quiz. A complete waste of everyone's time.

A GCSE pub quiz? I raise you a CSPE Junior Cert exam, where your ability to colour in between the lines matters just as much as your political knowledge.

roblo97 · Post by **roblo97** » 06 Sep 2013, 19:26

I did a CLAIT course in IT and that's the equivalent of half a GCSE and I'm doin a level 2 BTEC in IT.

Onxy Wrecked · Post by **Onxy Wrecked** » 06 Sep 2013, 19:55

dr-baker wrote:
midgrid wrote:I haven't been a student for a couple of years now, but I do work for a university! Also hoping to return to student life (although it will be very different from the undergraduate experience for several reasons) to do a master's degree next year.

Yes, being a student for a second time (even at the same level) is different, mostly because you're older and have that little bit more experience of life that 18 and 19 year olds just don't have.

Indeed, I passed a class after my 21st birthday that I failed to pass when I was 19. I went back into lower levels to hone my skills and matured a bit. Those two years of experience seem to have made a world of difference.

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 06 Sep 2013, 20:05

Onxy Wrecked wrote:
dr-baker wrote:
midgrid wrote:I haven't been a student for a couple of years now, but I do work for a university! Also hoping to return to student life (although it will be very different from the undergraduate experience for several reasons) to do a master's degree next year.

Yes, being a student for a second time (even at the same level) is different, mostly because you're older and have that little bit more experience of life that 18 and 19 year olds just don't have.

Indeed, I passed a class after my 21st birthday that I failed to pass when I was 19. I went back into lower levels to hone my skills and matured a bit. Those two years of experience seem to have made a world of difference.

A poignant metaphor for young drivers being rushed into F1?

Onxy Wrecked · Post by **Onxy Wrecked** » 06 Sep 2013, 20:37

UgncreativeUsergname wrote:
Onxy Wrecked wrote:Indeed, I passed a class after my 21st birthday that I failed to pass when I was 19. I went back into lower levels to hone my skills and matured a bit. Those two years of experience seem to have made a world of difference.

A poignant metaphor for young drivers being rushed into F1?

Indeed, or the likes of other high racing series seeing the likes of Graham Rahal and Casey Atwood.

SgtPepper · Post by **SgtPepper** » 07 Sep 2013, 11:49

Just finished uni in Nottingham, studying politics (after two years abroad in NZ). Hated every minute of it; Nottingham, the self-satisfied air of higher education and most of all 'student life,' which is just used as an excuse for living in utter squalour while indulging in pure headonism. However, now back in Brighton and loving the sea, home life and working again, so every cloud...