Cambridge bring in tests
Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators
-
silverysea
- Posts: 1105
- Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm
Re: Cambridge bring in tests
Jeepers, you'd think if they offered they would expect to teach the subject combination. But it does sound like a complex problem to timetable all those courses.
The private school is very small by our standards and don't have columns, I think they do tailor to the kids a lot- so actually it might help them as well to know - who knows maybe there aren't any/enough other takers for Geog? They seem able to run on tiny numbers. I doubt that they would have scant takers for maths!
I think I will enquire at least- she seems firmishabout Maths now instead of Geog, but she was also very determined to do primary teaching for her entire week work experience- put her right off teaching, from that moment on, never to return
and now she is regretting doing that work experience and wanting me to find her more biology experience in the holidays- I am a biologist but all school holidays are now taken for me with very ill elder folk abroad. So she can't follow me around at work, for example, without missing school. That's why an opportunity to go to an independent school with good science uptake and several to Oxbridge, other top ones for science, vet or med school (as a benchmark of the school's capabilities) seems too good to miss - there will be more of that opportunity to explore and relevant experience laid on for the student and more other parents/alumni with the interest.
I was impressed at the HBS sixth form open day, that they explained that they tried to accommodate uncertainty in A level choices, and several changed each year even as late as the first term. No doubt other schools can too within reason, but it didn't come up in the discussion with the new sixth formers, as it happened.
The private school is very small by our standards and don't have columns, I think they do tailor to the kids a lot- so actually it might help them as well to know - who knows maybe there aren't any/enough other takers for Geog? They seem able to run on tiny numbers. I doubt that they would have scant takers for maths!
I think I will enquire at least- she seems firmishabout Maths now instead of Geog, but she was also very determined to do primary teaching for her entire week work experience- put her right off teaching, from that moment on, never to return
and now she is regretting doing that work experience and wanting me to find her more biology experience in the holidays- I am a biologist but all school holidays are now taken for me with very ill elder folk abroad. So she can't follow me around at work, for example, without missing school. That's why an opportunity to go to an independent school with good science uptake and several to Oxbridge, other top ones for science, vet or med school (as a benchmark of the school's capabilities) seems too good to miss - there will be more of that opportunity to explore and relevant experience laid on for the student and more other parents/alumni with the interest.I was impressed at the HBS sixth form open day, that they explained that they tried to accommodate uncertainty in A level choices, and several changed each year even as late as the first term. No doubt other schools can too within reason, but it didn't come up in the discussion with the new sixth formers, as it happened.
Re: Cambridge bring in tests
Manchester is good for Life Sciences, with options for changing direction within the faculty. DD is currently in her final year studying Pharmacology, having started with Biochemistry and has shared modules with zoologists, botanists etc. Incidentally related to the original topic of the thread, DD was encouraged to apply to Oxford but even before going to the interview had decided she preferred Manchester. Fortunately perhaps she didn't get an offer from Oxford but I was pleased for her that she gave it a go.
-
silverysea
- Posts: 1105
- Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm
Re: Cambridge bring in tests
Right, Manchester does have a good reputation for sure, will drop that into the conversation with dd1 as well!
Re: Cambridge bring in tests
I occasionally lecture(as a guest) at Man Uni and some of these kids are frighteningly bright!
Re: Cambridge bring in tests
DS1 feels that his choice of Birmingham for Biochemistry was a good one, fortunately 
(he is only part way through his second term, though).
On the subject of choosing wisely (and not necessarily what you feel is expected of you), this article may be worth a read; its origin is the author's blog on TSR.
http://feel.news/from-oxford-to-the-university-of-bath/
(he is only part way through his second term, though). On the subject of choosing wisely (and not necessarily what you feel is expected of you), this article may be worth a read; its origin is the author's blog on TSR.
http://feel.news/from-oxford-to-the-university-of-bath/
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Re: Cambridge bring in tests
I relate to this story, I was more or less conjoled into reading Medicine at Oxford. I did my pre-clinical 2 years then Intercalated in my 3rd year got my BA(why it was not a BSc is anyone's guess)! Never went back to medicine or Oxford went to Birmingham Uni to do Law and have never looked back in angerToadMum wrote:DS1 feels that his choice of Birmingham for Biochemistry was a good one, fortunately
On the subject of choosing wisely (and not necessarily what you feel is expected of you), this article may be worth a read; its origin is the author's blog on TSR.
http://feel.news/from-oxford-to-the-university-of-bath/
Re: Cambridge bring in tests
Just a comment on Cambridge engineering.... its b**dy hard work.
I have a nephew the same years as my DD who's studying electrical engineering at another university.
I was talking to him over Christmas and it seems my DD has covered all the stuff he has, as well as having to do work in quite a few other engineering disciplines.
He also said that this term he only had one lecture a day, I asked what about labs, and he said that included labs.
This term My DD still has on average 3 lectures per day + labs.
On top of that she's given plenty of work to do over the holidays.
What is interesting though is that quite a few people change their minds about which discipline they will concentrate on in the final 2 years
And although they only have to do a summer intern-ship that has been enough to change some minds too, although I agree it would be nice if Cambridge did a year in industry. It is possible to take a year off in the middle of your degree but thats complicated.
I have a nephew the same years as my DD who's studying electrical engineering at another university.
I was talking to him over Christmas and it seems my DD has covered all the stuff he has, as well as having to do work in quite a few other engineering disciplines.
He also said that this term he only had one lecture a day, I asked what about labs, and he said that included labs.
This term My DD still has on average 3 lectures per day + labs.
On top of that she's given plenty of work to do over the holidays.
What is interesting though is that quite a few people change their minds about which discipline they will concentrate on in the final 2 years
And although they only have to do a summer intern-ship that has been enough to change some minds too, although I agree it would be nice if Cambridge did a year in industry. It is possible to take a year off in the middle of your degree but thats complicated.
Re: Cambridge bring in tests
Most Engineering degrees have at least twenty hours of lectures plus labs - from what I've seen/heard about the course they do not cover as much 'hands-on' content or CAD as other Engineering degrees.
Re: Cambridge bring in tests
I had 24 hours a week of lectures etc.
Re: Cambridge bring in tests
Just a quick reassurance re useful employment of Oxbridge engineers: DS2 had a good female friend from his comp: they went to adjacent boys/girls grammars for A levels and to the same Oxford college (him for Maths, her for engineering ) and while DS2 is still polishing a lengthy and incomprehensible Pure Maths PhD in London she now works for a well-known engineering consultancy and has often been seen out on the streets of Birmingham in a high-viz jacket and hard hat! (DS2 has said he sometimes wishes he'd gone for engineering instead, but didn't want to do the same as DS1....)
