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Ask a Current UCL Student: The Official Thread

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Reply 2320

Hhanr

Original post by Lara Price

Do lectures and seminars take place in faculty buildings or the main UCL building?

They're everywhere. Seminars/tutorials will usually take place in your department's building but your lectures can be in practically any lecture theatre. The first term I had no lectures in my own department's building, and I have very little this term.

(edited 12 years ago)

University College London

London

Reply 2321

glitterness

Original post by Chemzoik

Hi, I've been invited to an interview for English on the 14th. I have a week to prep and I was wondering if there's anything in particular I should be doing. From what I've heard, brushing up on AS/A-level texts is a must?
Also, the written exam, anybody with any tips for that?
Slightly terrified.

Absolutely brush up on your AS/A-level texts - if you can remember a couple of quotes, that's impressive (I ended up reciting several lines from 'Macbeth'!). Be prepared for a question that will make you have to think - for example, you may be asked about a theme or plot device in one of the texts that you haven't considered at A-level.

Check over your Personal Statement to remind yourself of what you said; you'll probably also be asked to talk about books that you've read outside the A-level set texts. If you don't understand a word the interviewer uses in a question (for example, 'universality'), don't try to cover that up - just ask what it means and then continue with your answer. The interviewers are not out to trip you up or make things difficult for you; they just want to offer you a challenge and hopefully have a nice chat about books!

The written exam is basically a piece of analytic writing - so the basic stuff like form, structure, vocabulary/any repetition thereof, why the author might be doing that, if it's poetry then metre, any enjambement, rhyme scheme, etc. Just do your best to pick the passage apart and write about bits you find interesting, essentially. If you're lucky enough to recognise the passage, don't say what it is but skirt around it - for example, if presented with Sonnet 18, one might talk about how it is reminiscent of Shakespeare, obviously a sonnet because of the structure, etc. I highly doubt that you will be given something that recognisable, though!

Best advice I can give, though: breathe, relax, smile and be yourself. Good luck. :smile:

Reply 2322

erniiee

I was just wondering about the UCL medicine open day and the self guided tours.

I am going to be doing work experience on the day of the UCL medical school open day (4th July) so going to that is out of the question.

However, there are some self guided tours available apparently from Monday to Friday when the University is open.

I was wondering if going on such a day would allow me not only to see the University as a whole (accommodation etc), but to also view the medical school and actually get a decent enough insight to help me make an informed decision as to whether I will apply to study medicine at UCL in the Autumn.

If not, are there any other opportunities to do so, and maybe even speak to some lecturers or students?

Thanks.

Reply 2323

miss_dj

Hi everyone, I've recently received an offer for law, and I'm wondering if there are any law students around here who can enlighten me as to how rigorous the course is, and your feelings towards the teaching/tutorials etc.?

Many thanks! :smile:

Reply 2324

johnconnor92

Hi. Could current UCL student please provide me with a breakdown of your weekly expenses at UCL? Food, transport, rental, miscellaneous expenses (e.g. toilet rolls, pens and foolscaps) etc. I know that there's an estimation of the weekly expenses by UCL but I'd like to know how students actually spend over here. Thank you! =)

Reply 2325

SOZLAD

Original post by johnconnor92

Entirely down to the way you live.

I'm paying around £90 for rent (double room) but I know people paying well over £150 (for single en-suite/catered/etc)

Same goes for food; a girl I know spends about £6 a week but she only eats porridge and beans. Some weeks I spend about £30 but others if I get a lot of take out food or go for a meal I can spend upwards of £70 (including coffee etc) - although I have a part time job to keep me afloat!

Toilet rolls etc. obv. depends on the quality you buy. There's a Sainsbury's and a Tesco so you have Sainsbury's basics range and Tesco value range. You can live really cheaply if you have to, being in London has little to do with it. Transport isn't too bad with a student oyster card but I'd recommend checking your bank statements for how much you top up and cut down if necessary. The best of London is within walking distance anyway :wink:

Reply 2326

Inner Poise

Original post by johnconnor92

I spend:
- £140/week rent for a self-catered single room. (will go up next year)
- £20/week food (roughly, usually more like £17)
- £10 or so on stationery per term - the UCL/ULU shops are the places to go.
- Transport varies, as I walk to uni, so it depends on when and where I go out. If you register your Oyster you can link your railcard to it too.
- Anything up to £30 for going out (alcohol, transport, entry etc)
- Tend to go clothes shopping a couple of times per term, the amount I spend varies.
- £10/month or so on loo roll, washing up liquid, etc, but often split it between flatmates
- £15/month toiletries (I use cheap stuff I guess)

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 2327

username933344

Hey everyone,

Hope all is well.

I've got an unconditional offer from UCL, as well as the University of Manchester for the Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) course. Wondering if there are any current UCL - EEE students on the thread willing to give any feedback on the pros and cons, when compared to University of Manchester? I'm really interested in UCL given its international reputation, both in EEE (just behind Manchester) and in general (way above Manchester). So I'm a little bit of a fix on which one to choose.

Looking forward to any sort of feedback, it'll be much appreciated.

Thank you.
Sid.

Reply 2328

Gales

Any SSEES students? If so, could you tell me what the SSEES department's like, and the facilities? I visited the general campus in Bloomsbury, but wasn't able to visit the SSEES.

Reply 2329

PJ991

Original post by Gales

Any SSEES students? If so, could you tell me what the SSEES department's like, and the facilities? I visited the general campus in Bloomsbury, but wasn't able to visit the SSEES.

The doors have handles on both sides instead of maybe a push pad on one side, and are made glass. And they don't say push or pull. Every time I get it wrong :angry:

Pisses me right off.

Apart from that it's nice. I don't course a course in SSEES, but I've done modules there and the building is really nice throughout. The library is decent too though I don't use it much since it doesn't cater to my course; the main library does.

Reply 2330

cl_steele

could anybody tell me how strict UCL are with enforcing their entry requirements? like i have an offer for there but if i were to miss it by a grade would they automatically reject me or make an allowance? like when i was speaking to the people at SOAS they said once you had an offer theyre quite lenient with letting people in who miss by a grade.

Reply 2331

Inner Poise

Original post by cl_steele

As a rule, I would say that they are unlikely to let you off if you miss your offer. I've certainly never heard of it happening here.

Reply 2332

Gales

Original post by cl_steele

They told me (for languages) that if you miss your offer and the grade you drop slightly isn't related (so not a language for me), then they'll consider you, but it's unlikely. If it's a related subject, you're automatically not considered.

Reply 2333

Ivanka

Original post by Gales

NOT TRUE. Got in with a 2 in Spanish, although my offer stated 1.

(Unless the admissions rules have changed.)

Reply 2334

Gales

Original post by Ivanka

NOT TRUE. Got in with a 2 in Spanish, although my offer stated 1.

(Unless the admissions rules have changed.)

You applied do a different degree to me, I do straight Modern languages. Gemma Barber, the admissions tutor told me this.

Reply 2335

uttamo

If you have Bs at GCSE do they really matter that much? I have two and one of them is in English Literature :s-smilie:

(got A in lang) which I think is an important subject. Would it matter too much?

Also, what extracurricular activities did people who applied for economics or natural sciences do? Thanks.

Reply 2336

Gales

Original post by uttamo

If you have Bs at GCSE do they really matter that much? I have two and one of them is in English Literature :s-smilie:

(got A in lang) which I think is an important subject. Would it matter too much?

Also, what extracurricular activities did people who applied for economics or natural sciences do? Thanks.

I have 3 Cs at GCSE (Science and Maths, so quite important), granted all my other grades were A*/A but no, if they're unrelated to your degree,totally not! :smile:

Reply 2337

uttamo

Original post by Gales

I have 3 Cs at GCSE (Science and Maths, so quite important), granted all my other grades were A*/A but no, if they're unrelated to your degree,totally not! :smile:

Thanks man that's reassuring. Do you have any idea of the average (roughly) number of A*s applicants have? (I know it's a s*** question but it does get us worried! :frown:

)

Reply 2338

farrar

Original post by miss_dj

I'm in the same situation, is there anyone here who does law?

Reply 2339

steffanie

Original post by miss_dj

Original post by farrar

I'm in the same situation, is there anyone here who does law?

Hii, I do law :smile:

With regard to the course, in first year you'll have four two-hour lectures a week, one for each of your subjects, and you'll have two one-hour tutorials a week, which run in a fortnightly cycle.

Work load isn't too bad, four essays due in first term and then another four due in second term, with the deadlines all spaced one week apart.
Our contract tutor told us she expected us to do eight hours of work for each of her tutorials, but you can get by on less with lecture notes etc. Tutorials are really helpful though, especially if you know what you're actually talking about in them (which is not always!) so I'd recommend that you do actually put the work in for them, it can get very awkward otherwise...

If either of you have any more questions, feel free to message me :smile:

(and well done for getting offers!)