The Student Room Group

Imperial Postgraduate Applications 2012

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Original post by gavinmetcalf
Yes you do, and you pay the 10% online mate :-) Congrats! and see you in sept!


Thx dude! :smile:

Was your condition also "1st class honours"?

Finally got the official offer, now I can relax...wondering if I should go to that King's interview, they setting up in June? :s-smilie:
Original post by skyliner
I have been invited for a special evening for postgraduate offer holders at King's on Monday 21st May, not sure I'll be able to go (by the way anyone else on here planning to go?)
But if not then, I am planning to go at some point next week as well to have a look around.
Yeah it looks like you have made up your mind about where to go eh?
But I see why you are going for the interview at King's , I think it's good to see what they have to offer and how it compares to Imperial.
Good luck with the interview, let us know how it goes. I haven't had an interview in years and I am dreading it! I don't even have a date yet, ah!


Shame you can't go to that King's special evening...it would give you all the info you need on the uni, your course, the dept and the people and what they do in terms of research, etc.

I hope you hear back soon about your Imperial interview! Who have you been speaking to at Imperial regarding the interview, etc.?
Reply 442
I spoke to Elizabeth Regan for general enquiries and more specifically about the status of my application and the interview to Julia Hogg, both very helpful and friendly.
Reply 443
Hey VediVidiVici, would you mind mind taking a look at the information leaflet for the Msc Biomedical and Molecular Sciences Research at King's and tell me your genuine thoughts about it, here is the link :
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus/images/assets/BMSR_info.pdf
Thank you man!
Original post by skyliner
I spoke to Elizabeth Regan for general enquiries and more specifically about the status of my application and the interview to Julia Hogg, both very helpful and friendly.


Yep, I know them both, as I've also had dealings with them recently. They very friendly and helpful. :biggrin:
Original post by skyliner
Hey VediVidiVici, would you mind mind taking a look at the information leaflet for the Msc Biomedical and Molecular Sciences Research at King's and tell me your genuine thoughts about it, here is the link :
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus/images/assets/BMSR_info.pdf
Thank you man!


This is a full-on MSc course...very detailed and covers quite a lot of material, molecular techniques, which would be helpful for anyone who's interested in further studies (even research-based career), but are not sure which area they want to specialise in. It all depends on your interests and what experiences you have on your CV other than from your BSc. For me personally, this course would not suite me, as I have an idea of what I want to focus on in terms of interests and as I have picked up work experience in a few labs, I know what I like and do not like. So, for me this course is too broad in its reach. It may suite your profile better, as the exposure to lecture material and molecular techniques may help you decide what you want to do in the future or which areas of research interests you? I don't know your science background other than your BSc...so its you call.

Also, I prefer an MRes course (the one at Imperial I applied to has 2 x 5.5 month projects + graduate skills training), as for me it allows me to spend almost all my time doing lab projects and only a minimal amount of time attending lectures, practicals and completing ample coursework (which the MSc at King's requires). If you know you want to go and do a PhD and follow a research career...an MRes may be more relevant...although, I know people who have gone onto successfully do PhD's & research with taught MSc's. I think its all about your preferences...

In terms of credits (out of 180 for a masters degree), the King's course only offers 90 credits for the research project. Thats only 50%. In comparison, the Imperial MRes's projects count up to 80-85% of the course credits. That's the difference between a taught MSc and an MRes.

The King's course in all honesty sounds great, and it covers a lot of ground, but it would not be for me. All the p/g courses I applied for were MRes's and a few PhD's. I didn't consider taught MSc's.

What do you think of the course?
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 446
Oh Man, thank you so much for taking the time to write your message, I really appreciate it.
I agree with everything you said, it is a great course and very full on but it’s a taught one. The area you specialize in depends mainly on the specialist workshops you choose and the research project.
Unlike you, I don’t have much experience in a research lab, in fact the only experience in research I have is from my undergraduate project which was immunology based and quite limited in terms of techniques used. I have only graduated in March this year and at the moment I am working within a research team but I am writing a review article (which is about microvesicles and exosomes in immunotherapy) and it’s not lab based.
That is why originally I thought this Msc would be just perfect for me as it would give me the chance to explore and learn more before being able to choose and commit myself to one particular area.
But then I saw the Mres at Imperial and it seems amazing as it is mainly lab based and also quite broad in terms of the area you want to specialize in: there are lots of projects to choose from particularly in the BMR stream. And more importantly, you don’t have attend all those lectures and do all those time consuming reports and examinations.
I have another month to decide and in the meantime I’ll try to focus on my Imperial interview which I have a feeling will be fairly soon and I am sure will include some kind of assessment to test my knowledge in biomedical science and my general aptitude for science as I have applied for the very competitive master’s bursary they have.
Original post by skyliner
Oh Man, thank you so much for taking the time to write your message, I really appreciate it.
I agree with everything you said, it is a great course and very full on but it’s a taught one. The area you specialize in depends mainly on the specialist workshops you choose and the research project.
Unlike you, I don’t have much experience in a research lab, in fact the only experience in research I have is from my undergraduate project which was immunology based and quite limited in terms of techniques used. I have only graduated in March this year and at the moment I am working within a research team but I am writing a review article (which is about microvesicles and exosomes in immunotherapy) and it’s not lab based.
That is why originally I thought this Msc would be just perfect for me as it would give me the chance to explore and learn more before being able to choose and commit myself to one particular area.
But then I saw the Mres at Imperial and it seems amazing as it is mainly lab based and also quite broad in terms of the area you want to specialize in: there are lots of projects to choose from particularly in the BMR stream. And more importantly, you don’t have attend all those lectures and do all those time consuming reports and examinations.
I have another month to decide and in the meantime I’ll try to focus on my Imperial interview which I have a feeling will be fairly soon and I am sure will include some kind of assessment to test my knowledge in biomedical science and my general aptitude for science as I have applied for the very competitive master’s bursary they have.


Which bursary have you applied for and how are they selecting candidates for it?

I agree with you and can see why you are drawn to the MRes as opposed to the MSc. It sounds like you would want to do the MRes if they offer you a place...which I agree, is a much better option on paper compared to the King's MSc.

The only thing that you need to bear in mind is that the MRes will throw you right into a lab setting and will be intense if you not used to it. I think that is why Imperial is quite picky about who they offer places to for the MRes's in BMR. And that's why they doing the interviews. Obviously, we will be trained hands-on in the relevant techniques based on the project we choose, so it should be okay. But this will be a Mon-Fri, 9-5pm (with slight variation depending on the lab and project) commitment...like a full-time job + all the reading & research we have to do.

You'll make the right choice.

It should be loads of fun! :biggrin: and hard work!
Reply 448
I cannot remember but I think it's the Rector’s Scholarship? You get interviewed by the department who then willl recommend you if they think you are good enough. There are only about 20 for all master's students so it's very competitive and I believe you are selected based on your past academic performance and the results of any assessments you are required to undergo.
So they will select who they think are the brightest minds in UK/Europe! :biggrin:
Original post by skyliner
I cannot remember but I think it's the Rector’s Scholarship? You get interviewed by the department who then willl recommend you if they think you are good enough. There are only about 20 for all master's students so it's very competitive and I believe you are selected based on your past academic performance and the results of any assessments you are required to undergo.
So they will select who they think are the brightest minds in UK/Europe! :biggrin:


Yep! These scholarships are always super competitive. They only take the best of the best...so we'll have to see. I think they going through applications and short-listing etc. sometime in June. Let's see what happens :rolleyes:...I don't think I qualify as one of the brightest minds in the UK or Europe...:biggrin:

Oh, I wanted to ask you, do you know how many of us will be on the course (BMR + all the other streams)..are we talking 50 students or is that too many...or will we be more? I know that MRes's normally have a lower intake than taught MSc's, but I have no idea how much lower. Any ideas?
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 450
Original post by VENIVIDIVICI
Yep! These scholarships are always super competitive. They only take the best of the best...so we'll have to see. I think they going through applications and short-listing etc. sometime in June. Let's see what happens :rolleyes:...I don't think I qualify as one of the brightest minds in the UK or Europe...:biggrin:

Oh, I wanted to ask you, do you know how many of us will be on the course (BMR + all the other streams)..are we talking 50 students or is that too many...or will we be more? I know that MRes's normally have a lower intake than taught MSc's, but I have no idea how much lower. Any ideas?


I don't know but I would probably say 40-50, I'll find out next week and let you know.
Lots of hard work, dedication and passion, that is how I managed to get a very good academic performance but I am definitely not one of the brightest minds either. Sometimes I feel like I have the soul of a genius trapped in a very average brain :smile:
Original post by skyliner
I don't know but I would probably say 40-50, I'll find out next week and let you know.
Lots of hard work, dedication and passion, that is how I managed to get a very good academic performance but I am definitely not one of the brightest minds either. Sometimes I feel like I have the soul of a genius trapped in a very average brain :smile:


LOL! I love that last sentence...genius!

So, have you decided to go there next week? Are you just going to turn up or have you planned a visit with the department?
Reply 452
It would be wise to plan but I think I'll just turn up and see how it goes.
Cool! Let me know how it goes.

Have you applied anywhere else other than Imperial and King's?
Reply 454
Original post by VENIVIDIVICI
Cool! Let me know how it goes.

Have you applied anywhere else other than Imperial and King's?


I only applied to King's and Imperial as I want to stay in London and I thought they were the best here for medical research. Well, of course there is UCL which is walking distance to where I live and a great university too. However, their master's programmes seemed to be very expensive with the ones I was interested in being about 10-12k, almost double the fees of equivalent postgraduate courses at KCL or ICL .
Original post by skyliner
I only applied to King's and Imperial as I want to stay in London and I thought they were the best here for medical research. Well, of course there is UCL which is walking distance to where I live and a great university too. However, their master's programmes seemed to be very expensive with the ones I was interested in being about 10-12k, almost double the fees of equivalent postgraduate courses at KCL or ICL .


Makes sense. Talk about the UCL fees...I agree, I looked at their MRes in Biosciences and it was quoted at £12K and UCL's MRes in Biomedicine costing £10K...I mean really...that's double (for the former) what ICL's MRes is worth..I don't understand why they (UCL) are soooo expensive :s-smilie: Ridiculous!
(edited 11 years ago)
Did you do your u/g degree in London as well?
Reply 457
Original post by VENIVIDIVICI
Did you do your u/g degree in London as well?


I did my A levels and and some undegraduate studies in Italy and then about 10 years later I did my undergraduate degree in London.
Original post by VENIVIDIVICI
Thx dude! :smile:

Was your condition also "1st class honours"?

Finally got the official offer, now I can relax...wondering if I should go to that King's interview, they setting up in June? :s-smilie:


yeah man, first class all the way! Good man! It's up to you, Imperial and Kings are both very good universities. But it depends on the course differences, plus i do feel from talking to friends and colleagues that a MRes from Imperial will set you in good position for a PhD either at the institution or another one.

Let me know what you decide to do mate!
Original post by skyliner
I did my A levels and and some undegraduate studies in Italy and then about 10 years later I did my undergraduate degree in London.


Thx man. Sounds like quite journey.

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