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What college to pick???

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Original post by vincrows
He is not very popular among undergrads.
According to some physics student at Manchester I know, it sound like he regard having to teach undergraduates is nothing more than a chore and he doesn't hide his feeling.
Apparently there's a box called 'Brian Cox Box' and if you utter his name, you have to put £1 in the box as a penalty.

As for Cambridge vs other uni, none of the people I know who chose other uni over Cambridge did so because of the location. The reasons were purely for the course structure/coverage and the style of approach to the subject.
And yes, medicine and engineering are definitely other courses many people choose against Cambridge, and it's for similar reasons.
My niece is an engineer in the build environment and she read engineering at Cambridge (MEng and MPhil). She still goes back to Cambridge several times a year to give lectures/talks and help with their workshops/committee. And she thinks Cambridge is rubbish at inspiring it's students to become an engineer compared to other universities. (She's also involved in similar roles at a few other unis) she says it lacks a real connectability with what's happening in the frontier of industry and many academics don't seem to think that's a problem.

But that's the role of places like Oxbride have in the society, perhaps. They are the top ivory tower and would probably remain so for a long time, whether they admit they are or they want to be or not.

Lol I'm a first year Physics student at Manchester and yeah he isn't all that great, he once argued with a student after saying E=mc instead of E=mc2 for a minute until realising he made a mistake and many a mistake he makes. He's still pretty good at getting the ideas across in lectures in an eloquent way, nobody actually chooses to go to Manchester just because of him though, rather the excellent Physics department and course itself. It's definitely on par with oxbridge and Imperial.
Original post by Terry Tibbs
Lol I'm a first year Physics student at Manchester and yeah he isn't all that great, he once argued with a student after saying E=mc instead of E=mc2 for a minute until realising he made a mistake and many a mistake he makes. He's still pretty good at getting the ideas across in lectures in an eloquent way, nobody actually chooses to go to Manchester just because of him though, rather the excellent Physics department and course itself. It's definitely on par with oxbridge and Imperial.


Exactly. :smile:

I've also heard about his frequent mistakes....:biggrin:
It was a few years ago when I heard about Cox Box. Do you still have it?
(edited 7 years ago)
I just think Oxbridge have not kept their courses up-to-date and they don't offer a year in industry.
Original post by Muttley79
I just think Oxbridge have not kept their courses up-to-date and they don't offer a year in industry.


That's the case in many courses at Cambridge.
They tend to be more 'traditionalist' in its approach to teaching than other universities and many academics there seem to want to keep it that way.
That's the main reason my daughter took such a long time to decide to firm cambridge as there were two other unis she much preferred the course because theirs were much more up-to-date than cambridege's for her subject that's evolving rapidly all the time.
In the end she chose Cambridge because of the collegiate system and supervision and she was very happy with both of them, but I suppose it'd depend on what you want from your university.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 24
So my first option of Uni is Cambridge to study Physics (Natural Sciences) because it is ranked number 1 in the UK university rankings for Physics. However, my second option is Imperial to study Physics/Theoretical Physics. For Imperial I am able to stay at home and it is about a 40min-1hr journey. What would be the better option based on structure and teaching styles etc? Cambridge or Imperial?
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by _Avi
So my first option of Uni is Cambridge to study Physics (Natural Sciences) because it is ranked number 1 in the UK university rankings for Physics. However, my second option is Imperial to study Physics/Theoretical Physics. For Imperial I am able to stay at home and it is about a 40min-1hr journey. What would be the better option based on structure and teaching styles etc? Cambridge or Imperial?


Your choice needs to be about the course. Forget about rankings. Do you like the look of the Natural Sciences course? How do you feel about having to study other experimental sciences in the first year (not just physics)? Do you think you'd get on with the supervision style of teaching?

Many students decide that they do in fact prefer the course content elsewhere, or don't think the supervision system would work for them. As long as this is a genuine and informed choice this is fine. Nobody is helped by elevating Oxbridge as the be-all and end-all of universities. Also, many very bright candidates aren't successful in getting an offer because we think they wouldn't suit the course as delivered here, or the supervision style of teaching.

Remember that the college you pick is only a preference and you might end up somewhere else, so don't agonise over the choice too much - it's not that important (heresy!) provided you have researched the admissions requirements for the college you apply to. Remember also that your college doesn't have a big effect on the teaching you receive - you'll be supervised by experts wherever you go, lots of the teaching is centralised or at least shared across many colleges and by the time you specialise in your third and fourth year, you'll be found the appropriate supervisor regardless of College. Forget about rankings, really. Most colleges have old and new bits - being founded in 1284 doesn't mean that all of our accommodation is centuries old - some of it is less than 2 years old!

Having said it doesn't matter....
https://www.pet.cam.ac.uk/natural-sciences

The best way to find out about colleges is to come on an open day.
Reply 26
Original post by Peterhouse Admissions
Do you like the look of the Natural Sciences course? How do you feel about having to study other experimental sciences in the first year (not just physics)? Do you think you'd get on with the supervision style of teaching?

Many students decide that they do in fact prefer the course content elsewhere, or don't think the supervision system would work for them. As long as this is a genuine and informed choice this is fine.


Thank you so much. I'm not worried about colleges to be honest (Churchill :crossedf:). Just contemplating what uni. In the Natural Sciences course, I would do Physics, Mathematics and one more - however is it essential for me to have 3 mechanics units as I saw this on the website?

So, I was just wondering what are the main differences in styles of teaching and structure etc between unis like Cambridge and Imperial?
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by _Avi
In the Natural Sciences course, I would do Physics, Mathematics and one more - however is it essential for me to have 3 mechanics units as I saw this on the website?


I believe you only need 3 mechanics modules if you don't have A-level Physics.
Original post by _Avi
Thank you so much. I'm not worried about colleges to be honest (Churchill :crossedf:). Just contemplating what uni. In the Natural Sciences course, I would do Physics, Mathematics and one more - however is it essential for me to have 3 mechanics units as I saw this on the website?

So, I was just wondering what are the main differences in styles of teaching and structure etc between unis like Cambridge and Imperial?


For the first year of the Natural Sciences course, you have to pick 3 science options plus maths. You could do physics and mathematics but you'd have to find two other courses you'd be interested in and qualified for. Plenty of applicants know* they want to specialise in Physics, so this isn't a problem, but we'd want to see an interest and the ability to do well in the other first year options.

*Lots of students think they know what they are interested in, but within a term, many of them have changed their interests dramatically and go from Physics to Earth Sciences or similar. This is one of the huge strengths of the Natural Sciences course it allows you to try subjects before committing to them for 3 years and studying several choices trains you for interdisciplinary working and thinking. At the end of the course, you're just as knowledgeable and specialised as if you'd only studied one science from day one, but you have experienced lots of other topics along the way.

In terms of teaching, there is one HUGE difference between Oxford and Cambridge on the one hand and all the other universities in the world and that is supervisions (Oxford call them tutorials but they’re really the same thing). No other universities invests as much time and effort in small-group teaching with researchers and experts in the subject. This is how we can cover so much material so quickly (the Physics option in IA Natural Sciences is comparable to other first-year Physics courses, but you study two other sciences on top, and our terms are only 8 weeks long!). Of course, Oxford and Cambridge are collegiate as well, but although this may seem like the big, important difference it is the style of teaching which is really special. Being collegiate has advantages of course, primarily that you are guaranteed accommodation in all 3 or 4 years at Cambridge and that there is lots of help and support available.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 29
Original post by Peterhouse Admissions
For the first year of the Natural Sciences course, you have to pick 3 science options plus maths. You could do physics and mathematics but you'd have to find two other courses you'd be interested in and qualified for. Plenty of applicants know* they want to specialise in Physics, so this isn't a problem, but we'd want to see an interest and the ability to do well in the other first year options.

*Lots of students think they know what they are interested in, but within a term, many of them have changed their interests dramatically and go from Physics to Earth Sciences or similar.This is one of the huge strengths of the Natural Sciences course it allows you to try subjects before committing to them for 3 years and studying several choicestrains you for interdisciplinary working and thinking. At the end of the course, you're just as knowledgeable and specialised as if you'd only studied one science from day one, but you have experienced lots of other topics along the way.

In terms of teaching, there is one HUGE difference between Oxford and Cambridge on the one hand and all the other universities in the world and that is supervisions (Oxford call them tutorials but they’re really the same thing). No other universities invests as much time and effort in small-group teaching with researchers and experts in the subject. This is how we can cover so much material so quickly (the Physics option in IA Natural Sciences is comparable to other first-year Physics courses, but you study two other sciences on top, and our terms are only 8 weeks long!). Of course, Oxford and Cambridge are collegiate as well, but although this may seem like the big, important difference it is the style of teaching which is really special. Being collegiate has advantages of course, primarily that you are guaranteed accommodation in all 3 or 4 years at Cambridge and that there is lots of help and support available.


Thanks. That has really informed me about Cambridge. I was also wondering whether in the Natural Sciences course you get a MSci? On the website and UCAS, there is only mention of a BA. Why is this?
Reply 30
Original post by _Avi
Thanks. That has really informed me about Cambridge. I was also wondering whether in the Natural Sciences course you get a MSci? On the website and UCAS, there is only mention of a BA. Why is this?


If you do Part III (Year 4) you get the MSci in addition to the BA.

http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/camdata/tripos.html

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(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 31
Original post by jneill
If you do Part III (Year 4) you get the MSci in addition to the BA.

http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/camdata/tripos.html

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Thanks :smile:
Reply 32
Anyway about choosing a college does it sound like a good idea to choose the college based on what the tutors specialise in. As a mature student I was going to choose Wolfson until I found out that they haven't accepted any applicants for at least 5 years. Then I thought Kings because I share interests with the tutors but am thinking well 60 applicants a year and only 4 successes into the course. Now I'm looking at Fitzwilliam because they've had consistently 5 applicants and 4 successes every year but the tutors specialism is some really complicated system analysis looking type stuff. So what do I do? :biggrin:
Reply 33
Original post by Thomb
Anyway about choosing a college does it sound like a good idea to choose the college based on what the tutors specialise in. As a mature student I was going to choose Wolfson until I found out that they haven't accepted any applicants for at least 5 years. Then I thought Kings because I share interests with the tutors but am thinking well 60 applicants a year and only 4 successes into the course. Now I'm looking at Fitzwilliam because they've had consistently 5 applicants and 4 successes every year but the tutors specialism is some really complicated system analysis looking type stuff. So what do I do? :biggrin:


Just pick a college you like - don't play the stats game (although, yeah, Wolfson... :wink: ) and I really wouldn't worry about supervisors especially for a small course like architecture.

By the way, have you seen this: http://kcsu.org.uk/a-day-in-the-life-of/#architecture

And this: RIBA Report
https://www.architecture.com/Files/RIBAProfessionalServices/Education/Validation/BoardReportsSummaryReports/UniversityCambridge/Cambridge%20RIBAFinalFullReport.pdf
And follow-up
https://www.architecture.com/Files/RIBAProfessionalServices/Education/Validation/BoardReportsSummaryReports/UniversityCambridge/RIBACambridgeP2revisitforpublishing.pdf
Reply 34



LoL :biggrin: You've come up trumps there, I see Cambridge still have a problem with Part 2 of the course. Thanks for that. Well I think I'd stand a better chance at applying somewhere where the tutors have similar interests/specialisms to me and Kings tutors do so maybe I'll apply there, I've got plenty of time to mull it over anyway.
Emmanuel has ducks. :awesome:

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Reply 36
Original post by Edminzodo
Emmanuel has ducks. :awesome:

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So does Keynes college Kent University, its a little bit irrelevant don't you think? :biggrin:
Original post by Thomb
LoL :biggrin: You've come up trumps there, I see Cambridge still have a problem with Part 2 of the course. Thanks for that. (0Well I think I'd stand a better chance at applying somewhere where the tutors have similar interests/specialisms to me and Kings tutors do so maybe I'll apply there , I've got plenty of time to mull it over anyway.


It doesn't make much difference for undergraduates. It's only the first year the supervisions are usually conducted by Dos/fellows of your college, and for a small department like Architecture there's a good chance it'd be with fellows of other colleges even in the first year.

One thing you really should decide now, though, is whether Cambridge's Architecute course is what you really want. It's much more academic/research-oriented than other universities's courses. If you want to be a practicing architect, you may prefer courses at other universities.
Actually all the people I personally know who read Architecute at uni in recent years chose other unis because of the reason.
Reply 38
Original post by vincrows
It doesn't make much difference for undergraduates. It's only the first year the supervisions are usually conducted by Dos/fellows of your college, and for a small department like Architecture there's a good chance it'd be with fellows of other colleges even in the first year.

One thing you really should decide now, though, is whether Cambridge's Architecute course is what you really want. It's much more academic/research-oriented than other universities's courses. If you want to be a practicing architect, you may prefer courses at other universities.
Actually all the people I personally know who read Architecute at uni in recent years chose other unis because of the reason.


Well I'm going to aim for Cambridge and I like the course because it is academic. Do you think applying to an oversubscribed college like Kings would detract from my application in any way? Also I'm a mature student would I be better off at a mature students college?
Original post by Thomb
Well I'm going to aim for Cambridge and I like the course because it is academic. Do you think applying to an oversubscribed college like Kings would detract from my application in any way? Also I'm a mature student would I be better off at a mature students college?


If you're sure you like their course, that's fine. :smile:

No, a choice of college won't effect your chance of getting into Cambridge. All the admission tutors at all colleges can see info about all the applicants from the beginning of selection process and there's a system to make sure the university can get most capable/talented applicants, no matter which college they applied to. If you're good enough, you're in, though it may not be the college you applied to.
Don't even think of playing with the statistic game, as it won't work. :wink:

But being a mature applicant means there's a good chance you'll be pooled to one of the mature colleges. But as I said, as long as you're good enough, you'll be in Cambridge.
Your academic capability and potential is the only thing that matters. Nothing else.

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