The Student Room Group

Scroll to see replies

Spending the next 4 weeks with active malaria to deal with as well as work... not often you get to say that :biggrin:
Original post by qwertyuiop1993


So depending on your college you might get an exhibition but not a scholarship? (Which is the standard thing at Trinity regardless of how high the distinction was in Prelims)

How recent was this re-evaluation at Keble? My college mum who has all her tutes at Keble complained that she got a 68 average in German last year and she didn't get any recognition from Trinity, while her friend at Keble got significantly lower and was awarded something or other...


Original post by shoshin


Doesn't Scholarship near miss = Exhibition = same swishy gown at Keble?

:crossedf:


Original post by dbmag9
x


Yeah, as far as I know, Keble don't have exhibitions. Although I'm not totally sure.

Also this is all new this year :redface:
Original post by SebCross


@flywithemma: How did you find your first year, then? The course I'm taking is effectively the first-year undergraduate course spread out into two years (it's part-time) and with a few differences. Did you find your first year illuminating, overall, or was it case of trying to 'find your feet' for the first couple of terms?


Ah, okay. Have you started it yet? Just from checking your profile where you state 'Doing a Foundation Certificate in History at Kellogg College, University of Oxford, then into the 2nd year of the BA History at New College, Oxford'- a bit unsure about what exactly you're doing this year/when and where you're joining the Oxford course, that's all :smile:
Also I may be confusing you with someone else, but I believe you've started undergraduate history at university before? If this is the case, I'd imagine you'll take less time trying to 'find your feet'.

I don't really know whether 'finding your feet' and 'illuminating' need to be mutually exclusive- the process of finding my feet was, for me, one that was pretty illuminating and made me really explore the subject I'd chosen to study and why it was that I was doing it. In my experience, Michaelmas was a pretty big culture shock, and I think I was mistaken in my approach as I spent too much time in the library/tried to read too much of the reading list and sort of got a bit overwhelmed with both the academic and social side of university. However, by Hilary, partly because the modules I was doing were ones that I found myself enjoying a lot more, and also because lots of things in my personal life started to fall into place, things got a lot better. Of course, come Trinity exam season I was once again questioning why I'd chosen history/Oxford/etc etc, but I'd pretty much say that from February things were a lot better.

Have you had to choose any modules yet?


Original post by SebCross
Best of luck regarding your 'swishy gown' situation. Forgive my ignorance, but I'm assuming this status is basically a reward for strong exam performance?


Kind of (see discussion above regarding how it varies between colleges what exactly 'swishy gowns'/scholarship/rewards etc. are given for). Although generally the universal convention seems to be that you do tend to get a different sort of gown if you get the top band (be that distinction or first) in your first year examinations.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Nag o ma Scylla
Not quite all I think there were three of us doing French prelims in scholars' gowns :tongue:


Ooh lucky for some :P I forgot about choral/organ scholars. At Trinity (and at Exeter) choral scholars are not allowed to wear scholar's gowns. According to my 'choral scholar' friend at Exeter they're not even officially called scholars, but some weird term that presumably justifies the lack of a gown... He was very bitter...
Hey! Congratulations to everyone on their results :smile:.
I have a question which is worrying me, and I was wondering if anyone could answer it. Basically, I just found out my prelims results for History & German on the student system but I'm actually not sure what I got. Down at the bottom, just below the table with individual paper results, it says I got History: distinction and German: distinction. This makes sense, since I've looked up how you get distinctions in those subjects, and I've fulfilled those requirements in terms of the individual unit marks I got. However, in the 'Year Outcome' box at the top of the table, it says my outcome was a Pass. What does this all mean? Is it possible to have distinctions in both subjects but only have a Pass overall? Argh!:s-smilie:
Reply 8785
Original post by Waldhexe
Hey! Congratulations to everyone on their results :smile:.
I have a question which is worrying me, and I was wondering if anyone could answer it. Basically, I just found out my prelims results for History & German on the student system but I'm actually not sure what I got. Down at the bottom, just below the table with individual paper results, it says I got History: distinction and German: distinction. This makes sense, since I've looked up how you get distinctions in those subjects, and I've fulfilled those requirements in terms of the individual unit marks I got. However, in the 'Year Outcome' box at the top of the table, it says my outcome was a Pass. What does this all mean? Is it possible to have distinctions in both subjects but only have a Pass overall? Argh!:s-smilie:

Your subject handbook should have the details of what exactly the criteria for a distinction is in the joint school; that seems strange to me, though. Congratulations, too! :h:
Original post by Waldhexe
Hey! Congratulations to everyone on their results :smile:.
I have a question which is worrying me, and I was wondering if anyone could answer it. Basically, I just found out my prelims results for History & German on the student system but I'm actually not sure what I got. Down at the bottom, just below the table with individual paper results, it says I got History: distinction and German: distinction. This makes sense, since I've looked up how you get distinctions in those subjects, and I've fulfilled those requirements in terms of the individual unit marks I got. However, in the 'Year Outcome' box at the top of the table, it says my outcome was a Pass. What does this all mean? Is it possible to have distinctions in both subjects but only have a Pass overall? Argh!:s-smilie:


I think it might just be because Prelims are technically just Pass/Fail and a Pass is your outcome. Knowing you got a Distinction is just a bonus... If that makes sense.
Original post by Waldhexe
Hey! Congratulations to everyone on their results :smile:.
I have a question which is worrying me, and I was wondering if anyone could answer it. Basically, I just found out my prelims results for History & German on the student system but I'm actually not sure what I got. Down at the bottom, just below the table with individual paper results, it says I got History: distinction and German: distinction. This makes sense, since I've looked up how you get distinctions in those subjects, and I've fulfilled those requirements in terms of the individual unit marks I got. However, in the 'Year Outcome' box at the top of the table, it says my outcome was a Pass. What does this all mean? Is it possible to have distinctions in both subjects but only have a Pass overall? Argh!:s-smilie:


I think joint schools/languages are a little weird in that distinctions are technically awarded only for the specific components of the course (so History and German for you). Someone on here doing English and French was asking the same thing. Both he, you and I got 'distinction' in both subject boxes but a pass in the top result box.

Saying that, it could be a general thing...can anyone who does a single subject and got a distinction confirm whether it says just pass in the top box?

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 8788
In first year I got a distinction in prelims and at the top it said: Distinction (still does)

But this info is 2 years out of date now.
Original post by flywithemma
Ah, okay. Have you started it yet? Just from checking your profile where you state 'Doing a Foundation Certificate in History at Kellogg College, University of Oxford, then into the 2nd year of the BA History at New College, Oxford'- a bit unsure about what exactly you're doing this year/when and where you're joining the Oxford course, that's all :smile:
Also I may be confusing you with someone else, but I believe you've started undergraduate history at university before? If this is the case, I'd imagine you'll take less time trying to 'find your feet'.

I don't really know whether 'finding your feet' and 'illuminating' need to be mutually exclusive- the process of finding my feet was, for me, one that was pretty illuminating and made me really explore the subject I'd chosen to study and why it was that I was doing it. In my experience, Michaelmas was a pretty big culture shock, and I think I was mistaken in my approach as I spent too much time in the library/tried to read too much of the reading list and sort of got a bit overwhelmed with both the academic and social side of university. However, by Hilary, partly because the modules I was doing were ones that I found myself enjoying a lot more, and also because lots of things in my personal life started to fall into place, things got a lot better. Of course, come Trinity exam season I was once again questioning why I'd chosen history/Oxford/etc etc, but I'd pretty much say that from February things were a lot better.

Have you had to choose any modules yet?




Kind of (see discussion above regarding how it varies between colleges what exactly 'swishy gowns'/scholarship/rewards etc. are given for). Although generally the universal convention seems to be that you do tend to get a different sort of gown if you get the top band (be that distinction or first) in your first year examinations.


My intention is to join New College in the 2nd year; in reality I've yet to start the Foundation Certificate in History. I've always found it useful to have a very clear idea of what I want to achieve, so that's just testament to that, really. I have indeed studied before: I started a Modern History & Politics course at the University of Southampton in Sep' 2011, and before that had started an American Literature & Creative Writing course at the U.E.A. in Sep' 2009. As I said, it's taken me a little time to find my 'true calling', though in fairness it'd been a toss-up between History or English as to which I'd pursue at degree level all through my school years. I'm just glad I've finally found my niche, as it were.

I think most people, or at least most sensible people, would use their first year at any university - though no doubt this is especially true at Oxbridge - spend their time really getting the 'lay of the land' --- I should start a competition to see how many clichés I can clock up in one post, haha --- and finding what works for them academically. Given the infamous undergraduate workload (two essays a week at most Oxbridge colleges, I believe?), I'd have thought students' first priority alongside making nice with people in college would be to devise an efficient study system. I'm sure this comes with experience, though, too - as you say, it took until February of your first year for you to feel really comfortable and confident. I don't doubt this is what most students experience: look at me, it's taken me two or three tries to even find a course I feel will really suit me! But then often us 'late bloomers' have had more cumulative life experience, so that can lend advantages in its own ways too.

I'll bet Fresher's Week at an Oxford college is pretty freakin' daunting - I'm trying to think of the good pubs I know near Keble College...Hmmm...

I say 'New College' on my profile, this is true - I honestly would be pretty blown away if I were able to get onto the full-time undergraduate course regardless of what college that would be. I'm slightly hesitant to say either St. Anne's or Keble because my mum's the College Nurse for those colleges! I honestly wouldn't mind much in terms of college choice, really: indeed, if the situation arises where I'm advised by the tutors on the foundation course that an application for direct entry into the 2nd year would be likely to at least 'be competitive', as it were, then I'd probably make an open application.

We don't really have module choices, as such: we follow a set course of compulsory modules until the end of the first year, at which time we have a 'Special Option' elective course at the end of the year right before exams - either 'Nobility & Gentry 1560-1640' or 'The Spanish Civil War 1936-39'. I've no idea which I'll pick: both look fascinating in their own ways. Did you have first-year elective optional modules, then? What about your Year 2 choices? Do you get more or less a 'free hand' to choose what you like?
Congratulations to everyone on their fantabulous Mods/degree results! :banana:

Edit: Perhaps a little late to the party, but I'd disappeared off TSR for a while...
Original post by SebCross



I'll bet Fresher's Week at an Oxford college is pretty freakin' daunting - I'm trying to think of the good pubs I know near Keble College...Hmmm...


If you'll allow me to elaborate on my area of expertise... :cool:

We avoided the Lamb and Flag (John's :colonhash: Other than first day of fresher's where we'd take college children to cram the pub so John's can't use it).

Me and my friends either used the Eagle and Child or the Royal Oak. Sometimes we'd head over to The Turf/The KA if we were feeling a little more adventurous. The bar is also very nice post-revamp too (much better than my first year!)

EDIT: Chat like this just makes me realise how much I'm going to miss Keble :emo: *sigh* back to the job hunt..
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by pinkpenguin
If you'll allow me to elaborate on my area of expertise... :cool:

We avoided the Lamb and Flag (John's :colonhash: Other than first day of fresher's where we'd take college children to cram the pub so John's can't use it).

Me and my friends either used the Eagle and Child or the Royal Oak. Sometimes we'd head over to The Turf/The KA if we were feeling a little more adventurous. The bar is also very nice post-revamp too (much better than my first year!)

EDIT: Chat like this just makes me realise how much I'm going to miss Keble :emo: *sigh* back to the job hunt..


Glad to hear it was such a great time for you in your life. What sector are you looking to head into with the prospect of a new job to come soon? (We all hope!) Best of luck with your job hunt.
I'm a big fan of the Eagle & Child. The K.A. is very very nice too. Indeed, it's actually quite hard for me to think of a pub in town that I don't like...Though no doubt that says more about my love of beer than anything else...
I like the Victoria up in Jericho and the metal pub near Tesco's on Magdalen street. Also Combibos is great.


Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd
X


Combiiiiiiiiiiiiiiboooooooooooooooos.
Original post by The Lyceum

Combiiiiiiiiiiiiiiboooooooooooooooos.


Not sure why you thought of me. Not like I basically lived there for three years or anything :nah:

:ninja:

:ahee:
Original post by SebCross
Glad to hear it was such a great time for you in your life. What sector are you looking to head into with the prospect of a new job to come soon? (We all hope!) Best of luck with your job hunt.


Year out to try a few different things (like to get some internships in the political sector if possible) and then probably a law conversion.

If it was up to me, I'd be off to Sandhurst to train to become an Officer this September, but medical reasons mean I can't do that for another 2 years or so yet. Cut backs mean I'll likely be too old so looking at other avenues.
Original post by pinkpenguin
Year out to try a few different things (like to get some internships in the political sector if possible) and then probably a law conversion.

If it was up to me, I'd be off to Sandhurst to train to become an Officer this September, but medical reasons mean I can't do that for another 2 years or so yet. Cut backs mean I'll likely be too old so looking at other avenues.


Oh right, yeah that'd be no doubt absolutely fantastic; it's a shame you might be unable to do it. Has it always been an ambition of yours to serve in the Forces, then? My grandfather on my father's side served in the R.A.F. during WWII and through until the mid-Fifties. My grandfather in my mother's side served in the Royal Army Medical Corps throughout his whole career. I admire what they both did, of course, but I'm not sure I'd want to commit to a similar undertaking given the extremes of experiences they both endured.

What did you read at Oxford, then? Not tempted to come back to the city? (So many people, in my experience, who've studied in the city, either at Oxford or at Brookes, want to settle down here, but the rents are just so so so high, particularly in the more desirable areas.)

Cool, that political involvement sounds fascinating. Would that be for a think-tank, a pressure group or directly for a political party?

Best wishes once again on your job hunt.
Original post by SebCross
Oh right, yeah that'd be no doubt absolutely fantastic; it's a shame you might be unable to do it. Has it always been an ambition of yours to serve in the Forces, then? My grandfather on my father's side served in the R.A.F. during WWII and through until the mid-Fifties. My grandfather in my mother's side served in the Royal Army Medical Corps throughout his whole career. I admire what they both did, of course, but I'm not sure I'd want to commit to a similar undertaking given the extremes of experiences they both endured.

What did you read at Oxford, then? Not tempted to come back to the city? (So many people, in my experience, who've studied in the city, either at Oxford or at Brookes, want to settle down here, but the rents are just so so so high, particularly in the more desirable areas.)

Cool, that political involvement sounds fascinating. Would that be for a think-tank, a pressure group or directly for a political party?

Best wishes once again on your job hunt.


Thanks!

Yeah it has. Only the Army though, was less interested in the other two. My Grandfather was in the Royal Irish, later the Royal Signals. The lifestyle really appeals to me, plus I get a bit agitated if I'm sat inside for too long!

I did PPE. Loved it. Considering applying for Senior Status Law so I can actually come back to Oxford next year maybe!

I'm looking for a mix of everything at the moment. A lot of the stuff I've been applying for is MP office-slave kinda positions that are no doubt super interesting. I've always been interested in research too so looking for think tank stuff too!
Original post by pinkpenguin
Thanks!

Yeah it has. Only the Army though, was less interested in the other two. My Grandfather was in the Royal Irish, later the Royal Signals. The lifestyle really appeals to me, plus I get a bit agitated if I'm sat inside for too long!

I did PPE. Loved it. Considering applying for Senior Status Law so I can actually come back to Oxford next year maybe!

I'm looking for a mix of everything at the moment. A lot of the stuff I've been applying for is MP office-slave kinda positions that are no doubt super interesting. I've always been interested in research too so looking for think tank stuff too!


Good for you! I must say I'm really not as much of an 'outdoors' sort of person as I should be; being out in the springtime and summer is wonderful, but I'm really really not a winter person, so tend, rather shamefully, to spend the great majority of the winter indoors! Bad times. Cool, well if you come back to Oxford we'll have to meet up for a pint and trade family war stories (as it were). I'm sure your grandfather's experience was fascinating. I know my grandfather on my father's side feels that serving in the R.A.F. was incredibly worthwhile, even with the spectre of WWII looming over everything at that time and everything that that entailed. My grandfather on my mother's side if unfortunately no longer with us, but he used to talk about the kinds of training exercises they'd all partake in in the deepest wilderness of that most dreaded of lands, North Wales! Haha. I've no doubt at all that all those that serve feel an incredible sense of connection to the country generally and, according to both of my grandparent's, and my grandmother's brother, who served with the Royal Military Police, you really appreciate 'the little things' in peace time because it's all so far removed from the true horrors of war.

Yes, I'd quite like to do some voluntary work with a think-tank at some stage, I think; ultimately I want to be an academic, but I don't doubt that some of the oldest think-tanks and political lobbying organisations have very very interesting historical records which would be well-worth having a 'wee gander' at, if I ever got the chance.

Law would be such an interesting degree: hard work, though! Much like in History, my own degree subject, one needs an exceptional ability to remember names and dates - so many case study details in law, and precedents and the like! I don't doubt it was be very challenging and engaging indeed. Have you looked in to what college you might apply to, or are you perhaps keen to return to your alma mata? Hoping the job hunting is continuing to be fruitful?

Latest