Cambridge Natural Sciences (NatSci) Students and Applicants

Spire

Maybe it will just be like the long wordy questions at the end of a chemistry/physics paper, in that case it shouldn't be too bad.

Fraid not. The standard is about 4 sides of A4 handwritten (though of course you can type for supervision work).

Reply 61

faik_kheft

4

Spire

Thought I'd never have to do a damn essay again :mad:

Didn't we all...
*now does 3 a week, all of atrociously poor quality*

Ooh, have just noticed you're a Selwynite-to-be, yay! Also, have just noticed you're a phys natsci so essay writing should be minimal...

Reply 62

Spire

faik_kheft

Didn't we all...
*now does 3 a week, all of atrociously poor quality*

Ooh, have just noticed you're a Selwynite-to-be, yay! Also, have just noticed you're a phys natsci so essay writing should be minimal...

Yep can't wait to come Selwyn :biggrin:

, are you reading phys natsci as well?

Reply 63

MC REN

14

Well he writes 3 essays a week so no, presumably not

Reply 64

faik_kheft

4

I'm bio - thing is, lots of phys natscis who thought they would never write any essays convert to bionatsci options after first year when they realise that physics is evil (or so I've been told - I didn't do it :wink:

).

Reply 65

Supergrunch

10

faik_kheft

I'm bio - thing is, lots of phys natscis who thought they would never write any essays convert to bionatsci options after first year when they realise that physics is evil (or so I've been told - I didn't do it :wink:

).

I dropped physics after a week or so because it was so evil. :p:

But I was a bio natsci all along...

Reply 66

Spire

lol great words of encouragement

Reply 67

Kyle_S-C

12

Phys natsci is definitely the way to go if you want to avoid essays. Many of us can barely string sentences together and if you do physics, you're only expected to be able to type up a scientific report once in first year and it's only a couple of thousand words at most.

You do have to be quite happy writing pages and pages of equations though and doodling orbitals and material structures and rock things...we probably destroy as many trees as bio natscis.

Reply 68

steelmole

10

Sweet, I can avoid writing stuff for another few years yet.

Reply 69

emilY?

1

I sorrrrt of like writing essays (I always found English easier and for some ridiculous reason took a load of mathsy, sciencey subjects)

But I take far too long to do them and get waaay too grammar fussy and try to get all creative with sentence construction - (read end up with a big convoluted mess of 52 clauses per sentence...and then realise I was supposed to be concise) :p:

. So it looks like I will be slaving away essaying for much of my time!

For me, the plus point of essays is showing you how much you don't understand something! I always think I get something fine, then come to write it all down and explain it... and realise I haven't the foggiest :p:

Reply 70

Supermerp

2

steelmole

Sweet, I can avoid writing stuff for another few years yet.

The physics exams do have questions that are mostly writing about something (although with equations in) which many physicists calls essay questions (they're particularly bad in the 3rd year since you can't avoid them!) They're more 'regurgitate this part of the notes' exercises though, rather than a critical comparison of this that and your mother.

Reply 71

Duran Duran

Can someone answer the questions I asked on the previous page, please :smile:

?

Reply 72

*Joanna*

12

The_Adarshster

Right, NatScientists - questions for ya :
1) What careers are you looking to go into?
2) If I want to go into Biotech for example, am I better off doing a Biotech degree ?
3) How much can one specialise in an area - either during or after the course ?
4) What are the prospects for me after the degree?

Ok, these are quite specific questions so I'm not sure if I can answer them very well....

1) I haven't got a clue, but more than likely it won't be scientific, and definitely not lab-based. I've had enough!

2) Not necessarily. NatSci will give you a really broad education, with the advantage (!) of being detailed as well. You can specialise in your 3rd year to do a lab project that will give you good skills, and some degrees offer a masters year.

3) In your 3rd year, you can take the general route and do a Physical or Biological and Biomedical course, or specialise in one subject with a lab project. http://www.cam.ac.uk/cambuniv/natscitripos/links.html

4) Impossible to say- it will depend on how well you do, what jobs you apply for, blah blah blah...

Reply 73

steelmole

10

Hmm, what's materials science and metallurgy like compared to geology?

Reply 74

Supermerp

2

steelmole

Hmm, what's materials science and metallurgy like compared to geology?

More boring, less drawing.

Reply 75

Supergrunch

10

steelmole

Hmm, what's materials science and metallurgy like compared to geology?

From what I've heard, geology is far better. Everyone who does geology seems to love it, though I have no idea why...

Reply 76

Supermerp

2

Supergrunch

From what I've heard, geology is far better. Everyone who does geology seems to love it, though I have no idea why...

I think the course is better presented. A lot of people end up really liking geology and continuing it into 2nd year and beyond. Some of them get really fanatical about it. I think to get fanatical about Materials after the 1st year you have to be crazy about it to start with.

I think part of the problem is that to study materials you need a grounding in a fair chunk of pretty dull stuff and since a lot of the people who do materials are just killing time until a physics-packed second year they don't really see the point. But the materials department does actually sound quite fun since (probably partly as a result of the awful first year) it's a nice small department. With bags of cash.

I should add that I took materials 3 years ago. Stuff might have improved. But probably not to the extent that materials gets more people liking it than geology.

Reply 77

Duran Duran

*Joanna*

Ok, these are quite specific questions so I'm not sure if I can answer them very well....

1) I haven't got a clue, but more than likely it won't be scientific, and definitely not lab-based. I've had enough!

2) Not necessarily. NatSci will give you a really broad education, with the advantage (!) of being detailed as well. You can specialise in your 3rd year to do a lab project that will give you good skills, and some degrees offer a masters year.

3) In your 3rd year, you can take the general route and do a Physical or Biological and Biomedical course, or specialise in one subject with a lab project. http://www.cam.ac.uk/cambuniv/natscitripos/links.html

4) Impossible to say- it will depend on how well you do, what jobs you apply for, blah blah blah...

That doesn't fill me with confidence, tbh. I want good, in demand, well paid jobs in Science. Any suggestions ?

Reply 78

emilY?

1

The_Adarshster

I want good, in demand, well paid jobs in Science. Any suggestions ?

Well paid? Industry. Work for a large corporation.

In demand?..... Physics teacher :biggrin:

Good? Nice research that pays reaaaally badly and is a bit risky in the job prospects. And what I want to do.... naive fooool that I am :cool:

Reply 79

MaryMoo

7

pretzel89

Good? Nice research that pays reaaaally badly and is a bit risky in the job prospects. And what I want to do.... naive fooool that I am :cool:

Yay for all of us naive fools, that want to go into research and find a cure for Cancer :p:

Cambridge Natural Sciences (NatSci) Students and Applicants

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