UCL Language Centre?

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Reply 20

President_Ben

On course for a 2.1... as if that means anything. We'll see how he does in his results :wink:

The first year everywhere is a relative cruise compared to 2nd and 3rd. In short, if you can't handle the first or make the changes to improve from it, you'll be eaten alive.

Ashman

1 of the Big 4.

Not something to gush over.

Its not just my department tbh. Like I say one of my best mates got best in year prize for his engineering course and he fricking well sleeps during lectures (and is nicknamed "the laziest man alive" by my mates and me)

In fairness, lectures aren't that important for many subjects when independent study is just as good or useful. That said, I know being the top student in some courses means just getting a high 2.1 at times.

UCL also have a system in place whereby all degrees are examine so that a 1st in one subject is equiv to a 1st in another. Thats what I find incredible about people who study science subjects, they think their subjects are so damn hard and yet produce no evidence (of the statistical kind). A first is a first @ UCL.

But in the mind of many people, a 1st in HoA is not a 1st in say, Law. Or even say, a 2.1 between those two degrees.

University College London

London

Reply 21

Ashman

I never once "gushed" about getting a job with the big 4. You asked me what job I had and I replied. No need to insult me just because I actually expressed an opinion different to what you believe.

My gf has a training contract with Slaughter and May and she did HOA and French. I believe you are what's known as "talking out of one's ass" about HOA being doss. I love it how people like Ben have this opinion of "everyone wants to do economics, and my subject is the best". Being a 2nd year economics student Ben has obviously discovered "universal truth" and we all must bow down to his holyness (dont look at him in the face lest you be blinded by his glory)

(I dont do HOA, so strike that one from your list of what degree I could do. However I think its pathetic people labelling degrees at top universities "doss")

Reply 22

President_Ben

Misunderstanding :smile:

Not saying you would gush, saying it isn't something for us to gush over.

HoA on average, doss. Not saying everyone who does it is cruising, but it would probably be fair to say that a number of them are. And of course, one offs don't make a case.

I have no interest in finding out 'who you are' either. But I think you're misleading people or been slipped a big one if you think everyone is just cruising into their 2.1s doing minimal work.

Reply 23

Ashman

I know the Big 4 isnt great, but its still something to be proud over. I got the job I wanted (good wage and small hours in my service line), so I was happy. I dont boast to people about it as a) its not exceptionally hard to get into b) You have to be a right **** to boast about your job and c) letter b again.

Anyways to get a 2:1 you dont have to work hard. Its just being sensible ie you have an essay due on friday, make sure you get your books on Wednesday. The only people I know who are getting less than 2:1 are either suffering from issues, party people, stoners or unorganised.

Yes one offs dont make the case, so heres the deal. You present me evidence to support your claim of HOA being doss, and Ill show a few more "one offs" to disprove your arguement (how many 1 offs do i have to present before i convince you they are not one offs?)

I dont know what "slipped a big one" is; Im sorry I dont listen to hip hop.

Reply 24

President_Ben

Two things.

1) My view that it is doss is from doing a course with a number of people who did it last year.

2) I think you'll see HoA be the butt-end of many jokes, face a great deal of prejudice and be considered doss by many for quite a while. In general, are degrees or courses equal within an institution? You'd be hard pressed to make that one hold water.

NB, I don't listen to much hip hop either. Nor music of similar style. To be slipped a big one is to have been caught unaware about something big. ie. the relative myth that students can easily spend their entire time doing minimal work and walk out with very respectable grades.

I hear many people are actually working pretty hard for their degree.

Reply 25

Ashman

The "Sorry I dont listen to hip hop" was a quote from South Park.

I am under no doubts some people work hard for their degrees, and therefore they get 1sts. 2:1s are for people who are sensible but not hard working. 2:2s are for people who do essays on the day they are due. 3rds and non honors passes are for druggies.

HOA is a good degree. If it was a joke I dont think my gf would have got an offer from a magic circle firm. Shes not the exception, as in all fairness her CV isnt that good, even by her own admission. (she doesnt have any contacts either btw) I think by and large all courses at a uni are as respected as much as each other. Yes IB etc prefer maths/economics but other jobs prefer Geography/HOA/French.

TBH Ben you have posted on average more than 20 msgs a day for 8 months.If you can do this with your extracircular activities and your social life (from what you say about it) and get a 2:1/1st then economics must be a pile of piss. I mean if it takes 3 min per post a msg (as you have to read replies, read what you wrote, think of a constructive arguement, go through the forums in look for a thread to reply to) thats 1 hour a day every day for 8 months. Thats incredible. Added to that replying to PM, Id say my estimate of 1 hour a day is conservative. Once you add sleep, lecturers, work, running societies, socialising and stuff like transport/shopping you dont exactly have much time to beast out essays.

Reply 26

President_Ben

Nah, I'm a 'pretty bad' Economist is more like it and I'll freely admit that. I'll be scraping the absolutely bottom edge of a 2.1 this year if that.

3 minutes on average would be high. Very.

Reply 27

Ashman

Not really. 3 minutes seems perfectly reasonable; sometimes you must read posts and not comment on them, and you arent limited to posting on 1 part of the forum so will spend a fair time navigating around the forums. Reading the posts, thinking of a reply, writing it down, hitting refresh to see what someone else has said. Then add the time you spend replying/sending PMs.

All that takes time. Id say for 20 posts a day you need to be online for 1 hour (obviously one could post "lolz" etc and get their post up but you dont seem to do that)

Added to the fact that some days I presume you dont post (ie when you go out to hit a club) or are on holiday (one would hope that on holiday noone posts on forums). So when you are online you probably spend over an hour a day on here

Anyways I dont want to fight some1 online (i have dignity). My point is peoples perceptions of hard and "doss" subjects are false. UCL has a system in place to make sure a 1st from Economics is the same value as a 1st from Anthropology. I know it must fustrate you to see some people apparantly "stupid" getting a 1st in these subjects, but heres the thing, some people who seem to be a bit dense can in fact write amazing essays. My mate is doing his masters in computing (well something along that lines) at Columbia after doing his undergrad at Oxford in maths. People have tried to slag him off for being stupid before hand not knowing this (and its damn funny seeing that happen)

If your subject was so hard Ben you would have to cut back of social life, extracircular activities and posting online (this is prob not the only forum you post under), as it is I get the feeling you probably work as hard as me (which is doing enough to get by without busting a gut over it).

Reply 28

dismal_laundry

It's not particularly easy to get an offer from UCL, I have spent years studying for the exams I'm about to take, It will cost me and my family a great deal of money to attend for four years, why go through all that if you are just going to play? You can play after hours in a regular 9 to 5 without feeling guilty...Some hanging out is great, but why go to college just to play? I don't get it.

Reply 29

President_Ben

You'd be amazed how many short posts I do. And how often I post from within a lecture. Especially a double econometrics one.

Reply 30

Ashman

dismal_laundry

Clearly I didnt go just to play as Im getting a 2:1. If I went to play I wouldnt be as consistant as I have been. Instead I have been sensible. I go to the library to do essays and I attend all of my classes. I dont bust a gut as to be honest I dont care enough to get a first. Its easy to say whilst at school you will get a first at uni, but once you get there you have other concerns. You can spend hours reading in the library and get your first, or you can goto the pub and socialise and join societies. Very few people I know are able to get a 1st, have a very good CV and have a social life. Usually people make a compramise for a 2:1 and a nice life. Trust me if you dont take advantage of "play" at uni you will regret it. Plus learning how to socialise is important at university. Its how you discover yourself and keep yourself sane. Id actually say the most important part of university is learning how to deal with a wide variety of people/experiences, which can only be learny by being social

Whilst your situation is unfortunate I dont feel guilty if you dont get in. Just as my friend who got into Oxford cant feel guilty cause I got rejected. You cant be feeling guilty because you happen to be at a better university than someone else.