Oxford Chemistry Students and Applicants

I understand what you mean, but I think that certain Colleges place a lot more emphasis on certain pre-requistes than other Colleges. For example, certain Colleges (e.g. Trinity) have a lot more emphasis on Mathematics as a lot of the tutorials will work around that.

Reply 62

I see. That's 2.5 applicants to a place. That's got to be one of the highest in the University, no?

Reply 63

Not at all! I won't chose a College just because of the low statistics. If I like the College, then I'll go for it. I'm more interested in the College and the tutorials rather than how many get in.

Merton also has a very high application rate - 18 applicants for 6 places. I've been reading a lot into Biochemistry also. Any idea what application rates are like at Christ Church, Exeter, Jesus and St. Peter's for Biochemistry?

I guess it's really down to Chemistry or Biochemistry now. Japanese is just not what I'd really like to do. I want to stay in science.

In terms of my A-Level choices, I think Biochemistry suits me a lot more. The lack of A-level Physics really seems to be a big deal as not many Colleges really take in candidates without it. The interview questions also seem to involve quite a lot of Physics.

Biochemistry seems to offer a lot more practicals too. I really like the idea of that. I don't mind spending a lot of time in the Labs! Chemistry seems like a very
theoretical course.

Reply 64

gruffyddd - no, I'm not Richard, but, yeah, I obviously know him! As far as quantum supp goes - as a general rule, it's something that every Balliol chemist does - occasionally, one person will decide that they'd rather not (me in my year!), and we tend to have to justify our choice if we'd rather not do it. We're pretty physchem obcessed - 6/8 of those just starting part II are going to the PTCL, with one each to organic and inorganic. In the year that's just left, I'm pretty sure that all eight did a physical or theoretical part II.
Who is the physical tutor at Hugh's? I know that you get Claire Vallance next year, but who's taught you so far? I'm quite envious that you get Malcolm for organic - such a legend...

Siddhartha - there's nothing wrong with admitting that you don't know something at interview, after all, everybody covers different material in their own order, so not everybody, say, has even seen anything aromatic by the time interviews arrive.

Reply 65

tinypony

cpchem

gruffyddd - no, I'm not Richard, but, yeah, I obviously know him! As far as quantum supp goes - as a general rule, it's something that every Balliol chemist does - occasionally, one person will decide that they'd rather not (me in my year!), and we tend to have to justify our choice if we'd rather not do it. We're pretty physchem obcessed - 6/8 of those just starting part II are going to the PTCL, with one each to organic and inorganic. In the year that's just left, I'm pretty sure that all eight did a physical or theoretical part II.
Who is the physical tutor at Hugh's? I know that you get Claire Vallance next year, but who's taught you so far? I'm quite envious that you get Malcolm for organic - such a legend...

Siddhartha - there's nothing wrong with admitting that you don't know something at interview, after all, everybody covers different material in their own order, so not everybody, say, has even seen anything aromatic by the time interviews arrive.

I'm sorry if that came across as slightly patronising. I meant that people ought not to give up in the interview but instead try their best drawing the mechanism, even if it doesn't result. I had barely studied that mechanism (6 months prior to the interview) so in my first attempt I made the sulphuric acid attacking nitric acid go back to sulphuric acid and nitric acid (instead of yielding the electrophile which then reacts with benzene) this at the amusement of the tutor. But I tried again and got it right. Just don't say you cannot without trying.

Reply 66

ixivxivi

I think the only thing they really mind you not having for Chem is Maths A-level or equivalent (reason I couldn't consider it), but I could be wrong. (and I managed to talk about electron orbitals and electromagnetic rays in one of my Biochem interviews...So you're not necessarily safe there either. (although it ought to be said; I got to choose the topic of that one... :redface:

))

.

So you applied for Biochemistry to Corpus Christi? What was the interview like? Do you remember any of the questions? Were the tutors nice? Where are you now?

Sorry about all the questions lol.

Reply 67

Well done! My biggest worry is that I already have a B at A-Level Biology. There's a reason for this as I was very sick during one of the papers and did miserably, even though I got 100% on the options papers. Cut a long story short, I'm now chosing between Chemistry and Biochemistry:

If I do Chemistry, I'll do A-Levels in: Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry.
If I apply for Biochemistry, I'll do A-Levels in: Biology (re-sit), Mathematics AS and Chemistry.

What do you all suggest?

Reply 68

dancingqueen

11

cpchem

gruffyddd - no, I'm not Richard, but, yeah, I obviously know him! As far as quantum supp goes - as a general rule, it's something that every Balliol chemist does - occasionally, one person will decide that they'd rather not (me in my year!), and we tend to have to justify our choice if we'd rather not do it. We're pretty physchem obcessed - 6/8 of those just starting part II are going to the PTCL, with one each to organic and inorganic. In the year that's just left, I'm pretty sure that all eight did a physical or theoretical part II.Who is the physical tutor at Hugh's? I know that you get Claire Vallance next year, but who's taught you so far? I'm quite envious that you get Malcolm for organic - such a legend...

Siddhartha - there's nothing wrong with admitting that you don't know something at interview, after all, everybody covers different material in their own order, so not everybody, say, has even seen anything aromatic by the time interviews arrive.

Not all, I was in a lab group with a Balliol chemist and I did mine in the ICL, I also know another did a biological-type project.

Reply 69

gruffyddd

1

Prof. Jennifer Green is our physchem tutor, but she went on sabbatical for the 2nd & 3rd term, so we had an awful stand-in tutor. Without wanting to name and shame, she was this French postdoc from the CRL who had a physics not chemistry degree, and was constantly confusing us with her weird marking. An example is her "correcting" us by saying that the enthalpy of combustion is +ve, or that an ionisation energy is -ve.

Luckily we won't be having her again, and will either have Prof Green or Clare Vallance next year. Like you said Malcolm is a legend and was a great tutor because he'd never put anyone down even if they asked ridiculous questions. However AFAIK he's only really qualified to teach 1st years, so from now on we might be having Dr Magnus Walter.

Speaking of legends Balliol had its own in John Jones. I'll never forget that chirality lecture where he began by walking onto the stage with his hands in the air to say "These are my hands; they look the same but they are mirror images!" and everyone started applauding.

Reply 70

Well, our physchem tutor is also a physicist - but we're training him in all things chemical. If you do quantum supp next year, you'll see him (Dr. William Barford) in action, he's doing the lectures on perturbation theory, apparently.
Unfortunately, we'll not be seeing any more of JJ as a tutor, he's on sabbatical all year, and retiring at the end of it. Mind you, we still have Prof. O'Hare of the exploding cotton wool to keep us happy!

dancingqueen - you told me! All of the fourth years I could think of where PTCL based, but then again, it's pretty rare to see any fourth years around in college.

Reply 71

tinypony

Is it worth to consider the Oxford-Princeton exchange in Part II? I really want to go.
Also, is it possible to write a master thesis on an entirely theoretical topic? Like if you had an original idea you wanted to pursue is that feasible, even though it does not involve lab work?

Reply 72

The exchange thing puts quite a limit on the research groups you can apply to (the Dilworth or Wong groups in the ICL are the only ones that offer the exchange).
As far as theoretical part IIs, there are always a few. Mind you, it's a long way off yet. You might just find that your preferences change entirely over the first three years (I know a few people that's happened to!)

Reply 73

dancingqueen

11

Siddhartha

Is it worth to consider the Oxford-Princeton exchange in Part II? I really want to go.
Also, is it possible to write a master thesis on an entirely theoretical topic? Like if you had an original idea you wanted to pursue is that feasible, even though it does not involve lab work?

Lab work is so fun though. This year I got to play around with arsenic lots and lots.

Reply 74