Oxford 2011 Freshers Chat Thread

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To join in with the reading list discussion: I got mine for English the other day and got so excited when I got it. I was revising the Cold War with my friend at the time though, I needed excitement. Now I can look forward to Old English!

Reply 1541

jenny18

Original post by shinobi93

Hiya! Wow, that's brilliantly exciting. Which college are you at? I'm Lincoln to read English and I've heard nothing. Could you possibly tell me what sort of things are on it? I know that all colleges do things slightly differently, but they have to be a little similar don't they? :smile:

Good luck with the cold war by the way as well. Is your exam on friday? I have a 15the century Spain exam then. :confused:

Hope to see you at Oxford!

Reply 1542

Trips

Original post by zigzog7

Anyone got a place at Wadham?

Yep. Got in for Physics.

Reply 1543

lalaberlin

Original post by marocchino

PS Is everyone getting reading lists already? o_o I'm guessing Maths isn't too much of a.. verbal.. subject then..

As for my subject, we've got a reading list online (I'm holding an offer for Computer Science, not much of a verbal subject either :tongue:

) but I feel it's probably better to check with my tutor first before purchasing loads of books which I may or may not need.. but then again, maybe now is a little too soon? :s-smilie:

Reply 1544

Fallen

Original post by lalaberlin

As for my subject, we've got a reading list online (I'm holding an offer for Computer Science, not much of a verbal subject either :tongue:

) but I feel it's probably better to check with my tutor first before purchasing loads of books which I may or may not need.. but then again, maybe now is a little too soon? :s-smilie:

Hey, I am doing CS next year at Oxford as well! (Assuming the get the grades).

I looked at their reading list a few days ago and bought "Discrete Mathematics for Computing". I wanted a different one, but it was £65 used, so I bought this one because it was £3 + P&P used. I figured even if it was a massive waste I could live with the loss of £5.

I received it yesterday, and it is pretty good! It doesn't exactly go into much depth (although I haven't read the vast majority of it, so perhaps that will change), but it gives a good cursory look around some of the major maths topics.

Reply 1545

LtCommanderData

Original post by Fallen

I got 'Discrete Mathematics' by A Chetwynd and P Diggle and 'Programming in Haskell' by Graham Hutton. I can't remember why I chose that Discrete Mathematics book, but I got the Haskell one because it was a lot cheaper (although apparently less in-depth) than the other one.

Reply 1546

Fallen

Original post by LtCommanderData

Have you read any of the Haskell book? I will probably learn it over the summer so I don't have to struggle with the syntax in October.
One of my weaknesses, I am not fantastic and learning a who new type of language. I mean I can do it obviously, but it takes longer to properly sink in than I would hope and expect.

Reply 1547

LtCommanderData

Original post by Fallen

Have you read any of the Haskell book? I will probably learn it over the summer so I don't have to struggle with the syntax in October.

I only just got it really, but I've read the first chapter. It's pretty accessible so far, on the basis of what little I've read so far I it :smile:

One of my weaknesses, I am not fantastic and learning a who new type of language. I mean I can do it obviously, but it takes longer to properly sink in than I would hope and expect.

I think this is one of the skills that doing a computer science degree will give you, so I don't think you should worry too much about it now.

Reply 1548

Fallen

Original post by LtCommanderData

I only just got it really, but I've read the first chapter. It's pretty accessible so far, on the basis of what little I've read so far I it :smile:

I think this is one of the skills that doing a computer science degree will give you, so I don't think you should worry too much about it now.

I am not too concerned, I have managed just fine for the last 5 languages, I just don't particularly want to leave anything to chance.

Thanks for the advice, I will buy it when the time comes. I should probably be revising for my exams at the moment, so buying it now would definitely be a mistake.

Reply 1549

gavinlowe

Original post by lalaberlin

As for my subject, we've got a reading list online (I'm holding an offer for Computer Science, not much of a verbal subject either :tongue:

) but I feel it's probably better to check with my tutor first before purchasing loads of books which I may or may not need.. but then again, maybe now is a little too soon? :s-smilie:

Tutors tend to send out reading lists to arrive when you finish A Levels -- at least that's what I do. I'd certainly recommend concentrating on A Levels for the time being.

In addition to the books at http://www.cs.ox.ac.uk/admissions/ugrad/Background_reading, I'd recommend the bridging notes on Induction and Recursion available from http://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate/single-a-level. A lot of Computer Science is about recursion; and induction is the mathematical tool for reasoning about recursion.

Original post by Fallen

One of the nice things about Haskell is there isn't a huge amount of syntax. However, there are quite a lot of useful functions that are handy to know.

Reply 1550

Waldhexe

Is anyone else terrified that your exams won't go well enough to actually get into Oxford? I'll be worrying all summer until I get my results :frown:

Reply 1551

zigzog7

Original post by Waldhexe

Is anyone else terrified that your exams won't go well enough to actually get into Oxford? I'll be worrying all summer until I get my results :frown:

Yeh a bit, I think I'm fairly safe though cos I only need a B in the physics module and a C in the chemistry :smile:

what results do you need?

Reply 1552

Sempiternitas

Original post by Waldhexe

Is anyone else terrified that your exams won't go well enough to actually get into Oxford? I'll be worrying all summer until I get my results :frown:

I am terrified. I was in my History exam today and told myself, "You'd better write a good conclusion or you're not getting into Oxford." I don't know how I'm going to face results day.

On another pessimistic note (I'm not usually pessimistic :biggrin:

) do people ever get sent down from Oxford? Does it usually happen because of disciplinary issues? (Think Percy Bysshe Shelley!)

Reply 1553

Festina lente

Original post by Sempiternitas

) do people ever get sent down from Oxford? Does it usually happen because of disciplinary issues? (Think Percy Bysshe Shelley!)

Yes, it does happen. For disciplinary issues, as you say, as a last resort (there are lots of other disciplinary measures they can use such as fines and so on) and sometimes also for academic issues - usually for getting bad marks in too many College exams. However, again that wouldn't come out of the blue and would only really be done if the standard of work had failed to improve after warnings and over a reasonable probationary period; I have only known it happen to one person, who really wasn't making much of an effort. Don't panic! It varies from college to college, so check your college's handbook when you get there (and I have confidence that you will!), and ask if you don't understand what's expected of you.

Reply 1554

flywithemma

I had my first proper written A2 exam today (History themes paper eep) and it's suddenly hit me that THESE are the exams which count in whether or not I get in to Oxford. Scary scary scary times.

Reply 1555

soutioirsim

I need 50/100 in FP2 and FP3, 37/120 in phys5 and -9/100 in C4! :biggrin:

(I'm probably going to fail now for saying this... *Skuttles off to revise*)

Reply 1556

Salliana23

Original post by soutioirsim

I need 50/100 in FP2 and FP3, 37/120 in phys5 and -9/100 in C4! :biggrin:

(I'm probably going to fail now for saying this... *Skuttles off to revise*)

Lucky! I need an E in Chem and I need to average a C in M2, C3 and C4, but I have no idea about Phys5 as I don't know about my practical marks :frown:

Reply 1557

thurin

Original post by soutioirsim

I need 50/100 in FP2 and FP3, 37/120 in phys5 and -9/100 in C4! :biggrin:

(I'm probably going to fail now for saying this... *Skuttles off to revise*)

I need -9/72 (-13/100 UMS) in C4 too :tongue:

It's Chemistry I'm worried about :hmmm:

Reply 1558

LtCommanderData

I need 6% in FP2 or FP3 to get A* further maths - at this point I can't get an A, I have 70 something %, and I have the 3 90%s in A2 modules needed for an A*, so either I miss the 6% in FP2/3 and get a B, or I get the 6% and get an A*. So I could end up with a B, but one mark off an A*! Hopefully not though :tongue:

Reply 1559

tommy1311

Not too sure if my History exam today went well or badly. Since I've basically given up on Maths after the D1 fiasco, I NEEDED a good mark today. We'll just have to see.