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The 2013 Tripos Exam Chat Thread! (Cambridge students only!!!)

Use this thread for all your moans, rants and chats about Tripos exams, coursework deadlines and revision!

This thread is ONLY for students of the University of Cambridge.

Please remember to be sensitive to other posters in the thread. Avoid behaviour such as listing how many hours of revision you have achieved, as this can cause other students more stress.

Please use The Cambridge Chat Thread for conversation of a light, non-stressy nature and remember to restrict discussion about work pressure to this thread so that users of the Cambridge Chat Thread can preserve it as a retreat.

Best of luck to all!

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 1

wibletg

3

argh - argh - argh

any engineers past or present willing to talk about how they prepared for exams?

i feel like i'm getting the method right then screwing up the final answers in tripos questions

as daft as that sounds

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 2

Craghyrax

OP

17

ukebert

x

Original post by wibletg

argh - argh - argh

any engineers past or present willing to talk about how they prepared for exams?

i feel like i'm getting the method right then screwing up the final answers in tripos questions

as daft as that sounds

Perhaps ukebert knows.

Reply 3

Onee-chan

1

*Subscribes*

Would like some advice on method etc. too, but for medics? :biggrin:

Reply 4

Craghyrax

OP

17

I'd be happy to share exam tips, but I think it would only be relevant to Arts students....

Reply 5

Tortious

16

Original post by Craghyrax

I'd be happy to share exam tips, but I think it would only be relevant to Arts students....

I'm sure they'd be gratefully received!

*Grabs notepad*

=====

Last night a few of my lawyer friends played the "how happy do you feel (/10) about this subject?" game on Facebook. Not sure whether to be reassured that we all feel the same, or disheartened by the fact that I/we will never achieve a perfect 10...

Reply 6

withoutwax1111

7

Original post by Onee-chan

*Subscribes*

Would like some advice on method etc. too, but for medics? :biggrin:

same, I really need to start properly revising :smile:

Reply 7

Onee-chan

1

Original post by withoutwax1111

same, I really need to start properly revising :smile:

Why isn't this like A-level...

There is just too much to learn! :O

Reply 8

Tortious

16

Original post by Onee-chan

Why isn't this like A-level...

There is just too much to learn! :O

Are you a fresher? :console:

I'm not a medic (I'm a lawyer) so some of this advice might be irrelevant/come across as patronising, but in my case, I have to accept that there's no way you can prepare for every topic in complete depth. Depending on the paper, you'll need to take one of two approaches:

•

Take a "broad brush" approach and know all aspects of that paper in overview. If relevant, think about what academics say and look for patterns in it (e.g. in my case, I know that Brazier is very pro-autonomy/patient choice in the context of organ donation, so I can "deduce" in the exam hall that she'd be against an opt-out system - knowing her "values" means I don't have to memorise her stance on every issue)

•

Take a more "specialised" approach by identifying topics which come up together on the paper and learning (number of questions you answer + (1 or 2)) of these topics. Unfortunately this probably isn't possible as a medic, but if this approach is appropriate and it's the one you decide to take, you'll need to know the topics you do study in much more detail. I'd advocate learning one more than the number of questions in detail, then an additional topic in outline so you could answer an essay on it if pushed

Anyway, the main thing is to work smart, not hard. Focus on what you're "likely" to need to know, and really prune your notes down. Best of luck; I know how daunting (your first set of) Cambridge exams can be! :hugs:

Reply 9

Onee-chan

1

Original post by Tortious

Are you a fresher? :console:

I'm not a medic (I'm a lawyer) so some of this advice might be irrelevant/come across as patronising, but in my case, I have to accept that there's no way you can prepare for every topic in complete depth. Depending on the paper, you'll need to take one of two approaches:

•

Take a "broad brush" approach and know all aspects of that paper in overview. If relevant, think about what academics say and look for patterns in it (e.g. in my case, I know that Brazier is very pro-autonomy/patient choice in the context of organ donation, so I can "deduce" in the exam hall that she'd be against an opt-out system - knowing her "values" means I don't have to memorise her stance on every issue)

•

Take a more "specialised" approach by identifying topics which come up together on the paper and learning (number of questions you answer + (1 or 2)) of these topics. Unfortunately this probably isn't possible as a medic, but if this approach is appropriate and it's the one you decide to take, you'll need to know the topics you do study in much more detail. I'd advocate learning one more than the number of questions in detail, then an additional topic in outline so you could answer an essay on it if pushed

Anyway, the main thing is to work smart, not hard. Focus on what you're "likely" to need to know, and really prune your notes down. Best of luck; I know how daunting (your first set of) Cambridge exams can be! :hugs:

Thank you so much! :hugs:

These advice are surprisingly relevant to medics as we get essays too! :biggrin:

Yeah, I'll focus on a few topics in detail, but at the moment I'm attempting to cover everything for the multiple choice. :'O

As these (and practicals) are all we need to pass, I guess I'm feeling more pressure set on by myself :P.

I am a fresher :colondollar:

It's really nice to hear from people in the years above though - makes it feel like Cambridge is somewhat survivable :biggrin:

.

Good luck for your exams too! What year are you in?

Reply 10

ratio

2

STRESS.

Original post by Craghyrax

I'd be happy to share exam tips, but I think it would only be relevant to Arts students....

Also taking notes!

Original post by Onee-chan

Thank you so much! :hugs:

These advice are surprisingly relevant to medics as we get essays too! :biggrin:

Yeah, I'll focus on a few topics in detail, but at the moment I'm attempting to cover everything for the multiple choice. :'O

As these (and practicals) are all we need to pass, I guess I'm feeling more pressure set on by myself :P.

I am a fresher :colondollar:

It's really nice to hear from people in the years above though - makes it feel like Cambridge is somewhat survivable :biggrin:

.

Good luck for your exams too! What year are you in?

If you want, I can ask a friend anything you want tomorrow. I heard her advising a guy in my year today - it was so thorough that I began convincing her to go back in time, take my course ahead of me and advise me too. (Luckily the TSR lawyers fill this role in a realistic way.)

From what I recall: your third term is important. They examine it heavily especially the [pancreas? or insert whatever organ you do in the third term]. Test yourself with the multiple choice stuff each night after you've read the relevant material.

That's not terribly useful but if you PM me with any specific questions I can pass them on.

Reply 11

Onee-chan

1

Original post by ratio

STRESS.

Also taking notes!

If you want, I can ask a friend anything you want tomorrow. I heard her advising a guy in my year today - it was so thorough that I began convincing her to go back in time, take my course ahead of me and advise me too. (Luckily the TSR lawyers fill this role in a realistic way.)

From what I recall: your third term is important. They examine it heavily especially the [pancreas? or insert whatever organ you do in the third term]. Test yourself with the multiple choice stuff each night after you've read the relevant material.

That's not terribly useful but if you PM me with any specific questions I can pass them on.

Ah awesome thanks! :biggrin:

Really? *Panics!* I thought third term was the one that you didn't really need to know much about, as they rarely ask you essay questions on it anyway? :O

I would be so grateful if you could ask her how she revised essays? As I'm pretty rubbish at it :P. Though I could do with any general adivce! :biggrin:

Oh, now you need to convince her to get a TSR account and help us fresher medics out haha! :P

Reply 12

ratio

2

Original post by Onee-chan

Ah awesome thanks! :biggrin:

Really? *Panics!* I thought third term was the one that you didn't really need to know much about, as they rarely ask you essay questions on it anyway? :O

I would be so grateful if you could ask her how she revised essays? As I'm pretty rubbish at it :P. Though I could do with any general adivce! :biggrin:

Oh, now you need to convince her to get a TSR account and help us fresher medics out haha! :P

Don't panic!

For all I know this may have been advice about the multiple choice paper and not an essay based paper. I'll ask and give accurate feedback tomorrow.

Reply 13

Smaug123

15

*Subscribes* Ditto but for 1A maths? (I'll be trawling through the past papers fairly soon, see what's come up recently.)

Reply 14

Tortious

16

Original post by Onee-chan

Thank you so much! :hugs:

These advice are surprisingly relevant to medics as we get essays too! :biggrin:

Yeah, I'll focus on a few topics in detail, but at the moment I'm attempting to cover everything for the multiple choice. :'O

As these (and practicals) are all we need to pass, I guess I'm feeling more pressure set on by myself :P.

I am a fresher :colondollar:

It's really nice to hear from people in the years above though - makes it feel like Cambridge is somewhat survivable :biggrin:

.

Good luck for your exams too! What year are you in?

I'm a third year so I graduate this summer - I've got a job offer already, but it's conditional on a 2.1. I needed (and got) 2.1s in first and second year to get the work experience/interviews necessary to secure it in the first place, so another 2.1 should be doable, but the fact that this result will be the one I have "for life" it's making me a little " :woo:

"*!

*There are no words for it...

Yeah, I was feeling like there weren't enough ways for me to procrastinate yet; this thread is ideal.

Reply 17

Onee-chan

1

Original post by ratio

Don't panic!

For all I know this may have been advice about the multiple choice paper and not an essay based paper. I'll ask and give accurate feedback tomorrow.

Haha thanks! Don't worry if it's too much hussle though :P.

I like your adjective "accurate feedback" hehe (had mental image of the army for some reason :P - "Reporting back, Sir.")

Original post by Tortious

I'm a third year so I graduate this summer - I've got a job offer already, but it's conditional on a 2.1. I needed (and got) 2.1s in first and second year to get the work experience/interviews necessary to secure it in the first place, so another 2.1 should be doable, but the fact that this result will be the one I have "for life" it's making me a little " :woo:

"*!

*There are no words for it...

Well done for getting the job! :biggrin:

The prospect of having a job already when you're still at uni sounds so awesome. Is it with a law firm?

I can totally imagine the "this degree is for life" feeling though! But I'm sure you'll be fine (or more than fine ;P).

OP

Original post by Tortious

I'm sure they'd be gratefully received!

*Grabs notepad*

Nothing new or interesting, I'm afraid. I'm sure you've already seen my post on revision in answer to T-odore a week or so back: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2141072&page=37&p=41986851#post41986851

Spoiler

And I'd add that cross linking material from different parts of a course or paper goes down well, so long as the link is not facile/irrelevant, and as long as you don't waste much time doing so.

The 2013 Tripos Exam Chat Thread! (Cambridge students only!!!)

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