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My uni experience...

Im studying medicine at university and I got A*A*AA in my a levels like other medical students. The problem is that my university isn't the same as others. At my university medicine and dentistry are AAA and require very high academic grades and are both very difficult courses. The rest of the courses at my uni are not at the same level. At all. The average entry requirements at my uni are around BBB-BBC with many getting much lower and their degrees are not as difficult as mine at all(this wouldn't be the case at other unis)
Now, unfortunately for me, my flat didn't have any medical or dental students so I cant really relate to people from the academic standpoint. E.G someone in my flat is studying maths with BBB and asks ME to help them with their work.
In exam time I got in a big argument with a few of them about the amount of noise they were making and stress and anger got the best of me and said a few things I regret. I had a HUGE number of exams and they had like 2 exams and finished almost two weeks before me. Its been a problem throughout the year since my course is a lot more demanding than theirs by all accounts.
Its not only me with this problem, almost every medical/dental student at my uni has the same problem and they also have no idea what to do about it.
Any advice?

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After first year live with other medical and dental students?
Reply 2
Grow up.

BTW grades mean absolutely nothing after university; it's all about work experience. The sooner you realise that the better.

Also as you felt the need to post the grades I think you are a :troll:
Reply 3
Original post by Anonymous
Im studying medicine at university and I got A*A*AA in my a levels like other medical students. The problem is that my university isn't the same as others. At my university medicine and dentistry are AAA and require very high academic grades and are both very difficult courses. The rest of the courses at my uni are not at the same level. At all. The average entry requirements at my uni are around BBB-BBC with many getting much lower and their degrees are not as difficult as mine at all(this wouldn't be the case at other unis)
Now, unfortunately for me, my flat didn't have any medical or dental students so I cant really relate to people from the academic standpoint. E.G someone in my flat is studying maths with BBB and asks ME to help them with their work.
In exam time I got in a big argument with a few of them about the amount of noise they were making and stress and anger got the best of me and said a few things I regret. I had a HUGE number of exams and they had like 2 exams and finished almost two weeks before me. Its been a problem throughout the year since my course is a lot more demanding than theirs by all accounts.
Its not only me with this problem, almost every medical/dental student at my uni has the same problem and they also have no idea what to do about it.
Any advice?


Move out and live with other medical students, preferably in the same year as you. That's what all the people I know who studied medicine did.
Reply 4
Original post by Jezebelle
After first year live with other medical and dental students?


Trying to find a house is difficult but its probably what im going to have to do
Reply 5
Original post by RomnCoton
Grow up.

BTW grades mean absolutely nothing after university; it's all about work experience. The sooner you realise that the better.

Also as you felt the need to post the grades I think you are a :troll:


Grades show that you were dedicated to doing well and often indicate some intelligence.
Grades mean what university and course you can get into, which matters for your graduate job.
Besides, as I've said, Im studying medicine so its not really 'apply for a job and work your way up' kind of deal.
Reply 6
Maybe you should have worked harder and got into a uni with higher entry requirements
Reply 7
Original post by iamu
Maybe you should have worked harder and got into a uni with higher entry requirements


Did you read my post? I got A*A*AA at a level. Medical courses are pretty much all AAA and all very similar in competition.
Original post by Anonymous
Grades show that you were dedicated to doing well and often indicate some intelligence.
Grades mean what university and course you can get into, which matters for your graduate job.
Besides, as I've said, Im studying medicine so its not really 'apply for a job and work your way up' kind of deal.


What a load of self-entitled bull****. Congratulations on getting in to study medicine and all that jazz, but thinking you're superior to other people based on academic prowess alone doesn't exactly come across well in terms of how personable you might be when in employment.
Reply 9
Original post by Anonymous
Did you read my post? I got A*A*AA at a level. Medical courses are pretty much all AAA and all very similar in competition.


Did you read mine? I said a uni with higher entry requirements, so that you're not with people who only achieved B's
Determining whether someone is good enough for you based on grades is ridiculous, and intelligence doesn't always beat hard work. Grades obtained doesn't make a person any better or worse than someone else. Besides, you could have had noisy flatmates regardless of whichever uni you went to, it's not like they're like that because of their grades.
Original post by iamu
Did you read mine? I said a uni with higher entry requirements, so that you're not with people who only achieved B's


You said I needed to 'work harder' as if its harder to get into other unis. I got offers from other universities but i preferred the course at mine. I honestly didnt think about this situation since I had a lot of other things on my mind.
I imagine you're just a troll, but just incase you aren't I suggest you get off your high horse.

Most decent people, whether they have CCC or A*A*A* will respect your right to peace and quiet when you study, as long as you explain your situation nicely and you're not condescending towards them (which judging by your posts, you probably are).
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Paralove
Determining whether someone is good enough for you based on grades is ridiculous, and intelligence doesn't always beat hard work. Grades obtained doesn't make a person any better or worse than someone else. Besides, you could have had noisy flatmates regardless of whichever uni you went to, it's not like they're like that because of their grades.


When did I say they're not 'good enough' for me?
And no, the problem wouldnt be as much at other unis since they would have a lot more exams e.g a friend of mine doing maths at another uni has nearly 2x more exams than the one at my uni.
I never questioned their intelligence, but I do often question their motivation to work. I work incredibly hard and Im only middle of he pact in my year so Im not very intelligent by a long shot.
Original post by mellie220
I imagine you're just a troll, but just incase you aren't I suggest you get off your high horse.

Most decent people, whether they have CCC or A*A*A* will respect your right to peace and quiet when you study as long as you explain your situation nicely and you're not condescending towards them (which judging by your posts, you probably are).


I only complained about the noise once even though it happened a lot more. I understood that they just finished their exams and they should enjoy but, it got a little out of hand.
I've had a good relationship with them throughout the year, this was the only conflict we ever had.
Original post by Anonymous
I only complained about the noise once even though it happened a lot more. I understood that they just finished their exams and they should enjoy but, it got a little out of hand.
I've had a good relationship with them throughout the year, this was the only conflict we ever had.

I'm presuming that you're a first year? If so, it's pretty given that your flatmates were going to be loud. Also, the likelihood is, if the people you live with care about their degrees they will knuckle down in second and third year.

My advice is, if you want to have more study space and a quieter experience either live with fellow dental/medical students who understand your workload, or find some conscientious and motivated students to live with next year - they're not hard to find, people who only get B's can care about their degrees as well!
I'm just spitballing here but you sound like a ****. So maybe you're the problem not anybody else! I'm doing ChemEng (not to trying to impress anyone but I'm kind of a big deal!) and have been for years now. You'll eventually realise there's more to a career (and life) than just pure academic grades.
(edited 9 years ago)
I don't see why you are still so hung up on grades. They do not accurately represent anything about you.
Reply 18
Original post by DiddyDec
I don't see why you are still so hung up on grades. They do not accurately represent anything about you.


Could you explain this?

If you get A* in A level maths and get through to the international maths olympiad, and somebody else gets a C in A level maths and no award in the senior maths challenge (first round of selection for IMO), and neither of you continues with maths after school, you can safely say that you're better at maths/know more maths than them, unless they have VERY severe mitigating circumstances, but even then, that performance puts you in the top tiny percentage of students of maths for that age, so you can pretty much say that you're better than them at maths. And yes natural ability does come in here. Even if the other student didn't try, it's highly unlikely that, had they tried, they'd have performed as well as you.

Extrapolating this superiority at maths to overall superiority would be an opinion, of course, and not necessarily one that I share.

Some pretty girls might flock to the man with the most money in the end, so that it might seem that the guy who just gets bare minimum grades and then works his way up might seem superior, since he can build a family life for himself and buy stuff, but again, this is just a value judgement. Some people don't care that much about money and girls.
Original post by nohomo
Could you explain this?

If you get A* in A level maths and get through to the international maths olympiad, and somebody else gets a C in A level maths and no award in the senior maths challenge (first round of selection for IMO), and neither of you continues with maths after school, you can safely say that you're better at maths/know more maths than them, unless they have VERY severe mitigating circumstances, but even then, that performance puts you in the top tiny percentage of students of maths for that age, so you can pretty much say that you're better than them at maths. And yes natural ability does come in here. Even if the other student didn't try, it's highly unlikely that, had they tried, they'd have performed as well as you.

Extrapolating this superiority at maths to overall superiority would be an opinion, of course, and not necessarily one that I share.

Some pretty girls might flock to the man with the most money in the end, so that it might seem that the guy who just gets bare minimum grades and then works his way up might seem superior, since he can build a family life for himself and buy stuff, but again, this is just a value judgement. Some people don't care that much about money and girls.


Grades show a small part of you, such as you are good exams or good at revising. Those who do not do well exams will then get poor grades, but this bears no resemblance of their actual intelligence. And considering that exams and grading systems are put in place to pretty much put a grade on you about how good you are at a subject. Some people can't do very well on written exams, however they can explain something with no trouble at all. Each person should be judged on their own merits and not a grade designated to you.

Tell me what my grades say about me then?

I did a BTEC level 3 extended diploma in Agriculture. I got MMM (triple merit).

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