Strathclyde University: Ask a current student.

I know !! It's like nobody takes this course

Hi really need help before I sign this occupancy agreement! Did any of you use saas to pay your accomodation rent? And if so did it come in time for the payment dates? Stressed out!

Hi, I don't think you can use SAAS because it's for paying your tuition fees. And SAAS doesn't send you the money, they pay automatically the university, so basically you never see the money.

I'm beginning to think so hahaha������ Will you be living in halls or travelling?

All registered now. Can't wait to get started!

Posted from TSR Mobile

All registered now. Can't wait to get started!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Hey am a 4th year Forensic & Analytical Chemistry student and have done a one year placement in France. If you have questions give me a shout!

Hi, I'll be starting F & A Chemistry - I'm really excited!
I wonder if you could help me out: Obviously I'll be taking Chem in first year, along with Maths and Bio but I'm not sure about my fourth subject? What did you take? Also, I'm a bit concerned about Maths - I got a B in Higher and I didn't take Adv Higher this year. Will I cope?
What was your placement like?
Also, any other information you could give me about the course would be really helpful.
Thanks in advance!

Hey welcome to Strathclyde!

In terms of your fourth subject I thought it was compulsory for you to take either physics (if you did higher physics) or foundation physics (if you didn’t). If they are no longer necessary then am not too sure, is there any that interest you? I could give my opinion and say if they will be beneficial.

Like you I got a B in higher but I’ll be honest, I struggled through 1st year maths. There are tutorials and everything and your classmates will help you. The department knows that math’s isn’t something we chemists are best at so there are additional tutorials and get around campus.

On an upside, you will sit 4 class tests. If you pass these with good grades you won’t need to sit the exam. I would suggest studying for this so you don’t need to do the same at the later date. Maybe be best to get a friend to help you.

Placement is fantastic! It is really good the department offers a year’s industrial placement. The placement is very beneficial for you and gives you a wealth of experience. I did mines in France and have loved it; I have had the opportunity to travel as much as I want as well as learning a lot. The department do a streamed event in October I think where you can talk to older students (like me!). You should go by if you have any questions as I’ll be giving a short speech about my time in France.

Other general advice...
DONT BUY THE BOOKS! - they will give you some bloody long ass speech in the first bioscience lecture about how these books are vital for your studies. My ass! I wasted over 100 pound on that!

Other than that, there isn't anything else to really say for first years, just enjoy you! It may be daunting at first but you will make some friends and you will love it in no time! Bars, clubs, Glasgow is on your doorstep! The union is good (if I remember correctly) – don’t buy that gold card.

If you have any other specific questions or anything let me know, am happy to answer them!

From my understanding (though I could be wrong), we choose between either Physics or Biology and then a fourth subject? With regards to that, I'm not too sure - another science-based subject, maybe Pharmacology just out of sheer interest. Anything else you'd recommend?

Great, I reckon I'll be needing the help, haha.

And, yeah, I've had the same burst of outrage from my brother who's just graduated about buying the books. I'll shop around a bit to see if it's really worth it because I'm a big giant nerd who likes to have books - but not if it's going to make me end up starving on the streets as a result!

Are there usually a lot of people on the course? My friend just missed her conditions but she was still offered a place on results day so I was wondering if perhaps there aren't a lot of people doing it?

When I was in first year I had to undertake bioscience and physics. Both were rather dull - high school biology and high school physics. Pharmacology sounds interesting but I really can’t remember what other choices you had on offer, what other ones are there? Sorry am getting old and can’t remember stuff = (

The books are pointless. I have opened my organic book twice. Past second year they become obsolete and instead it’s better to rent them from the library.

To give you an idea, the largest room in royal college is R667 - good old R667... - anyways, you start off with about 300+ chemists I think. This is general chemistry so you have chemical engineers, ACCE and CDD students. This number slowly starts to go down, people drop out or change courses. There are about 80 of us left I think.

Did your friend get offered the honors degree or is she still on the master’s degree?

I see. I honestly don't know what choices there are, actually - I haven't been given any information about what's on offer and I'm not sure where to find it. I suppose I'll be told nearer the time.

She still got on the Master's.

There are lots of choices, If i remember correctly... some did do an intro to forensics or somethings. It is partially bennifical to second years course work. Others liek CDD did drug discovery introduction i think. I would, if you really wanted to do extra classes, maybe do something not on your degree stream. Aka drug discovery introduction. It will give you an insight on what you could do if you decide to change degree stream.

But if you were like me, i didn't and went out socialzing and going to bars and etc. I had just 18 so... =P

Also, the F&A degree stream is the largest out of the three, CDD and pure and applied. But you are all mixed in together.

Great, thanks for all the help! Just one last question on buying things: on my acceptance letter it mentioned something about buying a lab coat or something and I was wondering if that's actually a requirement?