Engineering at Oxford

This post is intended to make you think hard about applying to Oxford for engineering, or any other typically "scientific" course at Oxford. (Im at Oxford studying engineering).

I was full of expectation when I got into the archaic city. The first thing that struck me (being from london) was the fact that there were hardly any ethnic minorities to be seen, and the city reeked of classism, (I have encountered racism too).

The quality of teaching here is very low with most of the lecturers unable to "teach" due to their commitments (phd projects etc). Rather than teach students how to do practical problems, we are bombarded by theory and high flying proofs. Tutorial sheets will have errors, in both the questions and the answers. You will learn all the rules in lectures, however all the problems you do will be the exceptions to them.
Practicals are little to do with understanding and more to do with getting signed off for them (computing in particular). Most of the actual teaching happens in tutorials, (the place where you are supposed to discuss problems). The whole term is a rushed confusion of work, labs and tutorial sheets. If you have a real genuine interest in innovation, design and engineering this course is not for you. It will sap the creativity from your soul and turn you into a robot, mindlessly churning out answers.
I find myself regretting the fact I came here and wish I went to a University filled with human beings, rather than egotistical lecturers and aloof professors. I do hope and believe that not everyone who goes to oxford feels this way and actually enjoys the experience.
Its one of the best places to study an arts subject and the atmosphere of the city suits it.

I've heard its the same there too

Crap.

Don't worry. You'll have the odd rubbish lecturer but on the whole they're great. The supervisors are hugely supportive and on the whole very good at their jobs - as for an interest being stifled, well you should just come to my physiology practicals: we talk about all sorts of fascinating stuff and I'm seriously considering physiology as an alternative to biochem! And the terms are highly intensive but you learn loads too. You will feel like you're drowning in things to learn - everyone does - but it works out OK, honest! The terms are short enough that it doesn't kill you. And I've found the practicals very useful.

depressed, I understand that you're finding it tough at Ox but please don't scare people heading for Cambridge when you haven't been there and experienced it yourself!

What kind of things do you learn about in physiology?

Hehe, they're often really cruel so if you're likely to be offended please stop reading now! (It's become a standing joke in our supervisions actually...) But they're really interesting. Things like if you remove the 'thinking parts' of a duck's brain it can still function OK - it can still walk and things. It can't clean itself and it tries to dive into the floor as if it were in water (that's horrible actually, hated it when he told us that) but on the whole it functions OK - which is pretty amazing if you think about it. It implies that walking, for example, isn't learnt by ducks, the just do it... What else? Starfish can survive even if you cut them up: as long as their central 'disc' (don't know what that is exactly) is intact they can regrow their limbs. (This discovery I can understand: someone was obviously just trying to get rid of a starfish and it didn't work...)

Anyway... it's all fascinating as long as you can tolerate animal experimentation. And bear in mind that these experiments were all done a relatively long while ago!

This post is intended to make you think hard about applying to Oxford for engineering, or any other typically "scientific" course at Oxford. (Im at Oxford studying engineering).

I was full of expectation when I got into the archaic city. The first thing that struck me (being from london) was the fact that there were hardly any ethnic minorities to be seen, and the city reeked of classism, (I have encountered racism too).

I was surprised by the number of ethnic minorities within the university, have u joined any societies? There are a lot of societies for ethnic minorities, individual colleges might not have a huge number but if you're feeling so isolated then try and join a university society.

I really would have to disagree with this idea of racism and classism at Oxford. I go to one of the supposedly "posh/arrogant" colleges and have never in the slightest felt discriminated against because of my colour or background. Maybe you have had some unfortunate experiences but I am sure the vast majority of people would agree with me.



i suppose an oxford education is a very personal experience, all i would say is that all of my friends doing science subjects say they are having a great time. im sorry you dont seem to be enjoying yourself.

I was surprised by the number of ethnic minorities within the university, have u joined any societies? There are a lot of societies for ethnic minorities, individual colleges might not have a huge number but if you're feeling so isolated then try and join a university society.

I really would have to disagree with this idea of racism and classism at Oxford. I go to one of the supposedly "posh/arrogant" colleges and have never in the slightest felt discriminated against because of my colour or background. Maybe you have had some unfortunate experiences but I am sure the vast majority of people would agree with me.



i suppose an oxford education is a very personal experience, all i would say is that all of my friends doing science subjects say they are having a great time. im sorry you dont seem to be enjoying yourself.

Right, Im definitely doing that! I wonder why they chose ducks as opposed to rats, for example, but then I suppose it is different for all species, e.g. rats wont learn to dive into water, etc. Would the central disc of a starfish simply be everything apart from it's legs?

This post is intended to make you think hard about applying to Oxford for engineering, or any other typically "scientific" course at Oxford. (Im at Oxford studying engineering).

I was full of expectation when I got into the archaic city. The first thing that struck me (being from london) was the fact that there were hardly any ethnic minorities to be seen, and the city reeked of classism, (I have encountered racism too).

The quality of teaching here is very low with most of the lecturers unable to "teach" due to their commitments (phd projects etc). Rather than teach students how to do practical problems, we are bombarded by theory and high flying proofs. Tutorial sheets will have errors, in both the questions and the answers. You will learn all the rules in lectures, however all the problems you do will be the exceptions to them.
Practicals are little to do with understanding and more to do with getting signed off for them (computing in particular). Most of the actual teaching happens in tutorials, (the place where you are supposed to discuss problems). The whole term is a rushed confusion of work, labs and tutorial sheets. If you have a real genuine interest in innovation, design and engineering this course is not for you. It will sap the creativity from your soul and turn you into a robot, mindlessly churning out answers.
I find myself regretting the fact I came here and wish I went to a University filled with human beings, rather than egotistical lecturers and aloof professors. I do hope and believe that not everyone who goes to oxford feels this way and actually enjoys the experience.
Its one of the best places to study an arts subject and the atmosphere of the city suits it.