The Student Room Group

Holiday work at cambridge

One of the advantages at cambridge is the long holidays.

There is a policy at my school that forbids teachers from setting compulsory holiday work. This is great and means holidays are never stressful (revision is usually put off until the early weeks of the summer term).

Is it the same at Cambridge? Are students ever set assignments to do over their holiday periods? Is this common, or are holidays usually work-free?

Thx.

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Reply 1
amexblack
One of the advantages at cambridge is the long holidays.

There is a policy at my school that forbids teachers from setting compulsory holiday work. This is great and means holidays are never stressful (revision is usually put off until the early weeks of the summer term).

Is it the same at Cambridge? Are students ever set assignments to do over their holiday periods? Is this common, or are holidays usually work-free?

Thx.


When she was at Cambridge my sister averaged about 8 hours a day, 5 days a week in the holidays.
Reply 2
You're never bored in the holidays, I'm afraid...
Reply 3
aww bugger.

okay, something i'm gonna have to learn to live with :frown:
Reply 4
I just heard this...but is it true that Cambridge don't let you get a job during term-time cos of the high workload....

I probably wouldn't get a job anyway.....but it'd be nice to know what my options are...assuming i get the grades...

G
Reply 5
gzftan
I just heard this...but is it true that Cambridge don't let you get a job during term-time cos of the high workload....

I probably wouldn't get a job anyway.....but it'd be nice to know what my options are...assuming i get the grades...

G

Yes, I forget if it was oxford or cambridge or both, but they used to keep some archaic rule that meant that if you took a job and wanted to continue attending there they could ask for your salary. Which seems rather cheeky!

They tend to not like setting work over the long vac, but the other two are regarded as vacations and not holidays, and therefore you should be revising and relearning notes even if they don't set you anything. One of my supervisors was under the impression that the difference between a first and a third was mostly to do with working during vacs. Maybe I should have listened...

Alaric.
Reply 6
Alaric
One of my supervisors was under the impression that the difference between a first and a third was mostly to do with working during vacs.
Alaric.



:eek: Oh no! :frown:
Reply 7
MadNatSci
:eek: Oh no! :frown:

Another of them said that it was all down to personal organisation. But then I've seen him leaving the lab at 11pm, so I suspect he works a lot harder than I could or are willing to!

However, one of my friends is the perfect living counter-example to the comprehensiveness of either opinion, getting a first with rather dubious amounts of work. Yeah I'm jealous of that :smile:.

Any way around it I'm screwed unless I actually do some work!

Alaric.
Reply 8
Alaric
Another of them said that it was all down to personal organisation. But then I've seen him leaving the lab at 11pm, so I suspect he works a lot harder than I could or are willing to!

However, one of my friends is the perfect living counter-example to the comprehensiveness of either opinion, getting a first with rather dubious amounts of work. Yeah I'm jealous of that :smile:.

Any way around it I'm screwed unless I actually do some work!

Alaric.



Hmmm... Me too I think. Do you reckon the first year is going to have that much of an impact? Guess I'd better get cracking now...
Reply 9
MadNatSci
Hmmm... Me too I think. Do you reckon the first year is going to have that much of an impact? Guess I'd better get cracking now...

I think for natsci it largely depends if you're intending on doing a part III.
I should have done better, and of course if you fail they normally throw you out, which wouldn't be good. At all.

Alaric.
Reply 10
Although I know that Cambridge terms are shorter than other Universities... just how short are they - I've heard that the summer break is huge?

I have no idea what to expect!... Help!
Reply 11
Philo
Although I know that Cambridge terms are shorter than other Universities... just how short are they - I've heard that the summer break is huge?

I have no idea what to expect!... Help!


3 terms....8 weeks long each

More of the year is holiday than term time!!! Though a lot of time is spent on work!!!!

G
Reply 12
gzftan
3 terms....8 weeks long each

More of the year is holiday than term time!!! Though a lot of time is spent on work!!!!

G


When's that then?? October - December, Feb - March and May-June?
Reply 13
Philo
Although I know that Cambridge terms are shorter than other Universities... just how short are they - I've heard that the summer break is huge?

I have no idea what to expect!... Help!


Three 8 week terms, though the last term only usually has 4 weeks of lectures in then it's exams!
Summer break is usually from mid June till a week into October.
Most people go up/come down one or two days past the main term. Confusingly the terms start on tuesdays and end on fridays.

In general each terms is supposed to be 2 weeks shorter than other universities, though other universities vary the lengths and sometimes have very long first terms and very short last ones.

Alaric.
Reply 14
Alaric
Three 8 week terms, though the last term only usually has 4 weeks of lectures in then it's exams!
Summer break is usually from mid June till a week into October.
Most people go up/come down one or two days past the main term. Confusingly the terms start on tuesdays and end on fridays.

In general each terms is supposed to be 2 weeks shorter than other universities, though other universities vary the lengths and sometimes have very long first terms and very short last ones.

Alaric.


Thank you, Alaric!
Reply 15
Philo
When's that then?? October - December, Feb - March and May-June?

damn I type to slow

more like Oct+Nov+1 week in dec, 3 weeks in Jan, Feb, a week in march. Then a week in April, May and 3 weeks in June.

Alaric.
Reply 16
Alaric
damn I type to slow

more like Oct+Nov+1 week in dec, 3 weeks in Jan, Feb, a week in march. Then a week in April, May and 3 weeks in June.

Alaric.


Once again, thank you! That had been nagging at me!
Reply 17
Philo
Once again, thank you! That had been nagging at me!


So what did you apply for....what offer....and which college???

The usual info on cambridge students...

G
Reply 18
Theology, Robinson, AAA (for entry in 2005)
Reply 19
Philo
Once again, thank you! That had been nagging at me!

No problem, may I ask why it's been nagging you? Did you expect it to be short or long?

Alaric.