Is first year really a piece of cake?

So like pretty much everyone else I have been sold the idea that in first year you pretty much do no work for the entire year...is there any truth to this?

(I am probably heading to a good uni for Maths)

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Reply 1

LexiswasmyNexis

Original post by TheGuy117

Some courses, yes. Some courses, no. I can't speak for Maths.

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Reply 2

xStaceyy

If only my course was like that :/
Our first and second year grades dont count towards our degree but its still essays and exams that we need to pass.

Definitely not a piece of cake.

Reply 3

Steevee

You'll certainly have some work, but generally speaking it's not that intensive. People that do things like Physics, Maths, Computing etc have more work than people who do BA's in most cases.

Reply 4

Potally_Tissed

Even if it's easy, it'll soon start to get harder, and if you go in with the attitude of "I only need 40% and it doesn't even count" you'll pay for it in second year when it does matter.

Reply 5

Arianto

OP do you mean Scottish or English uni's? Since it's a 4 year degree in Scotland the first year can generally be handled with less vigour than your average 1st year of a 3 year course.

Reply 6

TheGuy117

Original post by Arianto

OP do you mean Scottish or English uni's? Since it's a 4 year degree in Scotland the first year can generally be handled with less vigour than your average 1st year of a 3 year course.

English

Reply 7

BeccaAnne94

As a first year nursing student;
- I have 5 assessments due in about 3 weeks (I also did 2 which were due in after xmas) - a total of about 12,000 words
- I have 3 exams this summer (1 done already so two more to prepare for).
- I have 16 weeks of placement where I work 37.5 hours a week on a ward doing all kinds of shifts (late shift -> early shift is horrible)
- During placement, I am expected to write essays and provide evidence for my learning, all of which need to meet set 'competencies' by the end of the year.
- Also during placement, I have to be assessed on things such as fluid balance etc. and have interviews with my mentor and a person from uni so they can discuss my progress.
- I have 2 hour long lectures, followed by 4 hours of 'blended learning (homework), then 2 hour long seminar per topic - all of which is usually crammed into the same week.

I've been told the first year is to scare off anyone who isn't likely to stick around for the entire course...

Probably wont be the same case for maths though :wink:

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 8

Arianto

Original post by TheGuy117

English

Just by word of mouth on what it's like in 1st year uni in England I could say what I said before, but I shan't comment further being mis-qualified :dots:

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 9

tooosh

No course is really easy in first year but you don't have to work that hard (hopefully) to get 40%.

Reply 10

ChapelTom

Original post by tooosh

No course is really easy in first year but you don't have to work that hard (hopefully) to get 40%.

My Uni was a piece of p!ss first year. Only about 9000 words worth of work and 2 exams.

2nd year has had about 18000 words worth of work, again nothing too stressful and 2-3 hours in the library 3/4 times a week isn't exactly my idea of a big workload.

Reply 11

tooosh

Original post by ChapelTom

*most courses aren't really easy in first year etc

Reply 12

TheGuy117

I guess it would help if I named the uni, King's. Anybody know if first year will count towards my degree?

Reply 13

sr90

Volunteer Team

First year was an absolute joke. The step up in second year is astronomical.

Reply 14

Mathsz0r

Original post by TheGuy117

I guess it would help if I named the uni, King's. Anybody know if first year will count towards my degree?

Kings isn't a top university for maths. Just saying.

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Reply 15

jalebii

now that I look back...indeed it was

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Reply 16

Slowbro93

Original post by TheGuy117

I guess it would help if I named the uni, King's. Anybody know if first year will count towards my degree?

Just saying as someone who is currently doing maths at King's, there are some courses that were straight forward (like Calculus I, Linear Methods and I'm also tempted to say geometry), but some courses I did was a bitch (abstract algebra and numbers and functions). Don't leave it to the last minute, as I know a lot of people who did and failed exams as a result.

Reply 17

Slumpy

My first year was masses harder than school. I did maths at a decent uni.

Reply 18

TheGuy117

Original post by Mathsz0r

Kings isn't a top university for maths. Just saying.

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I don't recall saying it was? For the record, I'm predicted A*A*A and declined Warwick and Bath...not everyone is obsessed with league table positions like you seem to be...

On another note, is the "pass rate" always set at 40%?