This discussion is now closed.
Check out other Related discussions
- Computer Science direct entry to 2nd year
- Change application for 2nd year entry?
- St Andrews move to second year
- Strathclyde University 1st and 2nd sittings
- Is it possible to transfer to Glasgow university's law course?
- bristol vs edinburgh cs
- Graduate Entry Dentistry Tuition Fee Funding
- Transferring to another Uni and starting a new major
- Edinburgh physics 2nd y entry – how to prep?
- 1st or 2nd year entry
- Transfer from Salford uni to MMU
- MMU Maths student wanting a transfer to University of Liverpool
- Have any questions about University?
- Re-applying to University
- University of Edinburgh
- 3 gap years
- Help
- St Andrews Direct Entry 2nd Year Extra Information Request
- Bristol vs Durham vs UCL vs Edinburgh for Engineering
- St Andrews Computer Science Direct Entry 2nd Year Extra Information Request
2nd Year Entry
Anybody else apply for second year entry (this year or before). I'm wondering how many people do and whether people find it difficult. I applied for maths and have done further maths.
Scroll to see replies
Yes, i applied for it, but its not concrete till you actually get to Edinburgh and decide. Im doing physics and atm im thinking ill probably not go into second year, but its a big decision and im not sure which way ill go really 
+ saves you money
+ less time spent as a student and more in a career (tbh im not sure how much of a plus this actually is)
+ avoids repeating stuff youve done before
- maybe harder to meet people
- only able to do ~1/2 of an outside module, instead of 5 or something crazy like that
Im clueless really
any input from other people who are or have been in this situation would be greatly appreciated...
+ saves you money
+ less time spent as a student and more in a career (tbh im not sure how much of a plus this actually is)
+ avoids repeating stuff youve done before
- maybe harder to meet people
- only able to do ~1/2 of an outside module, instead of 5 or something crazy like that
Im clueless really
any input from other people who are or have been in this situation would be greatly appreciated...
First, I applied for 1st year entry, but after getting my final results I realized that I had good enough marks for 2nd year entry. So I asked to be changed to second year. The money - saving aspect is the most important to me as I am an international as well. Since I am not at school at the moment, I will attempt to at least read some chemistry books which are part of the first year course.
I would strongly reccommend you not doing 2nd year direct entry. I did it for Biological Sciences and then found out I was seriously lacking foundation knowledge for the 2nd year, there was absolutely no support at all, you're completely thrown in at the deep end with really damn hard work. It's everso isolating also, the 2nd year undergraduates didn't seem that willing to make new friends with a direct entry student, I just assumed they were jealous/made their friends already. I thought I would be able to cope with it, I got As in each of my A-level Biology modules. After much thought and deliberation/swapping around of modules, I decided to leave Edinburgh and go somewhere else next year; I wasn't prepared to drop down to the 1st year and do a 4-year long course. I know other direct entry students also had a lot of issues with the course.
Hasn't saved me any money at all, actually I would've been financially better at an English university, as they have to give me a bursary because I'm poor (UCL will give me 2,500 a year, where Edinburgh gave me nothing). Less time spent as a student; stay a student as long as possible, work is crap, I can tell you that now! Avoids repeating stuff... well I suppose, but I think you miss out on much more that is taught in the first year at a higher level.
If you DO decide to to take direct entry, go to first year lectures too, for the first 2 weeks; during the first 2 weeks there is absolute flexibility with changing your course, so you could drop down easily via your DoS, without going through the highly disorganised Edinburgh University bureaucracy!
Ogderlon
+ saves you money
+ less time spent as a student and more in a career (tbh im not sure how much of a plus this actually is)
+ avoids repeating stuff youve done before
+ saves you money
+ less time spent as a student and more in a career (tbh im not sure how much of a plus this actually is)
+ avoids repeating stuff youve done before
Hasn't saved me any money at all, actually I would've been financially better at an English university, as they have to give me a bursary because I'm poor (UCL will give me 2,500 a year, where Edinburgh gave me nothing). Less time spent as a student; stay a student as long as possible, work is crap, I can tell you that now! Avoids repeating stuff... well I suppose, but I think you miss out on much more that is taught in the first year at a higher level.
If you DO decide to to take direct entry, go to first year lectures too, for the first 2 weeks; during the first 2 weeks there is absolute flexibility with changing your course, so you could drop down easily via your DoS, without going through the highly disorganised Edinburgh University bureaucracy!
I got offered this but my DoS being somewhat useless couldnt tell me anymore information about it so i decided not to risk it and take first year. Im glad i did for several reasons:
1) I had missed a fieldtrip which my DoS claimed didnt matter even though it was on geological mapping which is somewhat essential to my course!
2) You can take 2nd year modules (well you can in Geosciences) in your first year
3) I got to continue with some chemistry and take maths
4) I managed to break my foot and have been hospitalised 3 times with appendicitis so glad i didnt do 2nd year because i wouldnt need the extra stress
5) The fact that first year is easyish means i have done more extracurricular activities which look good on a CV
I know money is a big factor but hey at an English Uni i would be paying double the fees I pay here. Also I dont think first year is ridiculously easy. I know someone in my maths class who is doing chemistry is finding it quite challenging doing the direct second year entry.
1) I had missed a fieldtrip which my DoS claimed didnt matter even though it was on geological mapping which is somewhat essential to my course!
2) You can take 2nd year modules (well you can in Geosciences) in your first year
3) I got to continue with some chemistry and take maths
4) I managed to break my foot and have been hospitalised 3 times with appendicitis so glad i didnt do 2nd year because i wouldnt need the extra stress
5) The fact that first year is easyish means i have done more extracurricular activities which look good on a CV
I know money is a big factor but hey at an English Uni i would be paying double the fees I pay here. Also I dont think first year is ridiculously easy. I know someone in my maths class who is doing chemistry is finding it quite challenging doing the direct second year entry.
Is the first year of the physics course similar to Advanced Highers in Physics and Maths?
Well i cant speak for physics but I did a first year chemistry course last term. For me it was nothing like what i did at a level chemistry and seemed more advanced than what i did at college but i did a levels not advanced highers. I think i have only met one person who has done direct second year entry so it really isnt that popular. I think if they want it to become popular they need a proper way of implementing it rather than the current hit or miss situation.
Ogderlon
I deferred so ive had a whole year to think about this, but in that time i havnt seen one person whos actually gone into second year advising others to do it. I think i wont really know what to do until i get into edinburgh and talk to my DoS
DoSes really aren't that helpful, most don't care! you only seem them like, once/twice a year!
tetedupet
DoSes really aren't that helpful, most don't care! you only seem them like, once/twice a year!
You do see them for a meeting in freshers week though, so he'd be able to talk through his concerns/worries about 2nd year entry then. I was with my DOS for over half an hour, mainly because we'd both lost our voices and we're having trouble communicating, but he was really helpful. I guess it totally depends what your DOS is like, the same with tutors. Its the luck of the draw.
Do talk to your DOS in freshers week though (everyone has to arrange a meeting to decide and register on courses) and if you do need any help later in term do contact them. They're not all as bad as whats made out, although generally; unless you request to see them; most students do only see their DOS a few times a year. I've not seen mine since freshers week.
tetedupet
I would strongly reccommend you not doing 2nd year direct entry. I did it for Biological Sciences and then found out I was seriously lacking foundation knowledge for the 2nd year, there was absolutely no support at all, you're completely thrown in at the deep end with really damn hard work. It's everso isolating also, the 2nd year undergraduates didn't seem that willing to make new friends with a direct entry student, I just assumed they were jealous/made their friends already. I thought I would be able to cope with it, I got As in each of my A-level Biology modules. After much thought and deliberation/swapping around of modules, I decided to leave Edinburgh and go somewhere else next year; I wasn't prepared to drop down to the 1st year and do a 4-year long course. I know other direct entry students also had a lot of issues with the course.
Hasn't saved me any money at all, actually I would've been financially better at an English university, as they have to give me a bursary because I'm poor (UCL will give me 2,500 a year, where Edinburgh gave me nothing). Less time spent as a student; stay a student as long as possible, work is crap, I can tell you that now! Avoids repeating stuff... well I suppose, but I think you miss out on much more that is taught in the first year at a higher level.
If you DO decide to to take direct entry, go to first year lectures too, for the first 2 weeks; during the first 2 weeks there is absolute flexibility with changing your course, so you could drop down easily via your DoS, without going through the highly disorganised Edinburgh University bureaucracy!
Hasn't saved me any money at all, actually I would've been financially better at an English university, as they have to give me a bursary because I'm poor (UCL will give me 2,500 a year, where Edinburgh gave me nothing). Less time spent as a student; stay a student as long as possible, work is crap, I can tell you that now! Avoids repeating stuff... well I suppose, but I think you miss out on much more that is taught in the first year at a higher level.
If you DO decide to to take direct entry, go to first year lectures too, for the first 2 weeks; during the first 2 weeks there is absolute flexibility with changing your course, so you could drop down easily via your DoS, without going through the highly disorganised Edinburgh University bureaucracy!
You make alot of good points, but from the social aspect, I'd say it's no different than starting in 1st yr. No one seems all that friendly or anxious to make friends in the sci courses. All of the people that I hang out with are from my floor - they're in languages, music, architecture, law. I'm in Sci. but I don't know a soul in any of my lectures and I assume with the large class sizes it will stay that way in 2nd yr. You have to REALLY go out of your way to get to know them. I've just given up. I guess because it's not a college system like Oxbridge, the sci students don't really feel any connection to each other. You're pretty much on your own. I'm told it gets better in 3rd/4th yr when the classes are smaller, and there's more interaction.
arod
You make alot of good points, but from the social aspect, I'd say it's no different than starting in 1st yr. No one seems all that friendly or anxious to make friends in the sci courses. All of the people that I hang out with are from my floor - they're in languages, music, architecture, law. I'm in Sci. but I don't know a soul in any of my lectures and I assume with the large class sizes it will stay that way in 2nd yr. You have to REALLY go out of your way to get to know them. I've just given up. I guess because it's not a college system like Oxbridge, the sci students don't really feel any connection to each other. You're pretty much on your own. I'm told it gets better in 3rd/4th yr when the classes are smaller, and there's more interaction.
That's weird, i've always thought it to be the other way round - In the sci courses you have labs and stuff where you can really get chatting to people, whereas with the other George Sq subjects yeah, you have tutorials but there's not usually much chance for getting to know people. In my experience anyway. Also I find myself walking/bussing back from KB with my course mates which also alows plenty of time for chatting whereas at GS, people just tend to disperse fairly soon after the lecture and go home. I wouldn't say that I'm fatastic friends with anyone from my courses, but good enough to arrange to meet up if we had probs with work and stuff. In fact thinking about it now, I've met all my course mates initally at KB doing sci subjects - and the only truly arts one I've done was archeaology, where I didn't meet a soul!
But anyhow... 2nd year entry... If you're planning to get involved with any societies heavily ad run for committees it id much easier to do so if you're on the 4 year programme - 1st year to settle in, 2nd year to have a minor committee role, 3rd year to something more important (if you want - good for your CV!)) like treasurer, Secretary or President, then 4th year to withdraw and concentrate on your studies. I know someone that did 2nd year entry to Biology and ended up being president of the Wind Band (140+ members) in his final year and I don't think it did his degree many favours!
On 2nd thought... maybe I was being abit harsh..
In the labs you are in smaller gps and at least find out someone's name, but we don't seem to do anything as a gp. I found that it's the people that I live with who I've really come to know well and love hanging out with rather than the people in my sci course.
Some of my pals from high school are at at Oxbridge and the sci students there are really close. e.g. the chem students organize weekly pub cralls, amazing chem parties, raves, balls, fancy dress, sports competitons against the physicists with lots of really weird themes and they all know now each other really well. I just don't see that happening here. Since there's only about 80 in their class they all have each other's contact info since it's is a the class list, plus they all use TSR alot, so they've got ways to quickly and easily organize stuff as a gp.
In the labs you are in smaller gps and at least find out someone's name, but we don't seem to do anything as a gp. I found that it's the people that I live with who I've really come to know well and love hanging out with rather than the people in my sci course.
Some of my pals from high school are at at Oxbridge and the sci students there are really close. e.g. the chem students organize weekly pub cralls, amazing chem parties, raves, balls, fancy dress, sports competitons against the physicists with lots of really weird themes and they all know now each other really well. I just don't see that happening here. Since there's only about 80 in their class they all have each other's contact info since it's is a the class list, plus they all use TSR alot, so they've got ways to quickly and easily organize stuff as a gp.
arod
e.g. the chem students organize weekly pub cralls, amazing chem parties, raves, balls, fancy dress, sports competitons against the physicists with lots of really weird themes and they all know now each other really well.
e.g. the chem students organize weekly pub cralls, amazing chem parties, raves, balls, fancy dress, sports competitons against the physicists with lots of really weird themes and they all know now each other really well.
I really can't imagine any party with a bunch of oxbridge chemistry students being very lively/amazing. lol.
Ha - I share your sentiment, but having been down a couple of times to crash with my friends and experience it first hand - they sure know how to party! Within the first month everyone seemed to know each other really well.
I'm sure it could be the same here, but there's nothing really organized for all of the 1st yr biochemists, chemists or any other course that I can see.
What about where you're studying?
I'm sure it could be the same here, but there's nothing really organized for all of the 1st yr biochemists, chemists or any other course that I can see.
What about where you're studying?
yeung3939
Is it normally possible to get into second year of Arts courses? I got an offer for second-year entry and I would like to know whether normal AL candidates can get into the second year. Thank you.
Edinburgh does not take A level students straight into the second year for Arts degree.
Related discussions
- Computer Science direct entry to 2nd year
- Change application for 2nd year entry?
- St Andrews move to second year
- Strathclyde University 1st and 2nd sittings
- Is it possible to transfer to Glasgow university's law course?
- bristol vs edinburgh cs
- Graduate Entry Dentistry Tuition Fee Funding
- Transferring to another Uni and starting a new major
- Edinburgh physics 2nd y entry – how to prep?
- 1st or 2nd year entry
- Transfer from Salford uni to MMU
- MMU Maths student wanting a transfer to University of Liverpool
- Have any questions about University?
- Re-applying to University
- University of Edinburgh
- 3 gap years
- Help
- St Andrews Direct Entry 2nd Year Extra Information Request
- Bristol vs Durham vs UCL vs Edinburgh for Engineering
- St Andrews Computer Science Direct Entry 2nd Year Extra Information Request
Latest
Trending
Last reply 2 hours ago
Official University of Edinburgh 2025 Applicant ThreadLast reply 1 month ago
is it possible to get into university of endiburgh with ib predicted 32?Posted 2 months ago
Chances of Acceptance at University of Edinburgh and Imperial for Computer ScienceLast reply 2 months ago
Go to Durham or reapply to Edinburgh? - PLEASE HELP!!
