How much work

i keep on hearing that Imperial is work, work, work. Is it really like this because i think this will probably put me off. On average, how much work do imperial students do each work (including seminars, lectures, work outside lectures, tutorials, labwork, preperation etc...). Do imperial students have any free time

Reply 1

Creative

10

I swear you made a thread like this before.. :biggrin:

. I know you've got offers from both Oxford and Imperial... they'll make you work your ass off at Oxford, and they'll do exactly the same at Imperial. Difference is I think Oxford terms are shorter, so they cram in a lot more into the same time. And that doesn't mean you won't have any free time..! If you hate doing lots of academic work, go elsewhere. :biggrin:

Reply 2

EDCE88

7

Hi,

I got a friend who has been accepted into Imperial for Physics, he has a timetable consisting of 25 hours and is expected to do a further 25 hours during his free time.

Reply 3

HCD

16

No work is compulsory. If you're happy with a 2:2 or third, you can doss around...

Reply 4

shimmy_shimmy

EDCE88

Hi,

I got a friend who has been accepted into Imperial for Physics, he has a timetable consisting of 25 hours and is expected to do a further 25 hours during his free time.

they always say you're supposed to do the same amount of work outside of lectures etc. but i doubt anyone does that all the time. well, thinking about it, some people probably do but they'll be the type that stay in their room all the time and are certainly not in the majority. plus, it's more like 18-20 timetabled hours a week - where did you get 25 from?

in answer to the original question, i guess it depends largely on your subject. my roommate does maths and has tests and coursework all the time, but in physics we have much less assessed work.

Reply 5

EDCE88

7

shimmy_shimmy

they always say you're supposed to do the same amount of work outside of lectures etc. but i doubt anyone does that all the time. well, thinking about it, some people probably do but they'll be the type that stay in their room all the time and are certainly not in the majority. plus, it's more like 18-20 timetabled hours a week - where did you get 25 from?

in answer to the original question, i guess it depends largely on your subject. my roommate does maths and has tests and coursework all the time, but in physics we have much less assessed work.

Well he is doing theoretical physics, and at his interview, the interviewer at Imperial said 25 hours of lectures.

Reply 6

studyboy

13

I hope there is less for math, after all we don't have lab sessions do we?

Reply 7

xaxa

1

Maths has some computer lab sessions, but I don't think it's more than a couple of hours a week (not sure though -- I don't do maths!).

Reply 8

schrodinger's cat

13

EDCE88

Well he is doing theoretical physics, and at his interview, the interviewer at Imperial said 25 hours of lectures.

So? I don't see how that is that bad. I have 40hours of school a week and i probably do something up to 10hours of extra work a week; and that includes subjects i don't enjoy.

To the OP: If you don't want to do much work don't go to a top uni. I would imagine it being about the same or worse at Oxford, but i imagine practically none of it is 'optional' there. It's one thing not turning up to an odd lecture and not reading around the lectures so that understand it completely at Imperial, I should imagine it is quite different turning up to a 1 on 1 / 2 on 1 session at Oxford not prepared.

Reply 9

firegalley246

2

studyboy

I hope there is less for math, after all we don't have lab sessions do we?

For Maths in the first year you have 12 hours of lectures per week (3 lectures for each of the 4 courses), one hour of computing, and 4 hours of problems classes where you can go along and get help for exercise sheets you get given.

Overall that's 17 timetabled hours but they expect you to put in about another 17 hours work outside these times (I think they said something like 'you're supposed to aim for a typical 35-40 hour working week to get a first').

Reply 10

studyboy

13

firegalley246

For Maths in the first year you have 12 hours of lectures per week (3 lectures for each of the 4 courses), one hour of computing, and 4 hours of problems classes where you can go along and get help for exercise sheets you get given.

Overall that's 17 timetabled hours but they expect you to put in about another 17 hours work outside these times (I think they said something like 'you're supposed to aim for a typical 35-40 hour working week to get a first').

Woah! But its allright. This is expected from one of the top 5 universities in the world!! :biggrin:

Reply 11

firegalley246

2

Yeah, seriously there aren't that many people who actually put in what the department recommends, but still find things alright.

Most of us here also don't think (judging from our year of the maths dept.) we're at one of the top 5 unis in the world!

Reply 12

studyboy

13

firegalley246

Yeah, seriously there aren't that many people who actually put in what the department recommends, but still find things alright.

Most of us here also don't think (judging from our year of the maths dept.) we're at one of the top 5 unis in the world!

LOL! I hope I get to experience 'that' feeling!! :biggrin:

Reply 13

xaxa

1

I think if you put that much work in you won't have to put a huge effort in for the exams. Of course, most people don't work as much as they should do in term time, and have to put extra work in before exam time.

I appreciate this is a top uni. Meeting students from other universities can be a reminder:
"Imperial? Woah! You must be really clever!"

"um... yeah... I suppose so... um..." -> appear shy, stare at feet, not good, appreciation of often unappreciated quality, what do I say, argh!
"of course" -> arrogant
I haven't really got a good response yet. I can't deny it, but being clever doesn't make me better than someone. I tend to feel slightly embarrassed by these conversations.

Reply 14

beta3

Is it possible to take additional lectures (i'm not talking about the humanities or language options; rather technical lectures like mathematics or physics that is not covered in your syllabus or is supposed to be taken later) when you have enough time?
to be more concrete: let's assume you have one day not many lectures, is it then possible to fill the space with such additional lectures? (assuming you want to do them, have enough time and don't have to finish projects)

Reply 15

HCD

16

If a mathematician walked into a Physics lecture, nobody would stop them. They don't ID you at the door or anything!

Reply 16

firegalley246

2

HCD

If a mathematician walked into a Physics lecture, nobody would stop them. They don't ID you at the door or anything!

Same if a Physicist decided to stroll right in to any Maths lectures! Although they have recently starting taking a register at some of our lectures. People just sign their friends' names whether they attend or not...

Reply 17

not1

15

HCD

No work is compulsory. If you're happy with a 2:2 or third, you can doss around...

I did as little work as possible to get a first... the thing is I did very little in the first 2 terms, a lot in the final term before exams. Same every year...

Reply 18

ashy

17

beta3

Is it possible to take additional lectures (i'm not talking about the humanities or language options; rather technical lectures like mathematics or physics that is not covered in your syllabus or is supposed to be taken later) when you have enough time?
to be more concrete: let's assume you have one day not many lectures, is it then possible to fill the space with such additional lectures? (assuming you want to do them, have enough time and don't have to finish projects)

I've been to several Computing lectures with some friends. I've regretted it every single time.

Reply 19

PierreSonne

I thought there wasnt room enough and excellent applicants were rejected due to the lack of room !
And it's possible to attend other lectures !!!

How much work

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