How did you find the jump from A-levels to degree?

Well in my case, I do a computer science-esque course, which is very numeric and technical.

At A Level, Computing (and other subjects) just involved being given information, that was it, you were given an explanation of things and groomed for the exams at the end of the year.

At degree level they teach you the material, but that's only the foundations, it's up to you then to learn things and expand on your knowledge.

Reply 21

Truman

3

Its harder but its a different style of learning so if that style suits you then it might be easier. The knowledge required is less prescriptive....as long as you understand an issue you can write anything about it and choose what to go and read about it, so basically choose what interests you. Thats quite an exciting prospect. However the lack of guidance and teaching can make it difficult to know whats expected of you and whether your on the right track. Also if your lazy and cant motivate yourself your screwed! I guess this might not help but theres not one answer to your question.

Reply 22

Ewan

15

I can't wait. One of the things that made A-Level so darn tedious was the 'learn & regurgitate' philosophy.

Reply 23

--

3

Catsmeat

I'm not going to attempt to 'put you off' (by no means), but the jump is challenging and immediate. It depends, as another poster has indicated, on how much effort you put in to the work, how much previous experience you have in the discipline and how quickly you can assimilate new information. I'm certain that it varies from course to course, yet that challenge is what makes it such an electric experience.

I was dropped pretty much straight into the deep end, turned up after a gap year, and before that having been used to knocking out easy A Level essays in an hour or so, to be confronted with an essay (two days after arriving) that required about 30-40 hours of work and needed a radically different approach, with a six day deadline. Scary stuff.

Reply 24

Catsmeat

13

CamRob

I was dropped pretty much straight into the deep end, turned up after a gap year, and before that having been used to knocking out easy A Level essays in an hour or so, to be confronted with an essay (two days after arriving) that required about 30-40 hours of work and needed a radically different approach, with a six day deadline. Scary stuff.

Quite so. I also took a gap year between A-Level and University, where my essay style (including its formula) had dissolved somewhat.

Reply 25

FadeToBlackout

15

Catsmeat

Quite so. I also took a gap year between A-Level and University, where my essay style (including its formula) had dissolved somewhat.

I didn't; the first and most of the second years' essays were great steaming turds of uselessness. It takes a lot of time to learn; and I still couldn't sum up easily in words WHAT the difference is.

How did you find the jump from A-levels to degree?

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