Collections

I just don't understand why so many people get stressed out about collections as if they're proper exams, they don't count for anything whatsoever.

Reply 2

Drogue

19

Jools

I just don't understand why so many people get stressed out about collections as if they're proper exams, they don't count for anything whatsoever.

They do when you need 65 to pass and have been told that there are punishments if you don't get it. Last year in prelims a 67 was a first, so it's not the easiest of targets (though certainly doable). They are right, otherwise I probably wouldn't have worked this holiday.

Reply 3

Drogue

They do when you need 65 to pass and have been told that there are punishments if you don't get it. Last year in prelims a 67 was a first, so it's not the easiest of targets (though certainly doable). They are right, otherwise I probably wouldn't have worked this holiday.

Blimey. Guess, as ever, it depends on the subject/college. I got 3rds in 1st year collections, didn't turn up for the last one... provided they know you'll work hard for the real thing it's OK. College inequality strikes again...

Reply 4

d750

8

Jools

College inequality strikes again...

You can say that again. And if you think you've got off lightly, I never had a collection at all.

Reply 5

d750

You can say that again.

College inequality strikes again...

PS Subject/college with no collections? I know ppl doing Modern Languages often don't have them.

Reply 6

d750

8

Jools

College inequality strikes again...

PS Subject/college with no collections? I know ppl doing Modern Languages often don't have them.

There are probably quite a few combinations by which you can avoid collections altogether. I was at LMH, and a fair number in the humanities didn't have exams, though all scientists seemed to. It doesn't really matter whether you have them or not, though. Since they don't count for anything, you can just ignore them.

Reply 7

granddad_bob

collections... bloody hell, almost forgot about those!!! i wouldn't worry; if you get a first they'll get a 'well done' from your tutor, if you fail you'll probable just get a slap on the wrists; they're really not worth worrying about.

Reply 8

Hoofbeat

d750

There are probably quite a few combinations by which you can avoid collections altogether. I was at LMH, and a fair number in the humanities didn't have exams, though all scientists seemed to. It doesn't really matter whether you have them or not, though. Since they don't count for anything, you can just ignore them.

I understand that at Lincoln not all Scientists get them every term.

Don't worry Intercity I'm worried too!!! Although I've heard one of my tutors isn't too bothered if we fail/don't do very well I'd like to at least pass so that I know I'm managing the work (last term I felt like I was struggling, so want to know now that I've reviewed the work I do understand it more and I will pass this year!!) and that I have a hope of passing prelims. So for me, it's more proving something to myself rather than my tutors!

Reply 9

Kalypso

1

InterCity125

Am i the only one worried about these. I haven't done anywhere near as much work as i should have done and am not going to do well. I can't seem to work at home and am thinking of spending at least half the holiday in Ox next term to do more work. I'm going back as early as possible (9th) ro do non-stop revision for about a week, but it's not going to be enough.
It's going to be a shame - the tutors were quite impressed with my work last term, now they are really going to think differently.
Elles: thanks for all the collection related advice you've given so far!!!

the rational, calm approach:
Really don't worry - part of the worry probably just comes from fear of the unknown, since they're your first collections. don't be worried about the results, either. collections really are for your own benefit (hmm i really think this is true although sometimes fear ovverides this rationality and i fail even to convince myself of this and calm myself, let alone others) - they allow you to practise exam style writing, which can be v different to tutorial work, and also to find out where your weaknesses are. most tutors are fairly lenient on the first collections (in my experience, at least). also, don't get downhearted by a mark you're not happy with, because there really is time to keep working at it.

reality:
having said this - i never ever ever have managed to do enough work over the holidays. i hardly know anyone who comes back at the start of term and doesn't just panic revise and work really hard in 0th week to compemsate for some/more/much slacking over the vac. heading into my 5th term now and first set of real exams approaching - even this wasn't enough to force me to get lots of work done over xmas. maybe i will never ever learn how to use vac time constructively...

Reply 10

Drogue

19

Jools

Blimey. Guess, as ever, it depends on the subject/college. I got 3rds in 1st year collections, didn't turn up for the last one... provided they know you'll work hard for the real thing it's OK. College inequality strikes again...

Yeh. The Master has kept on at tutor's after the Norrington table result last year, dropping a lot of places. So we've been forced to work hard. I've got an average mark of 68 and most of my work over 70 (around the top of my subject in college), and the tutors have given me what amounts to penal collections because, especially in the last couple of weeks, I haven't worked hard enough. They've got a point with regards to time and effort I've put in, but I think they've gone way to far, personally. Plus I have 9 hours of collections, 6 on friday and 3 on saturday.

The inequality is much more stark when it comes to tutes though, I have 4 hours of tutes (not including maths classes), whereas I have friends at Jesus that have 2, for the same subject. Much as I hate it during term, I do realise I'm working more this way, and will probably come to be thankful when we get prelim results.

Reply 11

ThePants999

Pfffft. Collections. What a joke. :smile:

Reply 12

RxB

1

I think emphasis on collections seems to be just Univ: my brother-in-law's graduated, and has heard from people he knows in lower years that Lord Butler's gone collection-crazy this year. I've not heard of any other college being like this.

(You have my sympathy, Will...)

Actually, it's interesting to hear you've had an average of 68, as I haven't had any of my essays actually graded all term, as my tutor's trying to avoid us getting competitive. Univ Economics sounds really odd...

Edit to add more stuff about my economics tutor. We don't have Economics collections. We'll have them for maths (we have the same guy), but we can take those away and do them in our own time. My philosophy collection will be in exam conditions, but I can fail.

My tutors are awesome.

Reply 13

ThePants999

I failed collections last term. A few weeks later I was notified that I'd been made an exhibitioner. Loving that one...

Reply 14

Elles

17

ThePants999

I failed collections last term. A few weeks later I was notified that I'd been made an exhibitioner. Loving that one...

we never really hard our collections done as pass-fail = weird medic-y marking system.
but i 'failed' lots of the supposedly informal start of term departmental tests & didn't get an 'excellent' result for any..& was made a Demi this year.. :p:

does all seem a bit random!

InterCity125

Elles: thanks for all the collection related advice you've given so far!!!

yes, you know what i think..! :wink:

but your tutors may be freaking out thinking the majority of your 2nd years (excluding the obvious!) underperformed in their Part Is..? anyway how's that ANS essay going?

Reply 15

ThePants999

Ours aren't pass/fail - they're given a numerical mark in the same way as Finals. My mark was 30, which is a clear fail.

Reply 16

Elles

17

ThePants999

Ours aren't pass/fail - they're given a numerical mark in the same way as Finals. My mark was 30, which is a clear fail.

oh right.. we don't get such a mark, so i probably misinterpreted what you said, sorry.

ours are given as Part A number of questions passed out of of 15 & you probably need 12, but this can vary.

Part B essays are given marks out of 8. this would determine merits/distinctions (rather than clasifications), but again, these boundaries vary.

so all we could do is guess/assume we've passed if we got 12+ & then 4+s. but knew no more than that until we sat prelims so could be compared to the whole year...slightly odd system, like i said. :smile:

Reply 17