I'm a 4th Year Chemistry Student at the University of Nottingham, ask me anything!

I know that applying to uni can be quite stressful, or if you've already received an offer you may want to know more about the place where you'll be living and studying for the next 3-4 years. So I'm here to answer any questions you may have about studying Chemistry at Nottingham or anything about the University of Nottingham itself! :smile:

Reply 1

Anonymous #1

Hello! I'm looking at doing Chemistry at Nottingham, and was wondering, what are the labs like in first year? How did you find them? :h:

Reply 2

Anonymous #2

Tips on alevel chem?

Reply 3

username5832083

0

16

Original post by _Cation_

I know that applying to uni can be quite stressful, or if you've already received an offer you may want to know more about the place where you'll be living and studying for the next 3-4 years. So I'm here to answer any questions you may have about studying Chemistry at Nottingham or anything about the University of Nottingham itself! :smile:

What do you plan on doing after your degree?

Reply 4

username5706823

0

20

What's chem degree like? is it anything like A level chem? are you going to do a postgraduate degree in the future? career plans? what made you want to do chem?

Reply 5

username5706823

0

20

Thanks for making this thread though! I've never seen one for chem! :h:

Reply 6

_Cation_

OP

7

Original post by Anonymous

Hello! I'm looking at doing Chemistry at Nottingham, and was wondering, what are the labs like in first year? How did you find them? :h:

Hi!

In first year you have 2 x 4-hour lab sessions each week - I know it can sound like a lot of time but really the time flies by when you have a lot to do! The areas of Chemistry are split into blocks of lab sessions, so you'll have a few weeks doing inorganic labs, another few weeks doing organic labs and then physical labs. There are postgraduate demonstrators who are there to help you if you are confused about anything, which I found really useful because we use equipment that I had never come across in school, like rotary evaporators, and it's great to have the demonstrators explain how to use the equipment step by step. A lot of help is given about writing lab reports, and again you can always ask your demonstrator to check through these with you in the lab.

So in each lab session you will be working on a single experiment. Before each session you will have access to the theory that the experiment is based on and also the actual steps you would need to do, so you will be prepared and have an idea of what you'd need to do before you even step into the lab. You'll also have to do some pre-lab quizzes which just help to double check that you know what is going on in the experiment. You will be given your own tablet in the lab in organic and inorganic labs (in physical labs you'll be working at the computers anyway), so you can always check through the steps online as you are doing the experiment. In organic and inorganic labs you are assigned your own box of glassware, which I found really cool!

I really enjoyed labs in first year, they eased me into university practical work as it becomes a lot more independent in later years but it was great to have demonstrators there to help so you'll never be left confused or anything!

I hope this helped!

Reply 7

_Cation_

OP

7

Original post by Aspstudent

What do you plan on doing after your degree?

I'm considering doing a PhD!

Reply 8

_Cation_

OP

7

Original post by summerbirdreads

What's chem degree like? is it anything like A level chem? are you going to do a postgraduate degree in the future? career plans? what made you want to do chem?

I've loved my course throughout the past few years! A lot of first year was A-Level content, just to make sure that everyone is at the same level in their Chemistry knowledge, as everyone had done different exam boards. We also learnt a lot of new things that just built up on A-level content in first year, so I'd say the gap between A-level and university level Chemistry isn't that big, but you still get to learn some really exciting things and everything you learnt from A-level seems to make more sense when you get to learn 'why'! Everything is gradually introduced to you and there's a lot of support - you can always email your lecturers if you have any questions.

I'm hoping to do a PhD in the future!

The reason I chose Chemistry is because I have loved the subject since Year 10, it just really fascinated me how elements just 'know' how to react with each other, as if they had minds of their own. When I visited the university during the open day some years ago, I had spoken to some final-year students that had made a compound that had never been made before, and that amazed me - the idea of making something so unique (I'm hoping I'd be able to do the same this year!)

Reply 9

_Cation_

OP

7

Original post by Anonymous

Tips on alevel chem?

Make sure you keep on top of all the content as it is taught to you, and don't be afraid to ask for help from your teachers even at the end of a lesson or via email, I found it really is worth making sure any gaps in your knowledge are filled. It's also a good idea to go through all the past papers and practise questions available to you as this gives you an idea of what types of questions you may be asked in the exam. Hope this helps!

Reply 10

Anonymous #1

Original post by _Cation_

Hi!

In first year you have 2 x 4-hour lab sessions each week - I know it can sound like a lot of time but really the time flies by when you have a lot to do! The areas of Chemistry are split into blocks of lab sessions, so you'll have a few weeks doing inorganic labs, another few weeks doing organic labs and then physical labs. There are postgraduate demonstrators who are there to help you if you are confused about anything, which I found really useful because we use equipment that I had never come across in school, like rotary evaporators, and it's great to have the demonstrators explain how to use the equipment step by step. A lot of help is given about writing lab reports, and again you can always ask your demonstrator to check through these with you in the lab.

So in each lab session you will be working on a single experiment. Before each session you will have access to the theory that the experiment is based on and also the actual steps you would need to do, so you will be prepared and have an idea of what you'd need to do before you even step into the lab. You'll also have to do some pre-lab quizzes which just help to double check that you know what is going on in the experiment. You will be given your own tablet in the lab in organic and inorganic labs (in physical labs you'll be working at the computers anyway), so you can always check through the steps online as you are doing the experiment. In organic and inorganic labs you are assigned your own box of glassware, which I found really cool!

I really enjoyed labs in first year, they eased me into university practical work as it becomes a lot more independent in later years but it was great to have demonstrators there to help so you'll never be left confused or anything!

I hope this helped!

Thank you! This is really helpful :biggrin:

Are the labs in second and third year similar? Also, were you in university accommodation in first year - if so, how did you find it? :h:

Reply 11

_Cation_

OP

7

Original post by Anonymous

Thank you! This is really helpful :biggrin:

Are the labs in second and third year similar? Also, were you in university accommodation in first year - if so, how did you find it? :h:

As you go through the years of the course, the labs become gradually more independent. In second year you do different experiments to people around you (compared to first year where you would do the same experiment as the people working near you in the laboratory) so you have to trust your own results more as your friends are likely to be doing different experiments to you! In third year, you are put in a group and you work together on a project with a supervisor (a member of staff). For me this was where it begun to get exciting because the project topic is completely new. In first and second year you would follow a set method where you know what the expected outcome would be, but in third year, you design your own method (with the help of your supervisor) and you may end up discovering something that has never been seen before, which was so cool! The PhD demonstrators are still there with you to help if needed throughout your whole course which is great! I'm doing the MSci course which is 4 years, so the labs in my third year may be slightly different from that of the BSc course, but this was my experience with labs.

I did live in catered halls in first year, and have actually returned to halls this year! Catered halls is great, you get to meet lots of people and be social at mealtimes which I found really nice. The food is mostly really nice, I guess it depends on your taste, but I personally enjoyed it. The staff are really helpful if you have any maintenance issues, they're really prompt. I also loved living really close to everything as all catered halls are on campus - everything is of walking distance! Are you thinking of going into catered or self-catered accommodation?

I hope this helped!

Reply 12

Anonymous #3

bit of a random question, but what would happen if you missed a lab session? are they pretty strict with that kinda stuff and are you able to catch up on a different day?

Reply 13

_Cation_

OP

7

Original post by Anonymous

bit of a random question, but what would happen if you missed a lab session? are they pretty strict with that kinda stuff and are you able to catch up on a different day?

Hi!

For physical labs, you need to fill out an extenuating circumstances form if you are absent from any of the lab sessions. For inorganic and organic labs you need to fill out an absence form for the first 2 times you are absent, and then fill out an extenuating circumstances form if you are absent any more times than that. In all labs, you are only able to do your experiment on the day that you are assigned it, (the whole year group does labs on the same two days of the week) so you are not able to catch up on a different day. Try to make it to every lab session, unless you are really ill! Labs are a huge chunk of the degree, so it really is important to prioritise these.

Hope this helped!

Reply 14

Manille Lykin

9

Original post by _Cation_

I know that applying to uni can be quite stressful, or if you've already received an offer you may want to know more about the place where you'll be living and studying for the next 3-4 years. So I'm here to answer any questions you may have about studying Chemistry at Nottingham or anything about the University of Nottingham itself! :smile:

Hey,
I wanted to ask a few questions if that is okay w you!
1. What is Chem at uni like? How different is it from A-levels? What is new from A-level?
2. Did you get any work experience in chemistry before applying? If so where did you apply? I have read that work experience is not compulsory, but I would really like to get some.
3. What can make you stand out to universities when applying to Chem

Thanks!

Reply 15

emilykrohn

3

Hi!

What A-levels did you take and what grades did you get if you don't mind answering?
I've checked the entry requirements and its AAB-AAA?

I'm a 4th Year Chemistry Student at the University of Nottingham, ask me anything!

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