UKChO 2024

Has anyone done the 2024 UK Chemistry Olympiad? If so, how was it for you?

I did it, wasn't too bad. However I do feel that past papers were easier compared to this year, so may mean higher grade boundaries. I know organic synthesis was ok for me but the other calculation questions were a bit off...

Reply 2

Student1#

10

Original post by 10C

Has anyone done the 2024 UK Chemistry Olympiad? If so, how was it for you?

Mee. It was decent didn’t rlly learn much organic so hopefully the math parts carry

Reply 3

Hatman1

1

Original post by Razzledazzle310

I did it, wasn't too bad. However I do feel that past papers were easier compared to this year, so may mean higher grade boundaries. I know organic synthesis was ok for me but the other calculation questions were a bit off...

You mean the past papers were easier so lower boundaries? Anyways I agree in thinking that this year was more difficult, the calculations, as mentioned, did pose to be more challenging. Also the organic wasn’t as straightforward. I have seen the reactions before, but I don’t suppose a regular a level candidate would be able to deduce all structures.

(edited 3 months ago)

Reply 4

Razzledazzle310

9

Original post by Hatman1

You mean the past papers were easier so lower boundaries? Anyways I agree in thinking that this year was more difficult, the calculations, as mentioned, did pose to be more challenging. Also the organic wasn’t as straightforward. I have seen the reactions before, but I don’t suppose a regular a level candidate would be able to deduce all structures.

I agree calculations were more challenging, but I feel that organic synthesis was easier than other papers, as I was able to do them whereas in other papers I usually have no clue halfway through.

Reply 5

Hatman1

1

Original post by Razzledazzle310

I agree calculations were more challenging, but I feel that organic synthesis was easier than other papers, as I was able to do them whereas in other papers I usually have no clue halfway through.

Idk I found the synthesis to be quite simple, but I know others found it particularly tricky

(edited 3 months ago)

Reply 6

random2610

1

what do you guys think the grade boundaries will be this year?

Reply 7

Hatman1

1

Original post by random2610

what do you guys think the grade boundaries will be this year?

High 20s/low 30s for gold
High teens/low 20s for silver
Mid to low teens for bronze

Maybe similar to 2022 I’d say, although I didn’t find the 2022 paper too hard

Reply 8

nazarov

1

Original post by Hatman1

High 20s/low 30s for gold
High teens/low 20s for silver
Mid to low teens for bronze

Maybe similar to 2022 I’d say, although I didn’t find the 2022 paper too hard

Yeah I agree, I think the paper was similar in difficulty to 2022. The organic part featured some difficult rearrangements and I left a good portion of those nasty calculations in Q4 and Q5 out. Was usually scoring around 65 in past papers but probably got around 50 this year. Nonetheless, I don’t suspect the boundaries for Round 2 will have changed much, but for sure the medal boundaries will be lower.

Reply 9

Hatman1

1

Original post by nazarov

Yeah I agree, I think the paper was similar in difficulty to 2022. The organic part featured some difficult rearrangements and I left a good portion of those nasty calculations in Q4 and Q5 out. Was usually scoring around 65 in past papers but probably got around 50 this year. Nonetheless, I don’t suspect the boundaries for Round 2 will have changed much, but for sure the medal boundaries will be lower.

Yeah, my chemistry teacher actually wrote some of the harder maths questions and he definitely was not generous with how hard he made them. As you said, the organic was quite difficult, but I had recognised a few of the reactions so that was quite nice. Certainly medal boundaries will be lower, much lower than last year for sure. Judging by how people found it, it could even be lower than 2022 (although I highly doubt that as 2022 was extremely low).

(edited 3 months ago)

Reply 10

ChemNinja

2

What do you think the grade boundaries for Round 2 might be this year? 75-80% maybe?

Reply 11

Frankieiliffe

4

Original post by 10C

Has anyone done the 2024 UK Chemistry Olympiad? If so, how was it for you?

I did it, I was definitely short on time I didn't even touch question 5. In past papers I feel I did quite a bit better so hopefully the grade boundaries will be slightly lower this year. I felt that the paper was heavily focused on Organic which is my weak point as I'm only in L6 and I hadn't had a chance to cover a lot in my free time.

Does anyone remember what marks each question was worth?

(edited 3 months ago)

Reply 12

Frankieiliffe

4

Original post by Hatman1

High 20s/low 30s for gold
High teens/low 20s for silver
Mid to low teens for bronze

Maybe similar to 2022 I’d say, although I didn’t find the 2022 paper too hard

I hope you are correct. But I think perhaps they will be slightly higher. However, the 2023 paper was really quite easy so definitely lower than that.

(edited 3 months ago)

Reply 13

ChemNinja

2

Original post by Frankieiliffe

I did it, I was definitely short on time I didn't even touch question 5. In past papers I feel I did quite a bit better so hopefully the grade boundaries will be slightly lower this year. I felt that the paper was heavily focused on Organic which is my weak point as I'm only in L6 and I hadn't had a chance to cover a lot in my free time.

Does anyone remember what marks each question was worth?

Q1 - /8
Q2 - /15
Q3 - /20
Q4 - /24
Q5 - /15
Total - /82

Reply 14

ahmed995482

3

Original post by nazarov

Yeah I agree, I think the paper was similar in difficulty to 2022. The organic part featured some difficult rearrangements and I left a good portion of those nasty calculations in Q4 and Q5 out. Was usually scoring around 65 in past papers but probably got around 50 this year. Nonetheless, I don’t suspect the boundaries for Round 2 will have changed much, but for sure the medal boundaries will be lower.

you never know, 2022 was around mid 50s/86 and 2023 was nearly 70/86 for round 2 so depending on its difficulty it does change

Reply 15

Razzledazzle310

9

I found out I got 58/82 from my teacher's marking. I'm somewhat happy for the score, but I wish it was higher as I don't think it's enough for round 2

Reply 16

ahmed995482

3

Original post by Razzledazzle310

I found out I got 58/82 from my teacher's marking. I'm somewhat happy for the score, but I wish it was higher as I don't think it's enough for round 2

well done, that’s a very high gold at the least and probably around the round 2 mark, do you know when they publish their boundaries and stuff?

Reply 17

Frankieiliffe

4

Original post by ahmed995482

well done, that’s a very high gold at the least and probably around the round 2 mark, do you know when they publish their boundaries and stuff?

Typically when looking at previous boundaries they have been posted on their website late February to early March. Marking is supposed to be done by February 9th so my guess is late February.

Reply 18

chiIdofcabin13

1

Original post by 10C

Has anyone done the 2024 UK Chemistry Olympiad? If so, how was it for you?

Yes I did it, answered all but 3 qns, the organic synthesis was very easy and the maths (particularly the very last qn) was harder than most years. Hopefully I scored high enough for round two (got rejected by cambridge so it'd be a big '**** you' to them), altho im not too sure about it given people have been saying its like 2022 paper which in practice I got 60% in