Oxford Prelims...

I noticed for the science subjects that you are tested are the material you have covered during the term by prelims. However, would it possible to also do the prelims that are avialble the next term as well, in one go (already covered alot of the material)?

what?

OP

Doing some prelims in one term so you don't have to do them the next?

Reply 3

probably not

4

no, i mean "what?" to "you are tested on the material you have covered during the term by prelims" - if i'm understanding you to mean "at the end of each term you take prelims in a particular topic", the answer's "no you're not"

where have you got this idea from?

no this is not A2.

OP

probably not

no, i mean "what?" to "you are tested on the material you have covered during the term by prelims" - if i'm understanding you to mean "at the end of each term you take prelims in a particular topic", the answer's "no you're not"

where have you got this idea from?

Went on Oxford Prelims and it came up wit prelims for each term.

Reply 6

Mayfly

Prelims for each term? Oh dear god no. Collections, perhaps? Each term has a prelim assigned to it, but you do that at the end of the year. Not every term in some kind of ungodly cycle of guilt and procrastination and terror.

Reply 7

Cirsium

19

No. This isn't nice little-by-little A-levels; it's a degree. You take the exams at the end of the year that test you on all the material for the entire year. (This may be Mods or Prelims). Even if it were an option, you won't have covered sufficient material by mid way through the year to take some of the exams, it doesn't work like that. If you fail, and if you're lucky, you may be allowed to resit papers in September - but that is not a right, it's something that college may let you do. If you fail then you leave.

Reply 8

Crazy Mongoose

12

... Although the Senior Tutors committee has now convened and decided that, in the vast majority of cases, it will be a right. The exceptions are when you are already in the academic disciplinary procedure for your college, in which case the prelims are treated as being for their purposes another set of penal collections*, and, depending on your college, cases such as when you plain fail to turn up for your exams with no good reason**

That said, your Senior Tutor *will* pull you in if you fail, and may well try and convince you that it would be better for you to go now, voluntarily, so that you can go through clearing, a process that will not be open to people who resit in September and again fail.

*And you must be given written notice of this fact AND of the mark you must gain in order to remain in college
** In doing so your college will be acting against Senior Tutors' Committee, but unfortunately there is nothing you can do about that, as it is for the university and not individual students to enforce the standardisation requirements.

Reply 9

Tipareth

5

Bekaboo

If you fail then you leave.

This is scary, I think.

I mean I KNOW how degrees are different etc - but it'll be weird thinking that if I fail this exam, I may have to leave the Uni.

So different to A Levels, and the rest of the education...

Reply 10

hobnob

14

Tipareth

This is scary, I think.

I mean I KNOW how degrees are different etc - but it'll be weird thinking that if I fail this exam, I may have to leave the Uni.

So different to A Levels, and the rest of the education...

Very few people actually manage to fail their mods and their resits, though. It's something which shouldn't normally happen. So I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were you.

Reply 11

Tipareth

5

hobnob

Very few people actually manage to fail their mods and their resits, though. It's something which shouldn't normally happen. So I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were you.

That makes me feel better..

It's not like I'm lazy and / or (completely! :wink:

) thick anyway - I'm sure it'll be fine. I imagine everyone has a few worries about going.

Reply 12

thomasjtl

9

so long as you do any work, you should be able to at least scrape a pass (40%) in most subjects- the vast majority get 2.is (or a mark equivilent to it), no mean feat, for sure, but definitely achievable.

Reply 13

Crazy Mongoose

12

The Senior Tutor at my college, although she was a little strict, has what is probably a good point about prelims, namely that there are some people for whom the Oxford system will not work, despite their undoubted academic ability. Those people are better in some cases going off to another (good) university where they will be taught over a longer period of time with more contact hours and a slower pace, where they may get a 2.1 or 1st instead of the 3rd or fail that they would get if they continued at Oxford. This is especially so when you are in a science subject where the work of the next year builds upon that of the last.

I should also point out that having exams which you must pass in order to continue with your degree is nothing unusual. Indeed, most universities have them at the end of the second year too, whilst Oxford does not.

Reply 14

Athena

6

hobnob

Very few people actually manage to fail their mods and their resits, though. It's something which shouldn't normally happen. So I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were you.

I know of two people personally (one medicine, one chemistry), and more through friends (physics). It tends to be the science students, not the arts students.