Oxford Chemistry Students and Applicants

LOLOLOLOL. Best thread I've ever read! It's fairly obviously rehersed, but I'm going to fool myself into believing it isn't, just so that I can live with the knowledge that people like you really exist

Very well then, I shall let bygones be bygones.

On the note of naming it, I had thought that naming it after my favourite pastime Tiddlywinks. Though Great Britain has quite an especially beautiful sound to it.

I'm afraid I am weary and am in dire need of retiring, I shall speak to you soon my good man.

As the atrocious French would say, 'bon nuit'.

Ok, Thanks for the answers again.
So,you think that reading (and of course understanding) Clugston "Advanced Chemistry" and "How chemical reactions happen" is enough to prepare?
Even if I'm asking for deferred entry? (since they take just the best students)

Watson, I completely overlooked your own opinion on the naming of our glorious utopia, and may I profusely apologise for doing so. Perhaps we can come to an amicable compromise and call our great nation "Great Tiddlywinks" or something in the same vein?

I haven't actually been through the application process yet, so you probably shouldn't give too much weight to what I'm about to say, but;

In my experience, "Why Chemical Reactions Happen" is much more advanced than you will need to know for the interview. Remember, at the time of writing your personal statement you'll still only really have the knowledge of an AS student, and at the time of interview you'll probably have 2/3rds of your A2 specification left to learn. "Why Chemical Reaction Happen" is more of a 'first-year undergraduate' book from what I've heard, and although it could only help you to learn it, I personally (and I think many others too) struggled with it to the point of giving up.

Better advice would probably be to just make sure you know your A level syllabus inside out, and then take a look at some other things not covered by your A Level course. I know OCR (the board I'm on) doesn’t teach anything about Ethers, so I spent a good amount of time learning about them and their reactions in preparation for the interview. This idea applies for a pretty wide range of topics, and it's only really limited by how much you can be bothered to do.

Having said that, by all means give Why Chemical Reactions Happen a go. Apparently some people manage to get through it, although don't ask me how, seeing as the first topic "Entropy" isn't even covered at AS anymore.

LOLOLOLOL. Best thread I've ever read! It's fairly obviously rehersed, but I'm going to fool myself into believing it isn't, just so that I can live with the knowledge that people like you really exist

Egad! My exclamation is in particular response to your obtruse lack of consideration, my good man Holmes I believe that I'm quite rather offended by this.

Having said that, by all means give Why Chemical Reactions Happen a go. Apparently some people manage to get through it, although don't ask me how, seeing as the first topic "Entropy" isn't even covered at AS anymore.

However entropy is incredibly useful- and the tutors really like asking questions where there is an easier entropic way to solve it

I`m reading chemistry at Exeter. That is my first year now. College is absolutely lovely and what`s even more important (lack of time for getting into places): it is very central.
Course- loads of work but if you enjoy chemistry you should find it rather demaging then hard.
Interview- I failed two interviews at St Annes but the one at Exeter was quite good. They do not really expect you to know everything, you would rather get the problem and they will help you to figure it out. For example: how many molecules of water are in the glass on the table? I also got something about ethane conformations and sodium chloride structure.

If you have any more questions just write here I will try to answer.

I`m reading chemistry at Exeter. That is my first year now. College is absolutely lovely and what`s even more important (lack of time for getting into places): it is very central.
Course- loads of work but if you enjoy chemistry you should find it rather demaging then hard.
Interview- I failed two interviews at St Annes but the one at Exeter was quite good. They do not really expect you to know everything, you would rather get the problem and they will help you to figure it out. For example: how many molecules of water are in the glass on the table? I also got something about ethane conformations and sodium chloride structure.

If you have any more questions just write here I will try to answer.

Whats the differences between reading chemistry now and 5 years ago at exeter?

Assuming that one glass of water contains about 250g I worked it out to be; (250/18)*6.02*(10^23)=8.36*10^24. Does that sound right?

Yes.

How can I train my ability to name complex species from their formula, any tips?

Kings College