Unsuitable student

On Tue, 13 Jan 2004 15:00:14 -0000, "Rebecca Loader"

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be academically
and in every other way unsuitable for university?
Because I think I am.
Becky

i think i was too. i just sat on a sofa for three years.

also, i need help.

would "chewing crayons" or "paraphrases masquerading as analysis" be a
better title for a poem book?
can't decided but leaning for chewing crayons because its a trope in
the book.

Rebecca Loader

2004-01-13 17:35:28 UTC

Post by flexiblegoat
On Tue, 13 Jan 2004 15:00:14 -0000, "Rebecca Loader"

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be academically
and in every other way unsuitable for university?
Because I think I am.

i think i was too. i just sat on a sofa for three years.

If I could sit on a sofa for three years and get a decent degree at the end
of it, I would be as happy as larry.

Post by flexiblegoat
also, i need help.
would "chewing crayons" or "paraphrases masquerading as analysis" be a
better title for a poem book?
can't decided but leaning for chewing crayons because its a trope in
the book.

Chewing crayons is better.

Becky

James Gregory

2004-01-13 17:47:57 UTC

Post by flexiblegoat
would "chewing crayons" or "paraphrases masquerading as analysis" be a
better title for a poem book?
can't decided but leaning for chewing crayons because its a trope in
the book.

"Paraphrases (ing?) masquerading as analysis" is all well and clever, but I
think titles that are obviously trying to be clever put people off. But
maybe it's different with poetry books.

James

flexiblegoat

2004-01-18 19:25:27 UTC

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

peter

2004-01-13 17:04:26 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be academically
and in every other way unsuitable for university?

What do you mean by academically unsuitable?

Rebecca Loader

2004-01-13 17:27:31 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be

academically

Post by Rebecca Loader
and in every other way unsuitable for university?

What do you mean by academically unsuitable?

Pretty much that I don't enjoy formal studying. I am happy to sit at home
and learn for myself, but I pretty much loathe reading for essays and then
writing them. Perhaps I just dislike my course - I'm not entirely sure.

Becky

James Gregory

2004-01-13 17:45:01 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
I am happy to sit at home
and learn for myself, but I pretty much loathe reading for essays and then
writing them.

So you're entirely different from the other 99.9999% of students, then.

James

Rebecca Loader

2004-01-13 17:59:40 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
I am happy to sit at home
and learn for myself, but I pretty much loathe reading for essays and then
writing them.

So you're entirely different from the other 99.9999% of students, then.

Probably not, but most students at other places don't have to read 4-5 books
and churn out a 2500 word essay per week. I'm under no illusion that this
isn't my fault, however.

Becky

James Gregory

2004-01-13 18:01:12 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
I am happy to sit at home
and learn for myself, but I pretty much loathe reading for essays and

then

Post by Rebecca Loader
writing them.

So you're entirely different from the other 99.9999% of students, then.

Probably not, but most students at other places don't have to read 4-5 books
and churn out a 2500 word essay per week. I'm under no illusion that this
isn't my fault, however.

But if someone asks you what you do you can can "I'm a student at Cambridge"
and they'll go "Ooh, you must be very clever". Seems like fair compensation
to me.

James

Rebecca Loader

2004-01-13 18:07:58 UTC

Post by James Gregory
But if someone asks you what you do you can can "I'm a student at Cambridge"
and they'll go "Ooh, you must be very clever". Seems like fair

compensation

Post by James Gregory
to me.

Well, everyone's saying to me that I should work less hard and that it
doesn't matter if I don't get the 2.i or whatever, so I guess I'll just go
for the Gentleman's Degree.

Becky

Chris Higham

2004-01-13 18:56:33 UTC

Post by James Gregory
But if someone asks you what you do you can can "I'm a student at

Cambridge"

Post by James Gregory
and they'll go "Ooh, you must be very clever". Seems like fair

compensation

Post by James Gregory
to me.

Well, everyone's saying to me that I should work less hard and that it
doesn't matter if I don't get the 2.i or whatever, so I guess I'll just go
for the Gentleman's Degree.

Is that a 2:1? Don't use your cambridge jargon on here!

Rebecca Loader

2004-01-13 19:06:27 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
Well, everyone's saying to me that I should work less hard and that it
doesn't matter if I don't get the 2.i or whatever, so I guess I'll just go
for the Gentleman's Degree.

Is that a 2:1? Don't use your cambridge jargon on here!

Apparently it's a 2.2, although I thought it was a 3rd.

Becky

Chris Higham

2004-01-13 19:08:45 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
Well, everyone's saying to me that I should work less hard and that it
doesn't matter if I don't get the 2.i or whatever, so I guess I'll just

Post by Rebecca Loader
for the Gentleman's Degree.

Is that a 2:1? Don't use your cambridge jargon on here!

Apparently it's a 2.2, although I thought it was a 3rd.

Hmm, google says it's a 2:2

peter

2004-01-13 19:10:33 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
Well, everyone's saying to me that I should work less hard and that it
doesn't matter if I don't get the 2.i or whatever, so I guess I'll

just

Post by Rebecca Loader
go

Post by Rebecca Loader
for the Gentleman's Degree.

Is that a 2:1? Don't use your cambridge jargon on here!

Apparently it's a 2.2, although I thought it was a 3rd.

Isn't it a reference to Brideshead Revisited rather than 'cambridge jargon'?

If so, then I thought it was a third too.

Or maybe I'm just totally confused.

adam

2004-01-13 23:24:22 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
Well, everyone's saying to me that I should work less hard and that it
doesn't matter if I don't get the 2.i or whatever, so I guess I'll

just

Heya,

I am at LSE studying economics and feeling very much the same way... so I
sympathise.

I don't want to change course, but still finding it extremely hard.. not
quite keeping up.. finding the questions are so hard I dont know where to
start.. so yeh you're not alone out there... I know friends at cambridge and
elsewhere who are repeating exactly what you are saying and I am saying so
although I know its little relief you aren't alone!

You seem to be the same kind of person as me, i.e. theres people above you
who are the geniuses.. people below you who are the lazy arses.. and in the
middle is me who wants to be lazy but knows he has to work hard to succeed
and has to put in so much more effort than the geniuses... gets tempted by
loads of other friends who are lazy and do no work.. etc

Just keep trying is all I can say..

L
p.s. ok rant over!

John Porcella

2004-01-15 14:22:03 UTC

Post by James Gregory
But if someone asks you what you do you can can "I'm a student at

Cambridge"

Post by James Gregory
and they'll go "Ooh, you must be very clever". Seems like fair

compensation

Post by James Gregory
to me.

Well, everyone's saying to me that I should work less hard

Then they are giving you poor advice!

Work hard and enjoy the rewards for the rest of your life! Doss around and
find a poor degree a millstone around your neck forever.

--
MESSAGE ENDS.
John Porcella

Rebecca Loader

2004-01-15 18:39:55 UTC

Post by John Porcella

Post by James Gregory
But if someone asks you what you do you can can "I'm a student at

Cambridge"

Post by James Gregory
and they'll go "Ooh, you must be very clever". Seems like fair

compensation

Post by James Gregory
to me.

Well, everyone's saying to me that I should work less hard

Then they are giving you poor advice!
Work hard and enjoy the rewards for the rest of your life! Doss around and
find a poor degree a millstone around your neck forever.

OK, so my tutor and my DoS (both Cambridge graduates, both with a lot of
experience of the Cambridge system) are giving me wrong advice? I currently
work very hard (too hard, according to some of my friends) and the chances
are I'll not do an awful lot worse if I take the pressure off myself and
allow myself a bit more chance to enjoy Cambridge life and the opportunities
it affords.

Becky

James Gregory

2004-01-15 23:17:54 UTC

Post by John Porcella
Work hard and enjoy the rewards for the rest of your life! Doss around

and

Post by John Porcella
find a poor degree a millstone around your neck forever.

opportunities

Post by Rebecca Loader
it affords.

Having kill-filed Porcella I never got the original message, but I everyone
here probably already knows that my opinion is that the difference between
1sts, 2:1s and 2:2s means next to nothing unless you want to work either in
academia or you want to get a job as some yuppie management trainee for
zillions of hours and zillions of pounds a year. And for the latter a good
degree is merely something used to cut down the number of candidates, not
what they're actually looking for.

Most normal jobs care far less about your degree than they do about "you as
a person" and all that rubbish. People with 2:2s but with lots of """"people
skills"""" go on to become anything and everything, and in my experience
this is pretty much the norm, not the exception. And there are plenty of
people out there with what might generally be considered good degrees who
end up as nothing at all (at least as far as the careers ladder is
concerned).

James

Toby

2004-01-16 00:26:03 UTC

Post by David Haardt

Post by John Porcella
Work hard and enjoy the rewards for the rest of your life! Doss around

and

Post by John Porcella
find a poor degree a millstone around your neck forever.

OK, so my tutor and my DoS (both Cambridge graduates, both with a lot of
experience of the Cambridge system) are giving me wrong advice? I

currently

Post by Rebecca Loader
work very hard (too hard, according to some of my friends) and the chances
are I'll not do an awful lot worse if I take the pressure off myself and
allow myself a bit more chance to enjoy Cambridge life and the

opportunities

Post by Rebecca Loader
it affords.

Having kill-filed Porcella I never got the original message,

You've quoted it.

Matthew Huntbach

2004-01-16 08:20:54 UTC

Post by John Porcella

Post by Rebecca Loader
Well, everyone's saying to me that I should work less hard

Then they are giving you poor advice!

Not necessarily. My advice to students is that they should treat it
as a full-time job and aim to put about 40 hours a week into it. It's
not a good idea to exceed this too much. While the more common pattern
is to underestimate the amount of work it takes to do well, it is
possible to go the other way. The danger of going the other way is
that you burn yourself out before completing the degree. Also, as
I said, regarding it as a "job" with a fixed number of working hours, may
help Becky get over the feeling "I don't really want to do this".

Matthew Huntbach

JKJK

2004-01-19 04:04:14 UTC

Post by James Gregory
So you're entirely different from the other 99.9999% of students, then.

Probably not, but most students at other places don't have to read 4-5 books
and churn out a 2500 word essay per week. I'm under no illusion that this
isn't my fault, however.

:) I'm so happy with the MSci Mathmatical Physics degree at
nottingham. One piece of maths work per week, and one physics
coursework every other week, and small easy piece of maths coursework
per term. So the workload is basically nothing, well we're suppose to
read around and read the notes and stuff but.... Oh and to top it off
I got to see Andy Walker really confused after I said "hi".

Toby

2004-01-19 16:51:42 UTC

Post by James Gregory
So you're entirely different from the other 99.9999% of students, then.

Probably not, but most students at other places don't have to read 4-5 books
and churn out a 2500 word essay per week. I'm under no illusion that this
isn't my fault, however.

heheh Did you reveal how you 'know' him? :)

JKJK

2004-01-20 02:59:16 UTC

Post by Toby

Post by JKJK
read around and read the notes and stuff but.... Oh and to top it off
I got to see Andy Walker really confused after I said "hi".

heheh Did you reveal how you 'know' him? :)

I just asked if his name was blah blah, and if he posted on the
message board, he replied yes, and I said hi, and he said and, and I
said I just wanted to say hi, and he just seemed totaly confused about
what was going on.

Andy Walker

2004-01-20 12:23:50 UTC

Post by JKJK
I got to see Andy Walker really confused after I said "hi".

Not to worry, if you are working as little as you suggest,
the boot will be on the other foot come the summer exams. Anyone
with decent A-levels in maths and physics will be able to cruise
for a term or so ....

Post by JKJK
I just asked if his name was blah blah,

Most people already know that; it's printed in quite large
letters on my door, and there are large photos of me [and the rest
of us -- it's not a personality cult!] around the place.

Post by JKJK
and if he posted on the
message board, he replied yes, and I said hi, and he said and,

Well, yes, I expected you to say something like "I read
your article about X and I thought it was great/stupid/helpful"
or whatever. Or "I'm J**** K******, we've exchanged articles".
Or something sensible to introduce yourself and explain what you
wanted. Rather than just stand there gawping.

Post by JKJK
and I
said I just wanted to say hi, and he just seemed totaly confused about
what was going on.

Quite. People who interrupt me usually have something more
interesting or important to say.

--
Andy Walker, School of MathSci., Univ. of Nott'm, UK.
***@maths.nott.ac.uk

Toby

2004-01-20 16:46:58 UTC

Post by Andy Walker

Post by JKJK
I got to see Andy Walker really confused after I said "hi".

Post by JKJK
I just asked if his name was blah blah,

Most people already know that; it's printed in quite large
letters on my door, and there are large photos of me [and the rest
of us -- it's not a personality cult!] around the place.

Post by JKJK
and if he posted on the
message board, he replied yes, and I said hi, and he said and,

Post by JKJK
and I
said I just wanted to say hi, and he just seemed totaly confused about
what was going on.

Quite. People who interrupt me usually have something more
interesting or important to say.

hmmm well if I'm ever in Nottingham I certainly won't interrupt you,
whether I have an article discuss or otherwise!

Leo

2004-01-21 15:54:26 UTC

Post by Andy Walker

Post by JKJK
I got to see Andy Walker really confused after I said "hi".

Post by JKJK
I just asked if his name was blah blah,

Most people already know that; it's printed in quite large
letters on my door, and there are large photos of me [and the rest
of us -- it's not a personality cult!] around the place.

Post by JKJK
and if he posted on the
message board, he replied yes, and I said hi, and he said and,

Post by JKJK
and I
said I just wanted to say hi, and he just seemed totaly confused about
what was going on.

Quite. People who interrupt me usually have something more
interesting or important to say.

sorry to interrupt, but did you know, if you made a computer 30 times
bigger, and changed *nothing* except the size, like a shrinking machine
except in reverse, then it won't work.

this is due to electric fields travelling at only the speed of light. light
travels 30cm in one billionth of a second. if a computer was bigger than
30cm, then a 1GHz computer would fail to work.

interesting?

or not?

i think it is, it illustrates how damn fast modern computers are.

Leo

Matthew Huntbach

2004-01-14 09:11:00 UTC

Post by peter

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be
academically and in every other way unsuitable for university?

What do you mean by academically unsuitable?

Doing things we don't enjoy is part of life. I don't think my dad
particularly enjoyed pushing a broom around, but that was his job and
he did it until he retired. I am fortunate in having a job I largely
enjoy, but there's still a lot of time I have to sit down and do boring
things I'd rather not because it's part of the job.

A good part of getting a degree is showing you have the self-discipline to
do things like study formally and write essays or whatever. I suspect
part of the problem is that you are just too conscientious. I find people
who are really unsuitable for university tend not to have the insight to
realise it. People who endlessly agonise about whether they can do it
tend to be those who are actually doing reasonably well because they
have got to grips with the subject and discipline enough to know they
could do better.

Matthew Huntbach

flexiblegoat

2004-01-14 15:38:06 UTC

Post by Matthew Huntbach

Post by peter

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be
academically and in every other way unsuitable for university?

What do you mean by academically unsuitable?

excellentness.

Gaurav Sharma

2004-01-14 19:42:35 UTC

Post by flexiblegoat

Post by Matthew Huntbach

Post by peter

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be
academically and in every other way unsuitable for university?

What do you mean by academically unsuitable?

excellentness.

Well, it helps to minimise it rather than accept it.

G.Sharma.

Toby

2004-01-13 17:10:56 UTC

On Tue, 13 Jan 2004 15:00:14 -0000, "Rebecca Loader"

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be academically
and in every other way unsuitable for university?
Because I think I am.
Becky

I thought we had a message earlier on saying how you thought that
you've done much better recently? Are you back at term yet, facing
horrid examination or something equally icky? If so, I reckon lots of
people have the same thoughts...

When you say bright enough but academically unable, do you mean you
understand/enjoy the subject but you can't study it formally, in
essays and suchlike? If so, that's pretty much what uni. is for -
bright people attend and learn how to do it the academic way...Maybe
you're just expecting too much too soon? And yes, it's different for
different people.

Anyway, how would I know, I'm not at uni. yet!

Rebecca Loader

2004-01-13 17:33:45 UTC

Post by Toby
I thought we had a message earlier on saying how you thought that
you've done much better recently? Are you back at term yet, facing
horrid examination or something equally icky? If so, I reckon lots of
people have the same thoughts...

It's the start of term, but I don't have any exams. I was like this for
several weeks of last term, as well. Saying this, I'm not saying I'm
desperately unhappy, but just - well, I'm supposedly one of those people
who's been destined for university!

Post by Toby
When you say bright enough but academically unable, do you mean you
understand/enjoy the subject but you can't study it formally, in
essays and suchlike? If so, that's pretty much what uni. is for -
bright people attend and learn how to do it the academic way...

It's not that I can't do it (I'm getting predicted 2.is and even 1sts), but
that I have little interest and I don't get much enjoyment out of it. I've
been told I should work less hard, but it's very difficult. I worked so
hard last term and then looked at past papers for those subjects I've had
supervisions for - and I can barely do any of the questions. That's
incredibly disheartening and the thought of having to do even more work on
those same boring topics leaves me utterly dejected.

Becky

Toby

2004-01-13 17:36:21 UTC

On Tue, 13 Jan 2004 17:33:45 -0000, "Rebecca Loader"

When do you get to a point where you can change Tripos?

Or the cliche: <sic> you might as well finish doing it - it'll bring
you advantage in the real-world and you'll regret it otherwise!! :P

Rebecca Loader

2004-01-13 17:44:24 UTC

Post by Toby
When do you get to a point where you can change Tripos?

I can't now. I'm doing Part II (Theology has a one-year part 1).

Post by Toby
Or the cliche: <sic> you might as well finish doing it - it'll bring
you advantage in the real-world and you'll regret it otherwise!! :P

I know this is what I have to do, otherwise I'll sacrifice not only my
career options but any sense of being able to look people in the eye.

Becky

Adam Atkinson

2004-01-13 19:01:50 UTC

Post by Toby
When do you get to a point where you can change Tripos?

I can't now. I'm doing Part II (Theology has a one-year part 1).

Are you _sure_ you can't? You could change to something with a 1-year
Part II or some such thing. I was offered the chance to change from
Maths to Modern Languages some way into third year (I decided against
it) and I'm pretty sure I've known NatScis change to other subjects
during third year.

--
Adam Atkinson (***@mistral.co.uk)
VOLCANO MISSING FEARED DEAD

Rebecca Loader

2004-01-13 19:28:19 UTC

Post by Adam Atkinson
Are you _sure_ you can't? You could change to something with a 1-year
Part II or some such thing. I was offered the chance to change from
Maths to Modern Languages some way into third year (I decided against
it)

I'm not sure you can change to something with a 1-year part II after a
1-year part I, can you? I thought you had to do their
especially-for-incomers 2-year part II. My alternative would be MML,
though, and I'd have to go in at part 1, which is 2 years, so I couldn't do
that. Anyway, I think next year will be better as the choice is huge and I
have come up with a great dissertation idea about which I'm really excited.

Becky

Adam Atkinson

2004-01-13 19:43:24 UTC

I'm not sure you can change to something with a 1-year part II after a
1-year part I, can you?

Probably not. I was unclear as to where you were. If you're at the
beginning of a 2-year part II rather than in year 2 of one, couldn't
change to something with a 2-year part II? I'm not sure what the
candidates would be.

Post by Rebecca Loader
My alternative would be MML,
though, and I'd have to go in at part 1, which is 2 years, so I couldn't do
that.

Unless you could get your LEA to... er... no I don't know how things
work these days.

Post by Rebecca Loader
Anyway, I think next year will be better as the choice is huge and I
have come up with a great dissertation idea about which I'm really excited.

Super!

Ooh! ASNAC! I know someone who did ASNAC and Theology in some order.
You could do that!

--
Adam Atkinson (***@mistral.co.uk)
I shot the mermaid
But I did not shoot the manatee

Zeno

2004-01-13 19:08:51 UTC

On Tue, 13 Jan 2004 15:00:14 -0000, "Rebecca Loader"

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be academically
and in every other way unsuitable for university?
Because I think I am.

Not meaning to be rude but maybe you're not suitable for cambridge
because of the workload or style of teaching?

Gaurav Sharma

2004-01-13 19:50:18 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be academically
and in every other way unsuitable for university?
Because I think I am.
Becky

Make of uni what you want, rather than let uni make you what it wants.
I've always thought whether it was worth spending so many extra years
doing, for the most part, useless stuff. I think the most important
part is the fact that you get to scope out a large area of interest
and gain experience in disciplining yourself, which, I think, makes it
worthwhile.

G.Sharma.

Gaurav Sharma

2004-01-13 19:52:18 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be academically
and in every other way unsuitable for university?
Because I think I am.
Becky

(in response to my prev reply).
I might've sounded like I misunderstood the question a bit - to
clarify, I meant it in the context of the above, that feeling of "im
sooo unsuitable for all this crap, the work, the people the activities
etc etc".

G.Sharma.

Chris Higham

2004-01-14 00:01:46 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be academically
and in every other way unsuitable for university?
Because I think I am.

My course is dull to fair at best but it's everything else that goes
with uni that makes it worthwhile. I know a lot of people who've left
because they've found the course like that - as long as you embrace
other stuff that I think it's fine.

I wish I was cleverer though, going to have to fight for a 2:1

Chris.

David Haardt

2004-01-14 08:11:06 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be academically
and in every other way unsuitable for university?
Because I think I am.
Becky

My view of the situation, having read the rest of the thread:

(1) DO NOT drop out. You will regret it very much later in life.

(2) A 2.i /is/ important. For postgraduate study as well as for good
jobs. So I don't think that `work less hard' is a good advice. In the
worst case, I'd just continue as you do now, and get a 2.i without
much enjoyment.

(3) To me it seems like the problem is the course, not your academic
ability or suitability for formal study. So I recommend to meet with
your tutor as soon as possible to tell him or her about the situation.
The sooner you do this, the more likely it is that you still have
options (such as changing the course).

-David Haardt

Rebecca Loader

2004-01-14 10:13:39 UTC

Post by David Haardt
(1) DO NOT drop out. You will regret it very much later in life.

I don't intend to. It's about managing it.

Post by David Haardt
(2) A 2.i /is/ important. For postgraduate study as well as for good
jobs. So I don't think that `work less hard' is a good advice. In the
worst case, I'd just continue as you do now, and get a 2.i without
much enjoyment.

For your information, it was /my tutor/ who told me that maybe I should
slack off a bit and have more fun. Because I'm getting high 2.1s, it might
just be the difference between that and a low 2.1. Even if it's not, a 2.ii
from here is still good.

Furthermore, I don't need a 2.i for what I want to do (and do I really look
like I want to do any postgraduate study?!). I could get on to a PGCE with
a 2.ii and I could get into not-for-profit work with a 2.ii.

I'm amazed that you'd give anyone advice that basically boils down to "get a
2.1, whatever misery is entailed"!

Becky

David Haardt

2004-01-14 15:35:31 UTC

Post by David Haardt
(1) DO NOT drop out. You will regret it very much later in life.

I don't intend to. It's about managing it.

For your information, it was /my tutor/ who told me that maybe I should
slack off a bit and have more fun. Because I'm getting high 2.1s, it might
just be the difference between that and a low 2.1. Even if it's not, a 2.ii
from here is still good.
Furthermore, I don't need a 2.i for what I want to do (and do I really look
like I want to do any postgraduate study?!). I could get on to a PGCE with
a 2.ii and I could get into not-for-profit work with a 2.ii.
I'm amazed that you'd give anyone advice that basically boils down to "get a
2.1, whatever misery is entailed"!

Well since I have the impression that it's your course rather than the
workload that makes you feel bad, the question is whether the misery
would be less if you worked less and got a 2.ii. In the worst case,
it's three years of misery, but don't forget what this buys you: a 2.i
from Cambridge!!! (I insist that the difference between 2.i and 2.ii
is quite important compared to others.)

Anyway, I hope that you are able to do something about it that makes
you feel better, either way.

-David

PS: How much time per week do you currently spend on your degree?

Ian/Cath Ford

2004-01-14 19:33:57 UTC

On Tue, 13 Jan 2004 15:00:14 -0000, "Rebecca Loader"

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be academically
and in every other way unsuitable for university?

Yeah, I think so.

I know 4 people from when I started at uni who never ended up
graduating, basically because they weren't compatable with uni. All
intelligent, in one case very - took A Levels a year early, then a
year out etc. But when it came to uni he couldn't do it - partially
the study problem you've talked about, partially the way of working,
partially the way his brain worked I think - he always wanted to be
doing something else, working on a different idea. Partially health
as well in this particular case.

So, he never got a degree. Doing just fine, working at York uni as a
pooter geek and with no worries. I think he probably was unsuitable
for uni; for him it's ended up fine.

I've read every article in this thread and thought about this some. I
think you're good at working things through, picking things out and
all that stuff. Your decision; trust yourself to make it.

Two questions:
1. Do 99% of students really dislike their course? (not you, Chris
iirc) Just that I loved mine, but maybe that says more about me than
other students.

2. OK, so tell me about this dissertation title!

Ian
--
Ian, Cath & Eoin Ford
The view from Beccles

I loved the words you wrote to me/But that was bloody yesterday

No e-mail address. If you want to talk to me then talk here to start with and we can go back to your place later...

peter

2004-01-14 20:07:13 UTC

Post by Ian/Cath Ford
1. Do 99% of students really dislike their course? (not you, Chris
iirc) Just that I loved mine, but maybe that says more about me than
other students.

FWIW I like my course.

It's brilliant, because there's not *too* much work (as I suppose there
would have been at Cambridge) and I can study humanities courses, which
means I can spend plenty of spare time reading politlics related books.

Secondly, we get much choice in the courses we do. Except, of course, that
I have to do courses in damn statistics and software engineering this year.
But there is a course in Advanced Computer Architecture which I am able to
do, despite being unqualified. I have to read 8 chapters of a thick
computing book just to catch up, but I am determined to pass this course
with a first, since it will be the most interesting thing I do all year.

adam

Rebecca Loader

2004-01-14 20:18:07 UTC

Post by Ian/Cath Ford
I've read every article in this thread and thought about this some. I
think you're good at working things through, picking things out and
all that stuff. Your decision; trust yourself to make it.

Thank you, Ian. That was useful and heartening stuff.

Post by Ian/Cath Ford
1. Do 99% of students really dislike their course? (not you, Chris
iirc) Just that I loved mine, but maybe that says more about me than
other students.

I don't know many who love their course. I can think of people who don't
mind it or tolerate it, and then some who utterly dislike it. My tutor said
to me yesterday that a problem here, and I can appreciate it, is that people
(mainly in arts/social science subjects) arrive thinking they'll have time
to read, think and formulate ideas, but the reality is go, go, go with the
work. There's not an awful lot of time to digest it and appreciate what
you're doing.

Post by Ian/Cath Ford
2. OK, so tell me about this dissertation title!

I haven't worked out the title or exactly formulated the idea, but I want to
look in some way at faith schools, possibly their religious education
teaching and how they deal with the teaching of other religions (although I
appreciate it'd be a very sensitive thing to research and I'd have to think
/very/ carefully about how I did it). I know there's a certain amount of
must-teach material with religious education, but having attended a faith
school myself and received pretty much no teaching about other faiths, I'd
be interested to see what the wider trend is (if there is a trend). In
combination with this, I'd also like to look at the government's literature
on faith schools and their expectations from them, and hopefully, as I
believe is the thing to say in these academic circles, 'contribute to the
debate' :)

And any theology students lurking, don't nick my idea! (Assuming it all
gets approved, of course.)

Becky

Ian/Cath Ford

2004-01-14 22:34:51 UTC

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

Rebecca Loader

2004-01-17 15:42:49 UTC

Post by Ian/Cath Ford
oooooo - that's interesting actually. Ofsted reports would be an
interesting research source - they will say something about that good
old daily act of religious worship. Apparantly if you haven't got one
you can never be an "Excellent school", even if the rest of what you
do is so cool it kicks arse. Simple to compare % of faith that do and
% of non-faith that do.

That's interesting; I hadn't thought of that. That could be a useful thing
to look at, and I'm more than happy to look at government papers and Ofsted
reports. As well as really interesting me, I slightly hope it will get me
away from some of the drier reading that I've encountered...

Post by Ian/Cath Ford
Different impacts at different levels of education? Little,rural, C
of E schools where a lot fo people have no choice of whether to send
kids to, compared to big, urban catholic school (for instance).

That was one aspect, yes: there are those church schools that select very
much on the basis of your family's faith commitment (like my old school) and
those that are nominally Catholic or whatever but will take anyone of any
religion. I'd have to look more at the government's plans and see how
exactly they envisage the selection process make-up of faith schools to be.

I'm also quite interested by non-Christian faith schools, particularly
Muslim schools. Obviously, one of the fears surrounding faith schools is
segregation and the possibility of failing to encourage religious and racial
tolerance, but this has to be balanced against the child's experience and
potential in a faith school. I think the experience of pupils at
non-Christian faith schools would be quite interesting in this regard.

Post by Ian/Cath Ford
Actually, a friend of mine, now I think about, is head of RE at a Cof
E secondary near here - rural area, kids go totheir catchement school,
but it's faith. She's ordained as it happens. If you can use
it...... She's nice and I haven't seen her for ages.

That could be really, really useful. Can I keep you posted? It's still a
bud of an idea at the moment, but if it gets ok-ed, I'm sure that could be
helpful. Thanks.

Becky

John Porcella

2004-01-15 14:20:17 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be academically
and in every other way unsuitable for university?

Maybe.

University requires more self-discipline and motivation than school.

--
MESSAGE ENDS.
John Porcella

Toby

2004-01-15 14:41:16 UTC

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 14:20:17 +0000 (UTC), "John Porcella"

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be

academically

Post by Rebecca Loader
and in every other way unsuitable for university?

Maybe.
University requires more self-discipline and motivation than school.

I'm absolutely sure that is the sort of answer Becky truly wanted.
Well done.

Rebecca Loader

2004-01-15 18:44:09 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be

academically

Post by Rebecca Loader
and in every other way unsuitable for university?

Maybe.
University requires more self-discipline and motivation than school.

Thanks for that. I'm 23, I've experienced university before. I've not come
straight from school. I have plenty of self-discipline; in fact, I'm
probably too conscientious, as MMH says. I just prefer working environments
and that, if you're lucky with your job (which is one of the reasons I'm
here, of course), you get to switch off a bit more from it come 6pm or so.
I need to sort myself out to do that a bit more.

Becky

Alun Harford

2004-01-15 22:51:09 UTC

Post by Rebecca Loader
Do you think it's possible to be bright enough, but actually be

academically

Post by Rebecca Loader
and in every other way unsuitable for university?

Maybe.
University requires more self-discipline and motivation than school.

BUAHAHAHAHA.
The work NEVER stops. NEVER.
(ahem)

Alun Harford

(Now off to the bar to drink and... talk about work)

a***@gmail.com

2012-07-25 10:46:19 UTC