what is uni like?

bluenose1988

littlepinkstars44 wrote: »

Ahh thanks, so a module is just a fancy name for a subject - got it! theres only 40 people doing this course all in, so i don't think it'll be that bad! Fingers crossed!

well it's not really a subject, rather a branch within the subject. For example, I do law (subject) which then branches out into several modules ie land/equity & trusts/ Obs B etc...

bluenose1988

littlepinkstars44 wrote: »

sorry whats cwk mean?

theres exams? like just little ones in class or big ones like the ones i had at school?

coursework sorry lol

and exams will again differ depending on how many people are on your course. Ours are massive, had to do the test in a huge building at Aintree Racecourse 300+ people sitting it, its horrible!!! argh, I hate examsssss!

littlepinkstars44

thanks, eek starting to rethink the whole idea now! might just settle with my hnd

GlasweJen

are you at coatbridge college by any chance? your lecturers seem exactly like mine were, more teachers than lecturers.

at uni you're given a time and place, you turn up with the rest of the class, in walks lecturer who delivers the lecture and then they go. If you need help you make an appointment, if you're late with an assignment then your grade will be capped, if you're consistently late then you're hauled up in front of the exam board to be toasted. If you forget a reference then it's plagarism and you get a big fat 0.

All that aside, uni is a genuinely good experience, just lots different to college, give it a go, you'll probably love it.

Oldernotwiser

littlepinkstars44 wrote: »

whats wrong with going to college?

An HND is degree level study and it's only comparatively recently that this level was taught in colleges. Standards of study should be the same wherever you study but your description shows that this isn't the case as it sounds as if you're going to have quite a big jump in standards for your top up year, whereas it should be quite seemless. That's why I said that teaching this level in colleges devalues the qualification; I speak as an ex college lecturer!

GlasweJen

I agree I did an HNC at college and then did first year at uni. Even though I passed the HNC really well (mostly merits) I found the difference in the HNC and my 1st year degree was a real eye opener and I'm glad I elected not to go direct to 2nd year as i would never have coped.

starsinmycrown

Probably in the minority here, but i loathed and detested uni, but this may be because i was 24 when i went and i missed the real world of work and other adults. Oh and the fact that I got over the novelty of drinking at about 20. The only redeeming aspect was a fit careers advisor and a lovely critical theory tutor...

it's hard to say what i disliked the most about uni, but certainly, like, in my top three? would be, like, everybody? like talking? using high rising terminal? and like, constantly, using "like", as a filler?

Lokolo

You what? What you say like? !!!!!! you on man?

blue_ashleigh

Uni is a great experience, it's blooming hard work, but it's good!

You will have to put in more individual study time than at college as you're not spoon-fed the information, you have to find it out for yourself, but I prefer that anyway. You do need to be fairly capable of working on your own as there's no-one demanding work or making sure you're turning up to lectures etc., if you don't do the work it's your own fault. But even my lazy bum friends eventually managed to get the hang of it :P

There tend to be less 'class' time than at college, but then there is more independent study.

kr15snw

With our uni attendance was also took into your grade. If you were more than 10 minutes late you were marked as absent, even if you were there for all bar the first 15 minutes (for example). And if your attendance got below 80% you had your funding took off you (which half my class discovered at the end of the first term) lol. But mainly it just effected your grade (I believe for us 20% of your grade for every project was done on attendance. So although you could pass your degree still, you couldnt get a 1st if you didnt turn up much!)

Although our marking scheme wasnt as harsh as others for lateness of handing in. If you were even 1 minute late (it was a computerised scheme were you had to scan your work in using the barcode on your uni id card, and the deadline was always 4pm on hand in day) then you instantly could only get a pass (a 2.1 no higher) no matter how good the project was. If you were 2 weeks late then you failed, instantly.

If you failed any project you were pretty screwed, lol. You needed to at least pass every project if you wanted to get your degree!

So yeh, its pretty hard. Lol.