Schols Schols Schols, information and venting thread.

Liquorice

t0mm wrote: »

And now for something completely different.

I am thinking of doing schols next year, what are the exams like for history/english? Are they the same structure and style as normal exams, and just require more detail, or are they of a completely different ilk altogether? What topics were asked, or is it literally everything? Thanks.

For English, make an effort with this year's summer exams to read a big chunk of background stuff and make good notes on it, 'cause it means when you sit back down to study next Michaelmas or Christmas or a month before exams, you can put Paper 2, or whatever the first year paper becomes, on the back-burner and you won't have to fight with first years over 'Desire and Domestic Fiction' or 'Inventing Ireland'. A proximal reward is good marks this summer too.

HoboJesus

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

Will previous schol papers be representative of next year's exam, though? Considering they're moving it forward to January, I imagine there'll be less of an emphasis on 2nd year material and more on 1st... Hope they give some (or lots!) of sample papers for it.

No, they definitely won't be the same as before, and as mentioned above, I think they have to give out a sample paper. This could be very good, as when my second year linear algebra lecturer made sample papers, he basically just copy pasted the actual schol exam and changed the numbers. It was amazing.

Don't quote me on this but, considering they never touched it before, I doubt they'll delve into first year material, at least not in our faculty. I imagine (and have heard rumours) that it'll just be fewer or shorter papers. This doesn't necessarily make it easier however since it's earlier in the year. That's my guess anyway.

Karlusss

Liquorice wrote: »

For English, make an effort with this year's summer exams to read a big chunk of background stuff and make good notes on it, 'cause it means when you sit back down to study next Michaelmas or Christmas or a month before exams, you can put Paper 2, or whatever the first year paper becomes, on the back-burner

I agree with these sentiments.

I did both English and History and it really, really, really does help if you have well-prepared, detailed notes for first year stuff. Whatever about any uphill climbs against second year you might encounter, you don't want to be going from a bad basis of knowledge of your first year stuff, maybe having to re-read stuff, to start from scratch with finding secondary stuff... yeah, make good notes.

In fact, steadily do as much as you can as you go along. I don't mean start cramming like crazy, and I know it's a cliche, but if you can do it little by little it'll make it so much easier when you get to the cramming stage.

mathew

HoboJesus wrote: »

No, they definitely won't be the same as before, and as mentioned above, I think they have to give out a sample paper. This could be very good, as when my second year linear algebra lecturer made sample papers, he basically just copy pasted the actual schol exam and changed the numbers. It was amazing.

Don't quote me on this but, considering they never touched it before, I doubt they'll delve into first year material, at least not in our faculty. I imagine (and have heard rumours) that it'll just be fewer or shorter papers. This doesn't necessarily make it easier however since it's earlier in the year. That's my guess anyway.

We had a course change in one of engineering subjects this year. The sample paper wasnt really like the exam at all. Couple of the questions were a lot more difficult.

As for first year stuff, there is a very strong possibility it will be examined. We will only have covered 12 weeks of the second year course, which most likely wont contain enough to be examined in a Schols exam..

JC 2K3

Wonder if they'd set a different schol paper for SF and JS students next year, since they'd be based on different amounts of material studied in SF. I know 3/4 years ago there were two schol papers in one or two subjects because the courses changed.

I'm quite happy that they're in Jan next year, not too long away. I could almost treat the exams I've just done like mock exams. :P

I'm in two minds whether to actually try again or not though. The exams are doable, but the last few weeks have been one of the most mentally exhausting and lonely times of my life.

tolosenc

JC 2K3 wrote: »

I'm in two minds whether to actually try again or not though. The exams are doable, but the last few weeks have been one of the most mentally exhausting and lonely times of my life.

Postpone those thoughts till after Trinity Monday, eh?

scruttocks

HoboJesus wrote: »

No, they definitely won't be the same as before, and as mentioned above, I think they have to give out a sample paper.

One of the great myths: I've never seen any evidence for it, I took a new course this year and the lecturer did not give out a Schols sample paper despite persistent questioning and tutor involvement.

JC 2K3

I'm not in college today, but according to friends on MSN and IRC, my student number is under the exemptions list on the CS noticeboard....

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats!

Unregistered.

Well Done.

tolosenc

Yep, it's there JC! Me too! And Stephen!

3 CSLLs also got partial exemptions.

Podge_irl

Well done folks. Now begins the hideous wait til Trinity Monday...

Sir Ophiuchus

Uggh, my list of exemptions isn't out till tomorrow and I won't be in college. Will have to ask someone to check if I'm on it....

Aine, up for a spot of Good-Samaritaning?

Liquorice

Sir Ophiuchus wrote: »

Uggh, my list of exemptions isn't out till tomorrow and I won't be in college. Will have to ask someone to check if I'm on it....

Aine, up for a spot of Good-Samaritaning?

Of course m'dear. PM me your phone number and I'll send a text. D'you know the specific noticeboard they're going up on? Is there a supersecret TSM noticeboard I've never seen?

Congrats to everyone else!

mathew

obl wrote: »

Yep, it's there JC! Me too! And Stephen!

3 CSLLs also got partial exemptions.

Nice one.. Congrats..
Its a long wait till Thursday for me

bright

Exempt. Thanks be to god. Relief, nothing but relief.

Awayindahils

bright wrote: »

Exempt. Thanks be to god. Relief, nothing but relief.

Well done!!!

scruttocks

exempt. BANG!

Karlusss

Liquorice wrote: »

D'you know the specific noticeboard they're going up on? Is there a supersecret TSM noticeboard I've never seen?

I concur with this sentiment, I have no idea where the hell I'm supposed to be looking.

Sir Ophiuchus

I PM'd this to Liquorice, but I just realised other people might need to know.

The Sooper Sekrit TSM noticeboard is in the Nassau Street Arts Block entrance to Trinity, on your left as you enter from Nassau Street (yes, just past the art gallery). It's had notices on it for a while saying that the exemption list is going up at 6pm today.

shay_562

Congrats Bright! (and everyone else, natch) - this is deadly, all the RL people I know have been getting them!

Sir Ophiuchus

Exemptions in both subjects!!! Yes! How did other folks do?

Kwekubo

Not only does our department not grant exemptions, but our normal exam results are being withheld until after Trinity Monday. And going by last year, they won't give hints in advance as to who should turn up in Parliament Square on the day.

*grumble*

Liquorice

Exemptions in both subjects! Just in from a liquid dinner and a delightfully unproductive day. I had to text three people and was so worried about giving bad news but it was in fact good news for all! Anyone else shocked by the very short TSM exemptions list? I thought wayyyy more people were taking 'em and wayyyy more people were likely to do well.

evercloserunion

Exempt in one subject - kind of like a "thank you for playing!"

mathew

Sir Ophiuchus wrote: »

Exemptions in both subjects!!! Yes! How did other folks do?

Well done.. Does that mean no summer exams?

/eagerly awaits 4pm tomorrow...

mathew

YAY.. exempt!!!

claire h

Congrats all!

Brods

Kwekubo wrote: »

Not only does our department not grant exemptions, but our normal exam results are being withheld until after Trinity Monday. And going by last year, they won't give hints in advance as to who should turn up in Parliament Square on the day.

*grumble*

CVNTS...

mathew

So does anyone know how Trinity Monday works?
What happens? Who's meant to go (parents?)
Do they send us out details and stuff??