Schols Schols Schols, information and venting thread.

Kbeg3

All over! don't care anymore, so relieved

sganyfx

Anyone recommend any reading for mathematics schols?

Mr Pseudonym

sganyfx wrote: »

Anyone recommend any reading for mathematics schools?

ride-the-spiral

sganyfx wrote: »

Anyone recommend any reading for mathematics schools?

For next year?

sganyfx

ride-the-spiral wrote: »

For next year?

I'm afraid so.

ride-the-spiral

sganyfx wrote: »

I'm afraid so.

It's way too early to worry about schols. Keep it in the back of your mind but there's not much to be gained by starting this early. You might be tempted to study over summer (I know I was) but when it came to first term I quickly realised how fruitless it would've been.

I'm fairly sure that anybody I know that has gotten schols in maths or TP has done so based on the work done between September and January. The only thing that might help is to make sure you can do group theory and linear algebra well as they come up in one of the maths papers.

EuropeanSon

sganyfx wrote: »

I'm afraid so.

The relevant lecturers' notes. Landau-Lif****z, if you do mechanics. The various guides to Simms available online. That's all you need. Probably.

EuropeanSon

ride-the-spiral wrote: »

It's way too early to worry about schols. Keep it in the back of your mind but there's not much to be gained by starting this early. You might be tempted to study over summer (I know I was) but when it came to first term I quickly realised how fruitless it would've been.

I'm fairly sure that anybody I know that has gotten schols in maths or TP has done so based on the work done between September and January. The only thing that might help is to make sure you can do group theory and linear algebra well as they come up in one of the maths papers.

Oh and this, absolutely. Nobody I know who got schols in maths or TP did any work until October, myself included.

sganyfx

Okay thanks for the advise guys

kitten7

Do we really only find out if we were successful at the ceremony on Trinity Monday? Like you don't get an email before hand to say yay or nay?

andrew

kitten7 wrote: »

Do we really only find out if we were successful at the ceremony on Trinity Monday? Like you don't get an email before hand to say yay or nay?

If you do BESS you'll get a call which suggests that you attend the ceremony on the Monday. Other than that, as far as I know nobody finds out before hand; or if they do, it's by similar means.

234

kitten7 wrote: »

Do we really only find out if we were successful at the ceremony on Trinity Monday? Like you don't get an email before hand to say yay or nay?

In some smaller schools people occasionally get a suggestive email/call. You definitely won't have anybody calling to say that you haven't gotten it.

For the vast majority, you will only find out on Trinity Monday, it's part of the experience.

Bears and Vodka

andrew wrote: »

If you do BESS you'll get a call which suggests that you attend the ceremony on the Monday. Other than that, as far as I know nobody finds out before hand; or if they do, it's by similar means.

Not anymore you don't. "Higher powers" have been really strict about this in the last two years, apparently. JO'H was telling us about this.

Mr Pseudonym

Does anyone have an opinion on what a compromise could be? On the one hand, you want as many as possible, of those who partook in the institution that is Schols, to be present on Trinity Monday (not just the hundred or so who were successful). And, notice in advance would likely substantially reduce the attendance of those who were unsuccessful. But, it seems awfully cruel for those who go with their friends (and, possibly, families) and are not elected. And it's a shame for those who are elected but don't get to feel the sense of elation upon having their name called (and not get to play marbles!) cause they were too nervous to attend.

If they are going to continue the hard-nosed approach, perhaps one ought to have to pay a deposit of sorts on applying for Schols, and they only get that back if they sit all their exams and are present on TM.

234

I really don't see what the issue is. It's a completely voluntary institution. Nobody is being forced to take schols, let alone attend Trinity Monday.

People know that the whole thing is a big risk, this includes going or not going to Trinity Monday.

Polka_Dot

Do you find out what you got in each exam at any point, even if unsuccessful? I only sat half of mine but I'm curious about what grade I got in one.

stealinhorses

for science exams last year you could ask for specific exam results in the course office

Polka_Dot

I'm in science so that's perfect, thanks

Undeadfred

Hey I'm in TP and I'm planning on sitting Schols next year. I'm thinking of studying over summer to maximise my chances of getting it. Any opinions on this?

Also I've been told different things about what to cover for the exam. Is it just up to the 1st term of second year or will there be stuff from the 2nd term of second year on the exam?

One last thing - did they get rid of the exemption from end of year exams if you get over 60%?

Mr Pseudonym

Undeadfred wrote: »

Hey I'm in TP and I'm planning on sitting Schols next year. I'm thinking of studying over summer to maximise my chances of getting it. Any opinions on this?

Also I've been told different things about what to cover for the exam. Is it just up to the 1st term of second year or will there be stuff from the 2nd term of second year on the exam?

One last thing - did they get rid of the exemption from end of year exams if you get over 60%?

Regarding the bolded: yes, they did!

I'm not qualified to comment, Undeadfred, but the answer you're going to get, from someone who is, is that there's no benefit to JF-summer study because almost all of what's on the exam is SF material, and because you will end up burning yourself out.


A general question: is it just me or is it only TPs and Maths-ers who ask that question?! I never see anyone asking, "What Constitutional Law textbook should I read instead of having a fun summer?"

partyatmygaff

You never see anyone asking in public... others have some shame

I know a few pharmacy schols (and hopefuls) who did study over the summer.

Undeadfred

Mr Pseudonym wrote: »

Regarding the bolded: yes, they did!

I'm not qualified to comment, Undeadfred, but the answer you're going to get, from someone who is, is that there's no benefit to JF-summer study because almost all of what's on the exam is SF material, and because you will end up burning yourself out.


A general question: is it just me or is it only TPs and Maths-ers who ask that question?! I never see anyone asking, "What Constitutional Law textbook should I read instead of having a fun summer?"

I was thinking more along the lines of covering the SF material the will be on the exam over the summer, then when term time comes round all the lectures will be like revision

Mr Pseudonym

Undeadfred wrote: »

I was thinking more along the lines of covering the SF material the will be on the exam over the summer, then when term time comes round all the lectures will be like revision

I think you'd find that that would be a challenge without lectures and the motivation that college gives. Plus, you'd have a considerable work-load. But, like I said, I can't really comment. Search this thread for keywords like "Summer" and "Next year" to see the numerous previous responses to that question.

Fringe

Don't bother. I didn't study until reading week. I think studying 6 months before an exam is pointless and you're going to forget it and have to study it all again.

Undeadfred

I think I'm gonna study over summer anyway. I'd feel guilty next term if i didn't, plus it increases my chances of getting Schols

does anyone here know what TP modules are on the exam? I want to know before Summer break so i can get my hands on the books

Sparticle

Undeadfred wrote: »

I think I'm gonna study over summer anyway. I'd feel guilty next term if i didn't, plus it increases my chances of getting Schols

does anyone here know what TP modules are on the exam? I want to know before Summer break so i can get my hands on the books

It's kind of pointless tbh. You get the best return if you start working around mid October. What will happen is you'll start out full of enthusiasm in July and then get frustrated, take a break, forget everything you've done and repeat the cycle. You then start getting worried as you imagine not getting schols and having wasted a summer.

It would be much more beneficial to get a job or learn some programming languages rather than spending 2-3 hours trying to understand something that could be covered in 2 minutes in a lecture.

I never understand why people are so keen to try teach themselves material which will be taught to them next year; you go to college and pay for those lectures because trying to teach it to yourself will take much longer and have a greater chance of you getting it wrong than letting someone who knows their stuff explain it in the first instance :P

I've yet to meet someone who got Schols who studied over the summer, starting in October gives you plenty of time and lets you engage with the material while it is being taught to you!

Undeadfred

Sparticle wrote: »

It's kind of pointless tbh. You get the best return if you start working around mid October. What will happen is you'll start out full of enthusiasm in July and then get frustrated, take a break, forget everything you've done and repeat the cycle. You then start getting worried as you imagine not getting schols and having wasted a summer.

It would be much more beneficial to get a job or learn some programming languages rather than spending 2-3 hours trying to understand something that could be covered in 2 minutes in a lecture.

Personally I find i learn better when i teach myself/seek out the answer. Sometimes my mind wanders in lectures and i miss what the lecturer is saying. I also can't take down lecture notes and pay attention to what the lecturer is saying very well. Sometimes i just miss things...

I can understand about the Enthusiam bit though. Maybe it would be a better idea to start studying halfway or even two thirds through the summer so that I don't lose the Enthusiasm and motivation and I have the pressure of 'I have to cover x y and z before college starts'.

I'd prefer to try do a little bit over summer at least to maintain my mathematical ability and performance, rather than begin working once college starts and realise I have way more work that I thought i did and far less time. I'm pretty determined to go all out for this, I really wanna move out of my parents house...

ride-the-spiral

I still think your wasting your time. The difficulty of schols is not that of timing. I started studying pretty much the first or second week of college (after giving up trying to study over summer) and by the time the exams had come round I was relearning things I had forgotten. Three months is a lot longer than it seems, and as long as you take the right approach and study consistently, that'll be all you can do. When it comes round to it, the people who do and don't get schols aren't distinguished by the volume of study they did, it really comes down to natural aptitude, how well you can perform on the day and a good bit of luck.

Nobody who I know of who got schols in tp or maths studied over summer, and nobody I know who didn't get schols thinks it was because they should have done so.

Undeadfred

ride-the-spiral wrote: »

I still think your wasting your time. The difficulty of schols is not that of timing. I started studying pretty much the first or second week of college (after giving up trying to study over summer) and by the time the exams had come round I was relearning things I had forgotten. Three months is a lot longer than it seems, and as long as you take the right approach and study consistently, that'll be all you can do. When it comes round to it, the people who do and don't get schols aren't distinguished by the volume of study they did, it really comes down to natural aptitude, how well you can perform on the day and a good bit of luck.

Nobody who I know of who got schols in tp or maths studied over summer, and nobody I know who didn't get schols thinks it was because they should have done so.

That's a bit off putting...
personally I dont think of myself as distinguishably clever, I just consider myself to be hard working...
I was planning on going for the exam with the thought that if i studied enough, I'd get it....