Access Course Lecture

Chet T16

I've applied for the access to science and engineering course in UCD and i've got a letter now asking me to attend a lecture towards the end of the month.

The letter says "following the lecture all applicants will be required to write their impressions of the talk"

The letter is quite vague so i've no idea what the subject of the lecture is but i'm guessing its purpose is to assess peoples ability to listen etc? I'm assuming (hoping) that "following the lecture" is defined as going home and having a day or two to get whats in your head onto some paper rather than scribbling on the back of a napkin immediately afterwards

Has anyone had to go to one of these? My wife is attending UCD as a mature student and she didn't have to but then is isn't doing science and engineering

Any clues as to what to expect would be appreciated as its been ten years since i had to anything acedemics and i'm really quite nervous about it all

Thanks

Slippers

Maybe bring an A4 pad and biro incase you want to take a couple of notes during the lecture. It will give you somewhere to start when you come to writing your impressions. They might just be interested in whether you thought the speaker was going too fast or too slow and that sort of stuff, rather than the actual content of the lecture.

Young Siward

I wouldn't be nervous at all, I teach one of the access modules - and we generally don't bite. I normally set it quite informally anyway...

Chet T16

Yeah i had intended bringing a notepad, i think the wife is two steps away from packing me off with a spiderman backpack with everything i need!

I've no doubt that once i get there i'll wonder why i was worried about it at all but until then i can't help but be a bit nervous. Its there to narrow down the applicants and as they say, forwarned is forearmed

IKOS

Young Siward wrote: »

I wouldn't be nervous at all, I teach one of the access modules - and we generally don't bite. I normally set it quite informally anyway...

And I can confirm that Young Siward does not bite!!! The lectures were very interesting!!


I was on Access to Commerce though, not Science!

Are you back on Commerce this year?

PS - All the Adult Ed staff and Teachers/Lecture Staff on the course are excellent!

Larianne

I'm going to this lecture as well. You don't need to bring paper with you just a pen/biro. (I've annoyed Thomond with so many questions!) Haven't a clue about the lecture either. My guess is the same as yours that it's to see if people can listen and take notes.

The lecture is in Theatre E in the Science Hub. I'll be coming from town on the 46A. Can someone give me directions from the bus stop to the lecture hall or is it signposted well?

Économiste Monétaire

The lecture is in Theatre E in the Science Hub. I'll be coming from town on the 46A. Can someone give me directions from the bus stop to the lecture hall or is it signposted well?

Come off the bus - walk straight for about 30 metres and up 3 sets of steps - keep walking passed "O'Reilly hall" and to the other side of the lake. Then take a right and continue passed the book shop and go straight until you see a flight of stairs to your right - it's about 70 metres from the book shop.

Walk up those steps and into the South Science building. Through two sets of doors and then another door & over a bridge to the building connecting to you (you'll see the door for this 'bridge' when you enter the south building). Th.E is on that floor when you enter into Hub from South Science building. There are only 3 lecture halls there, Th.E should have its name above the door.

boneless

cammai wrote: »

And I can confirm that Young Siward does not bite!!! The lectures were very interesting!!


I was on Access to Commerce though, not Science!

Are you back on Commerce this year?

PS - All the Adult Ed staff and Teachers/Lecture Staff on the course are excellent!

I totally agree with the last comment. The staff, admin and teaching, are really friendly and helpful. They will go out of their way to assist a willing student.

Chet T16

Well this is all good

Still crapping myself!

Slippers

UCD_Econ wrote: »

Come off the bus - walk straight for about 30 metres and up 3 sets of steps - keep walking passed "O'Reilly hall" and to the other side of the lake. Then take a right and continue passed the book shop and go straight until you see a flight of stairs to your right - it's about 70 metres from the book shop.

Walk up those steps and into the South Science building. Through two sets of doors and then another door & over a bridge to the building connecting to you (you'll see the door for this 'bridge' when you enter the south building). Th.E is on that floor when you enter into Hub from South Science building. There are only 3 lecture halls there, Th.E should have its name above the door.

Good directions, I just want to add that if your coming from town you have to cross the bridge over the dual carriageway first, and, going in that way theater E is back-left.

There are maps available at www.ucd.ie/maps

The above route in MS Paint:



If you want, you can take a shortcut through the carpark and into number 21, then go up the stairs and across the bridge.

Larianne

Thanks Slippers. Yeah I knew to cross the bridge and then found that map on the website, eventually.

Chet T16 - you're my competition! Best of luck!!

Chet T16

I'm going to get there first and change the signs

My wife is a student there so we're going to pop up during the week to see exactly where it is. Seems simple enough from what everyone is saying anyway

Économiste Monétaire

Larianne wrote: »

Thanks Slippers. Yeah I knew to cross the bridge and then found that map on the website, eventually.

Chet T16 - you're my competition! Best of luck!!

You have to compete for places? i.e. go to one lecture and at the end take an exam - highest marks get the place?

Chet T16

From the letter:

Following the lecture all applicants will be required to write their impressions of the talk. Applicants will then be selected for interview. As this lecture is part of the application process it is imperative that you attend

Larianne

Yeah the course is over subscribed so from whatever we write after the lecture will determine whether we get called for an interview, for a place on the course! Not easy, eh!

Chet T16

Well, its over and done with.

Feckin hand cramp!

IKOS

Chet T16 wrote: »

Well, its over and done with.

Feckin hand cramp!

Well, how did it go? Was it as good/bad as you thought? Hope all went well for ya!!

Larianne

Talk was on DNA fingerprinting. We had to then regurgitate what he said. I wrote what he said I just don't know if it made any sense.

Chet T16

Yeah i think it was ok, especially considering i've never done anything like that. At one point i found myself just listening to what he was saying and not taking notes. Just for a second or two but i gave myself a fright!

Larianne, good to see you made it. I wasn't going to ask everyone if they were you

Larianne

Yeah that be funny "Are you from the internet?" "Eh no, I'm from planet earth ya freak!".

Well good luck on Monday or whenever Thomond (who I thought was a man!!) rings/emails the select few.

Chet T16

Larianne wrote: »

Well good luck on Monday or whenever Thomond (who I thought was a man!!) rings/emails the select few.

Yeah, likewise, best of luck

Hahaa yeah i was full sure it was a man and i had completely got the pronunciation of her name wrong!

Économiste Monétaire

Best of luck gentlemen, and ladies. You both seem very eager, and interested, to learn more about the subject

boneless

Chet T16 wrote: »

Yeah, likewise, best of luck

Hahaa yeah i was full sure it was a man and i had completely got the pronunciation of her name wrong!

Thomand is a really lovely person. She's so helpful .

Good Luck to ye all!!!

Larianne

I got called to interview tomorrow. YAY. So what do you think, suit or smart casual to interview? I'm thinking suit but is it a tad too much??

Also, is the library building the one that faces the lake?

Chet T16

I haven't heard anything

Économiste Monétaire

Larianne wrote: »

I got called to interview tomorrow. YAY. So what do you think, suit or smart casual to interview? I'm thinking suit but is it a tad too much??

Also, is the library building the one that faces the lake?

Yeah it's the building opposite the lake. The Campus Bookshop is beside it.

Larianne

Well I got a place on the course! Start on the 22nd September.

Chet T16- I'm sorry that you were unlucky in getting a place on the course. Here a few courses that I was thinking of doing if I didn't get a place in UCD.

Colaiste Dhulaigh in Coolock has a pre university science course, a Health science course and also a Preliminary Engineering course available. Although these are full time, 1 year courses.

Also at Colaiste Ide in Finglas they have Preparatory Science Studies.

Check out the Open University as well. These courses are well regarded by universities.

DIT have a number of part time courses that might be suitable for you.

Good Luck!!

IKOS

Larianne wrote: »

Well I got a place on the course! Start on the 22nd September.

Chet T16- I'm sorry that you were unlucky in getting a place on the course. Here a few courses that I was thinking of doing if I didn't get a place in UCD.

Colaiste Dhulaigh in Coolock has a pre university science course, a Health science course and also a Preliminary Engineering course available. Although these are full time, 1 year courses.

Also at Colaiste Ide in Finglas they have Preparatory Science Studies.

Check out the Open University as well. These courses are well regarded by universities.

DIT have a number of part time courses that might be suitable for you.

Good Luck!!

Congratulations Larianne!

I would say you are delighted now, at least all the worry/waiting is over!!!

And Chet T16 - I am very sory to hear you are not on the course this year. I am sure something will turn up for you and everything will work out for the best.

Best of Luck Larianne! And enjoy the year ahead, I'm sure it will be great! And welcome to UCD!

Chet T16

I got a letter in the post this morning from Thomond explaining how i was unsuccessful but this afternoon she rang to say someone had dropped out so i have an interview Thursday

She said she'd let me know there and then so fingers and toes crossed for me please!

I have my eye on a few other courses if it doesn't work out but i'm going to stay positive!

Larianne

Best of luck!!! They are very nice so don't be scared! Just ask lots of questions and know where you want to go after the course.

Interview is in the library building, which is the building beside the lake (as if you're looking across it to RTE) and the coffee shop is on the ground floor. The Adult Education Centre in directly upstairs above it. You can ask someone in the Library for directions if you get lost.

Chet T16

Yey!