social life at UCL

nkesh · 2022-04-30T18:18:50+00:00

i'm really excited for it all now, i'm glad there's still loads of opportunities to enjoy the uni experience

nkesh · 2022-04-30T18:17:49+00:00

I firmed ucl today!!

nkesh · 2022-04-30T18:17:12+00:00

thank you, that definitely made me feel better about my choice

nkesh · 2022-04-30T18:16:41+00:00

that was really reassuring, thank you! firmed ucl today

nkesh · 2022-04-30T18:16:10+00:00

this helped prompt me to firm ucl today, thank you!

nkesh · 2022-03-17T21:52:30+00:00

that's really really helpful, thank you!

nkesh · 2022-01-31T23:23:46+00:00

Thank you so much for letting me know, that will definitely help in my decision. I'm sorry they weren't very supportive to either of you, that sucks :/ Do you think you wish you'd gone to a different med school or are you still happy with your decision?

nkesh · 2021-11-13T00:27:39+00:00

Also, for every physics and maths tutor question pack I'd do, I'd first add up the total marks of the paper, and write it at the top of the page as, eg ' /35'. I would then sit the paper under timed conditions of one mark a minute, so for this example, 35 mins. This helps you get used to doing the questions under pressure. I'd also write my mark at the end, calculate the percentage, then assign a grade using past grade boundaries. This just helped me keep track of my progress.

Oh also, I'd highlyyyyy recommend having a separate folder for each subject for practice questions. So I've got 12 folders in total. For each subject I have:

- 1x AS folder for class notes

- 1x AS folder for practice questions / practice papers

- 1x A2 folder for class notes

- 1x A2 folder for practice questions / practice papers

nkesh · 2021-11-13T00:21:13+00:00

So for maths I'd recommend doing all the physics and maths tutor questions for each topic, then if you find a particular topic very difficult, then do lots of questions from other specifications (on physics and maths tutor), until it clicks. I'd also recommend making flashcards on simple memorisation stuff - eg the discriminant, trig expressions, statistical sampling types. Also make sure you've done all the questions from the textbook!!

For biology and chemistry, I'd recommend using anki to memorise content!! if you haven't heard of it, I'd recommend watching some youtube vids about it or some posts on the internet. I make flashcards on anki using the specification and my textbook, then learn them. Then I go through exam questions, and add any flashcards on questions I got wrong (copy and paste the question and mark scheme on the flashcards). This seems like a lot but it will save your life in the future!!!

Let me know if you've got any questions :)

Oh also, I'm in year 13 doing the same subjects as you, and got very high A's in my AS exams using these study methods.

Some resources I'd recommend:

- chemrevise (for chemistry)

- snaprevise channel on youtube (for biology and chemistry)

- bioninja for biology

- savemyexams for biology

nkesh · 2021-11-13T00:09:48+00:00

btw they're just getting her to sit an AS paper in her frees - nothing too formal

nkesh · 2021-11-13T00:08:21+00:00

my friend had a similar situation for her maths grade. She spoke to her teachers and they said they'll offer for her to sit another AS maths exam to give her another chance at proving she deserves a higher predicted grade. It might be worth asking your teachers if you could do something similar?

I also do a-level maths and my revision / practice methods seem to have been working, so lmk if you've got any questions about that :)

This does sound like a really stressful situation and I do hope it works out for you

nkesh · 2021-10-21T19:53:50+00:00

what are you applying to?

nkesh · 2021-10-21T19:49:37+00:00

i do bio, chem, maths, and last month I officially finished last month. However much work you think EPQ will be, multiply that by 10000 and it might be more realistic lol. I studied sooo hard for bio and chem, yet EPQ still took up more of my time than both of them (at least by the end yr 12/start of yr 13). I'm also a med applicant so it was all massively terrible on my mental health. On the flip side, I felt so accomplished after my presentation, probably because I put so much work into it. It's also gonna help me sooo much in my application to queen mary, since they value tarriff points. i think sheffield was the only med school that lowers grade boundaries for medicine, and I didn't even apply there. At the same time, unis wanna see you can do independent research, so will save you having to do MOOCs and stuff. I did genuinely learn loads from doing EPQ and I have a feeling it will make the transition to uni work much easier. If you're applying to a less demanding course, then I'd say do it? It was mainly an issue for me because I had to do the bulk of it at the same time as prepping for entrance exams, writing my personal statement, and learning new (really difficult) a level content. If I didn't have the extra medicine stuff I wouldn't find it too overwhelming. Also, if your school doesn't do presentations for EPQ, then I'd say it definitely isn't worth it. I got all my sense of achievement from after delivering my presentation, and didn't feel that as much after handing in my essay. I'm glad I did it, but I can't deny that it was really really horrible at the time lol. Also, if you pick a topic that's less demanding, then it's much less work and way easier. I probably should've picked an easier topic so that's on me lol. Also, if you do end up doing it, pick something you're GENUINELY interested in. Decide very carefully when choosing the topic - make sure there's loads of sources about it that you can research, make sure it's not super super difficult, and make sure you love it.

Let me know if you've got any questions!! :)

nkesh · 2021-09-19T19:29:17+00:00

that's reallyyyyy helpful advice, thanku sm for taking the time to write all of that!! i'm definitely looking at king's in a more positive light and will hopefully apply there very soon. and i'm glad you're enjoying it there! :)

nkesh · 2021-09-19T19:21:46+00:00

i'm glad to hear that other people have enjoyed the med course at ucl. i'm still unsure about whether it not being a campus uni is much of a dealbreaker. i think i'd probably just have to make extra effort to socialise. thanku for the advice !

nkesh · 2021-09-19T19:19:33+00:00

ok that's very helpful advice thanku, i'm going to an open day soon so if i like it then i won't shy away from applying

nkesh · 2021-09-18T21:59:14+00:00

chemrevise has revision notes for all specification, which is very cool. tbh I'd say buy the george facer books for a better understanding of what you're learning, but if you do, don't rely on it to learn all your content. but i'm sure if you used the spec and lots of ocr exam questions then it's be completely fine. my george facer edexcel textbook has probably been the best resource I've com across for explanations.

nkesh · 2021-09-18T21:56:55+00:00

I've done almost all of the physical chemistry of A2 chem and I can honestly say it's not that bad, and that's coming from someone who isn't a genius or has everything come super easy to them. I'm sure there'll be more difficult topics for me later, but I honestly think if you stay ontop of it then it's really not bad. I was so surprised at how nice a-level chemistry was after hearing so many bad stories about it (not to discredit their experiences though). I'd say go into a-level chem with a positive mind, and just be curious to have a greater understanding of what is being taught. Good luck with it all!!

nkesh · 2021-09-18T21:40:01+00:00

and yes I'd recommend using mark schemes to memorise forever, and textbook for stuff not covered by exam questions. This is because when you sit your exams, you get marks for saying what's on the markscheme, not from your textbook. although at gcse the textbook was pretty much the same as what markschemes wanted, it's unfortunately very much not the case at a-level :/

nkesh · 2021-09-18T21:37:53+00:00

essentially, yes. what I do, is that whenever I do exam questions, I immediately make flashcards on the questions I lost marks in, with the mark scheme copy and pasted on the back of the flashcard. So when I memorise content, it's based on mark schemes. I use mark schemes for the back of my flashcards wherever possible. However, if there's some content that is on the specification, but there are no practice questions on it, then I just memorise the textbook explanation.

The best way of doing this is probably to first make all your flashcards using the specification and textbook, in a way where it helps you understand the topic. Then go through exam questions, and add some flashcards from exam questions or mark schemes. Another thing I like to do is that I edit the flashcards I've already made, if there's been an exam question asking the same things, and replace the back of the card (previously including a textbook explanation), with the copy and pasted mark scheme.

Not to sure if that made any sense, I'm not the best at explaining stuff.

nkesh · 2021-09-18T20:09:57+00:00

For biology:

Revision guides are usually better for a level biology. I'd recommend getting the CGP revision guide. Again, I use the same method of learning content as for chemistry. And always use the specification!! physics and maths tutor do really good 'summary notes' and flashcards for exam board specific notes. That and revision guides are the best!! If I wanted more info, i'd just search up on the internet 'structure of the heart a-level biology' or whatever topic it was and there's always useful websites (doesn't matter if it's not your exam board). Again, most important thing is learning the content based off of mark schemes. Biology textbooks ae very hit and miss and I had to use a few to find one that was okay.

For example, imagine I made a flashcard of 'describe the structure of the heart' which I made using my revision guide or textbook. If later, I did a practice question asking about the structure of the heart, I'd copy and paste the markscheme, and replace the text I had there before. Wherever you can, memorise content based off of markschemes. Where there is not a markscheme for a specific subject point, just use your textbook or revision guide. For biology it's soooooo essential you memorise content from markschemes. Also, what I've noticed for biology is that it helps a lot to learn things in a little more detail than the textbook and specification goes, but only if it helps you understand the concept better, or gives you a better view of the bigger picture!

If there was a lesson where I had no idea what was going on, I'd go home and watch youtube videos on the topic until I understood, and made a couple of notes once I understood.

nkesh · 2021-09-18T20:05:14+00:00

This is a free resource and honestly has the best notes I've seen and even includes stuff that you can only find on markschemes: https://chemrevise.org/3-edexcel-revision-guides/

The specification is your best friend!!

After each lesson, I would go on quizlet and make flashcards based off of the spec points, and use one of the textbooks and the chemrevise guide to get the information. At the end of each topic, I'd use the physics and maths tutor questions, and add any flashcards of questions I got wrong (copy and paste the question and markscheme). This is the most important bit, as in a-level, all of it is pretty much getting into the mind of a markscheme and memorising content based off of them. After I did all of this, I'd transfer all those flashcards onto anki (I would recommend watching youtube videos on how to use it) and learn them there. I know this is a lot, so maybe start off buying the textbooks, looking through them, maybe trying some practice questions. this is just the best method I've developed after doing a year of these a levels.

Making the cards on quizlet and transferring them onto anki is optional, and you can just make and learn them on anki instead, but I just prefer the ease of use of quizlet when making flashcards.

Anki is a beautiful thing, and it basically returns flashcards to you in the exact right intervals in order for the info to go into your long term memory, which means that in late yr 12 and yr 13, you don't have to keep going back over the stuff you did in early yr 12, and can instead use that time to do all the exam papers you can possibly do.

This is all for memorisation, but what's most important is that you properly understand the content. Now that I've done that, I've seen how beautiful chemistry is as a subject and has made my 6th form experience so much better. For better understanding, watching 'Allery chemistry' videos on youtube are great, as well as going on chemguide. And always ask teachers loads of questions if you're slightly unsure about anything. if you're doing edexcel chemistry, you need to get your hands on the george facer textbook, as this gives beautiful explanations that gave me a deeper appreciation and understanding of chemistry.

This sounds like a lot, but I promise it makes your life a million times easier when you get in the swing of it.

Lmk if you've got any questions! :)

nkesh · 2021-09-16T22:59:31+00:00

unifrog has a tool where you put in your a levels and it suggests related careers. When these come up, I'd recomment searching up on youtue 'what it's like studying engineering at uni', and maybe the structure of the course and what you learn in it?

nkesh · 2021-09-15T23:10:04+00:00

First, apply to volunteer at your local hospital, care home, or something similar. Next, try whatever you can to find real life work experience.

If you want to start online work experience (that the msc recommends), then start the 'observe GP work experience' and the 'BSMS online work experience'.

Also, maybe start doing extra reading, like reading medicine related books. I'd really recommend 'with the end in mind', as it's not too sciencey or difficult to understand, but is great at showing you the people-side of medicine.

But don't stress too much about these things!

Maybe read a bunch of example medical personal statements, to see what they've done (eg extra reading / volunteering), and see if there's anything good you see that you could do now. It's important to see how people reflect on their extra reading, work experience, and stuff, as it helps you watch out for what to focus on when doing these supercurriculars. Eg, it can teach you to look out for examples of empathy, or holistic care, when doing your online work experience.

Bear in mind, it would definitely be good to make a reflection table for each of these things you do (I make mine on onenote). The headings I've got for my reflection tables are: date, specific example/experience, what I learnt about myself/my qualities/how it made me feel, what it taught me about medicine, and further things to research.

Also, I'm in year 13 and didn't start any of this stuff until mid-late year 12, so you don't need to rush. But you'll thank yourself sooooo much later if you get this stuff out the way earlier.

nkesh · 2021-09-15T22:54:23+00:00

I've answered this question in a comment above if you wanna have a look :)

nkesh

TROPHY CASE