#take my admission exams to uni for example | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

studywithdanielle · 4 years ago

Text

How to Study For: Uni Entrance Exams

14 JUL 2020

Hey guys! I’m currently studying for the TSA and I thought it would be helpful for me to consolidate my process so I can look back on it. Then I remembered that I have a studyblr (woop woop 🎉!) and that I can possibly help others by posting it on here.

NOTE: This is a strategy for exams consisting of multiple choice or short answer questions. If you’d like me to cover essay question prep, just let me know 🥰 !

Btw, I’m a conceptual learner that likes formulas so if this sounds like a rocket launch countdown, I deeply apologise ?.

What You’ll Need:

Internet - I mean, what don’t we use it for these days?

Practise papers

Practise questions

Phase 1 - Preparation

Step 1: Don’t panic

Okay you can panic a little, especially if you’ve left it late but not all hope is lost!

Yes, I know the ‘duh, duh, duh!!!’ didn’t help but panicking will only make you feel overwhelmed and will make the exam seem impossible. Here’s what you should do instead:

Step 2: Find out what the university actually wants

Why do they have an entrance exam anyway?

Especially in the UK, most universities don’t have an entrance exam so if they do, there’s a reason and you’re going to be Sherlock Holmes and find out why that is. Whilst it may seem like they’re trying to traumatise you, I don’t think they particularly enjoy marking a zillion papers 🤧.

What do they expect?

For most university courses, there are a grade requirements and knowing what those are is really helpful for setting your own expectations. If your course (likes mine) doesn’t require maths and there are maths problems on the exam, they won’t be at A-level, IB HL or AP standard.

What score should I be aiming for?

This links to the previous question but finding admissions stats for your subject will help you determine a mark that you’re aiming for. Many of these tests are not designed for really high marks so releasing that expectation early will save you a great deal of stress.

What skills are they testing?

For some entrance exams, the university will list out the skills they’re testing in their entrance exam. Practising these skills broadly will help you to develop them. For example, if they’re testing translation in a language entrance exam, reading in the target language and understanding it will be good practise because you’ll be able to convey ideas from another language if you understand them.

Step 3: Master your strategy

The worst thing that could happen in an exam is that you don’t know what to do or what to write. The best way to tackle that? Having a strategy. Sometimes just having something to do in an exam even if you don’t actually know what you’re doing gives your brain some time to stop freaking out and start problem-solving. To master your strategy, you need to:

Find out the question types

For example, the TSA is split into 2 sections (I have to do both 😭), one multiple-choice paper and one 30 minute essay. I know there are about 9-10 different types of questions targeting 2 skills: critical thinking and problem-solving. By doing this, I can work towards perfecting each question type and in theory will be able to do the whole of the first paper.

Figure out the timings

You can do this in minutes per mark or if there’s an advised amount of time you should spend on a particular type of question, take a note of this.

Figure out your process for each question type

Usually at the beginning of a book full of practise questions, there will be a description as to how best to approach each question. If there isn’t or you don’t have access to one, try looking up strategies on the wonder that is the Internet. If you’re still not sure, attempt questions with commentary answers so that id you get them wrong, you can create a strategy of your own using the tips you’ve gathered from there.

Practise, practise practice. Oh, and did I say practise?

When practising questions:

Make sure to practise a block of questions that are all the same type. This will allow you to learn how to identify the question type quicker and also gives you a sign to stop so you don’t spend all day working on these questions because you’re stressed 😪.

1. Attempt the question

2. Mark the question

3. If you got it wrong, try and figure out why yourself - write this in a different colour.

4. Check the markscheme or talk-through (if there is one) and add in anything you may have missed or anything that could be helpful for the next question in another colour. Now you’ve differentiated between what you could figure out and what you couldn’t.

5. Attempt the next question

*This may seem tedious because why would you not mark all the questions at the end? Doing it this way ensures you approach each question with a better idea of what to do and allows you to pick up on nuances that you may not have otherwise realised. Also, you don’t want to instil the “wrong” method or idea because of muscle-memory.*

6. Once you finish your block of questions, make note of something that went well, something that could’ve been better and what to do for next time. I’d advise you to keep this in a table so that you can see your progress over time. Make sure to look at this before you attempt this style of question again.

Okay so now we now how to practise a block of questions, do we do them to time or not.

I’d recommend doing them not to time at first.

This will allow you to focus on mastering your process and approach to each type of question. You should continue to do this (if you have enough time) until:

You’ve perfected your process/approach

You’ve ensured your strategy actually helps YOU get the right answer

Once you know the strategy works, you’ll feel more confident in the exam, especially because you know if you blank, you have something to fall back on.

I say ‘YOU’ because whilst a strategy straight out of a textbook may work fine for someone else, it may not be the best way for you. Don’t be afraid to tweak it to fit you or create a whole new strategy altogether!

Now, if your strategy works, move onto the next stage. If not, let’s troubleshoot your strategy.

Troubleshooting your process:

1. Find patterns: are there a particular nuances you’re always missing or mistakes you’re making?

For example, in the TSA being able to differentiate between premises and conclusions is really important. If I find that this is something I can’t do, I’ve discovered a pattern.

2. Practise on easier questions.

With the example above, I may look up arguments for GCSE RS or psychology students and try and identify premises and clauses.

3. Adjust your strategy as is necessary

You may realise that you should another step to your strategy, such as highlighting key words, after practising on easier questions

Right, so you have your strategy down - now what?

Practise to time.

It’s the timing that’s the stickler for many uni entrance exams and the best way to get that down is to practise doing the questions to time. I’d still recommend doing the questions in their question blocks at this stage or mixing up blocks that are similar in question type.

Step 4: Practice tests

Now you know what to do when you see all the types of questions, it’s time to apply what you’ve learnt to a real paper. This is where you see what has stuck and what hasn’t so it’s important to see this is a learning process - don’t expect to get 100% on your first try.

When completing a practice test:

1. Answer the entire test

Since you’ve got your processes down, it’s not necessary to mark each question individually since it’s so time-consuming.

2. Go through and mark the test

3. Try and work out where you went wrong, do this in a different colour.

4. Go through the mark scheme and add further corrections in a different colour.

5. Make a note of your mark, what went well, what could’ve been better (even better if ...) and what to do for next time in a tracker. Look at this before you next do a practice exam.

6. If you find you’re getting a particular type of question wrong every time, go back to those question blocks and master your strategy again.

As I said earlier, these tests are not designed for really high marks and so even after lots of practise, there’ll probably still be things that aren’t quite right. But if:

You’re getting the scores you want/need

You have your strategy for each question type down

Then congratulations - you are officially ready for the exam 🎉.

Whilst I wouldn’t advise all practise to stop, I do think that at this stage, running through loads more exam papers is a bit redundant. Maybe doing one every week or fortnight will suffice. Plus, if you started preparing early, you don’t want to go through alllll your practice papers before the exam actually comes around.

Phase 2 - Lead Up to the Exam

Congrats - you made it!

Honestly, I think if you’ve prepared properly then doing hardcore practise isn’t necessary and might burn you out in the lead up to the exam. If you take away anything from this really long post make it this:

Consistent practise always wins. Always.

If you’ve been consistently practising, there’s no need to cram too much last minute revision. I will say though that looking over your practice test tracker the night before the exam may be helpful as a last-minute reminder but, of course, if this is just going to stress you out further, don’t do it.

Last-Minute Tips

Don’t make this your whole life - It’s summer! There are so many more actually fun things you could be doing. Even practising a couple of times a week at first is absolutely fine.

Ask from advice from the experts - If there’s anything in particular that you’re worried about, ask someone who’s done or is practising for the test or email the university - they might be able to give you one of their students details so you can ask them directly.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for you ...

I hope this was helpful! Feel free to add your own tips and if you have any questions or feedback, just ask me or message me - my DMs are always open. Of course, you could just leave a note on here but if you want to be a little fancy, hit me up!

Alsoooo, let me know if you want me to a) do this for essay-based entrance exams and/or b) turn this into a mini-series and apply these steps to different tests like the TSA, LNAT, BMAT, UKCAT, STEP etc. Then all the resources will be in one place. Obviously, I’m not preparing for all of them (doctor who? definitely not me 🤧) but I have some friends doing some of these exams so I can get some extra exclusive tips from them.

Now, carrying on with QOTD:

QOTD: How do you get over exam nerves?

For me, acknowledging that I’m nervous before the exam and that it’s okay before I distract myself makes me feel much calmer. In an actual exam, I usually cover my ears and try and focus on what I’m reading to get out of my head 😅.

PS: This is my first informative post - please don’t judge 🙈! And if you’ve found it helpful, please reblog so that others can see these tips too ☺️.

77 notes · View notes

mental-health-advice · 3 years ago

Note

Hello there! Hope you are well. I just want some advice about my school situation. I just finished my final year of school and am supposed to be going to uni next year, but I actually didn’t get any offers. I’m quite bookish, so I was really, really unprepared for this failure. There is a bit of hope, since 2 unis have told me to call them when my final exam results are released in August, because, if I’ve done well in these final exams, they might reconsider me if they have any free places. If they don’t have any free places or if I haven’t done well, I’m going to have to repeat the year. That means having to retake the admissions exams (but luckily not my final exams) and also of course redo any interviews. I spent the entirety of last summer studying for one of those exams and had to miss my uncle’s wedding (extended family live in another country) for it, and the thought of having to do all this work honestly makes me sick. Especially because I don’t really know how I managed to do that well in these exams this time round (these exams are really time-pressured and depend more on logical thinking than they do on book smarts)- a lot of it was just pure guesswork on the day of the exam. I don’t know if I can do it again and I don’t think I can do it as well as I did before. Another issue is just being so exhausted. I haven’t had a decent break in about 5 years. My friends are all out enjoying their summer holidays after our final exams, and I’m just trying to ignore the fact that I now have to go study again. I’m balancing this with quite a lot of family issues and loneliness. I’m mentally done with everything and the idea that it was all for nothing, since I possibly have to retake these tests and essentially go through the entire admissions process again, is making me feel awful. I don’t know what to do. I just want a break from everything. I don’t know why my work hasn’t paid off and I don’t want to go through everything again. Sorry for rambling for so long

Hey there,

Finding out that you didn’t do so well on your exams and consequently didn’t get any offers for uni must have been really tough and disheartening. It sounds like you did the very best that you could have done though given the circumstances and what you are going through and facing in your daily home life.

Being at school and doing nothing but study day in and day out is tough and stressful for anyone and especially when so much pressure is put on you to do well and get into uni. And you have probably heard this before but not getting the results that you needed to get into uni is not the end of the world.

For example can you do a bridging course to get into uni or at least look into this? I am not sure of where you are from and what is available and possible there, but where I am from, for some uni courses you can actually go to Tafe and do a bridging course into uni as a way to get your foot in the door. Not getting into uni, also means that perhaps you can take a year off school/ study to recharge and take a much deserved break. There are still options for you I’m sure and yes you may have to re-sit some of your exams but at least you know what to kind of expect so can be better prepared for next time? Just something to keep in mind!

This may even be an opportunity to rethink your life and what else you can do what with your life. You may even find that you have other interests and areas in life that you may want to explore, things that you don’t have to go to uni for.

I know that not getting into uni must have been a huge blow for you but sometimes these things happen for a reason. Sometimes in life we sometimes have to take the long way around to get to where we want to be in life and this can be annoying and time consuming but there is so much we can gain from this too. Just something to think about!

I really hope that this has helped a bit and please do let us know if we can help to support you in any other way!

I’m thinking of you and wish you all the best in whatever you choose to do in life!

Take care,

Lauren

#mha-lauren #advice #advice blog #mental health advice #anonymous #uni #results #not getting uni offers

2 notes · View notes

gohyuck · 4 years ago

Note

hey raya idk if this is weird but like i'm not from america so could u explain the high school + uni education system? in terms of years and exams that you have to take. if this doesn't trouble you!!

in general uhhh high school is 4 years long: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior. you can take AP (advanced placement), IB (international baccalaureate), or dual credit community college (maybe university, sometimes, depending on your location) courses during your time in high school to get ahead in college. my school offered AP and dual credit and i took AP courses because dual credit weighed less for our GPA (so if you could potentially get a 6.0 gpa in an AP course, you could only get a 5.5 in a dual credit course). because of this, i went into college with about 49/50 credit hours already completed (my major requires about 125 to graduate).

during HS, most people will figure out want they want to do afterwards: typically, this is community college, 4 year college (private or public), or trade school. i’ve heard of people taking ‘gap years’ (one year between HS and college where they do whatever they want/work/get internships/etc) but i don’t know too many people who choose to do so. now, I attend a 4 year public research university, so i only really know about that. most 4 year institutions require that you take standardized tests in HS so that they can compare you to their other applicants.

said standardized tests are the ACT or the SAT, which most people take their junior (11th grade) year. i took the SAT as a sophomore (10th grade), which isn’t unheard of, but isn’t typical either. because i did so well on the SAT, i never took the ACT. depending on what schools you want to apply to, you can take SAT subject tests as well, which are upper/typically college level tests you can take to show your prowess in specific subjects. for example, i took 3 subject tests: english literature, physics, and math level 2 (there are 2: math level 1 and math level 2, the 2nd one is a higher level test) because i applied for engineering. i know many of my friends who decided to go premed took chemistry, or biology; however, that being said, i did graduate with high honors in a school that sent students to numerous accredited universities, so you don’t typically see people taking subject tests and it’s more of an anomaly than a rule.

less talked about but fairly widely administered is the PSAT, which you take throughout high school. the only PSAT score that matters is the score you get your junior year, because, if you qualify as the top 0.5% of PSAT test takers, you could possibly get money in college. however, you may not always get it depending on whether or not your university chooses to pay. case in point: i was in fact one of the top 0.5% but my university chooses not to pay, so i don’t get any scholarship money due to the PSAT. thankfully, i have other scholarships.

from here on out i’ll talk about four year universities, because i never applied to community colleges or trade schools nor did i ever attend one, so i have no experience with them.

after high school, if you choose to attend or qualify to attend a 4 year university, you’ll go into your undergraduate degree, which is usually a 4 year (120 credit hour) Bachelor’s degree.

when you apply to colleges you include your SAT or ACT (and SAT subject test) scores, your extracurriculars, and personal essays/statements that each school will give you as well as a general essay you send to all schools. once you send your app in it’s out of your hands, and colleges will start accepting or denying you at their own discretion. you can choose to apply early decision to one school, in which case if you get in you HAVE to go unless you absolutely cannot afford it, or you can choose to apply early action, which means a school can potentially accept you early or defer your decision to regular admission times, at which point they will either accept or reject you.

once you’ve gotten into a school and you attend that school then the exams you take depend on the classes you’re in. your class schedule per semester is counted by credit hours, or hours of class you have a week. i currently take “13 credit hours” or 4 classes, of which 3 are 3 credit hour courses and 1 is 4 credit hours. because i’m an engineering major, though, this is more like a 22 credit hour week because my school doesn’t always include labs and discussion sections in the hour count, but that’s unrelated and i digress. generally, if you’re a pre-med student you’ll have to take the MCAT at some point in order to eventually get into med school, generally junior year. if you’re pre-law, you have to take the LSAT at some point to get into law school later. i’m engineering, and my focus will end up being finding internships and job/research opportunities during my time in school.

i see a lot of tiktoks and things like that discrediting american students or saying that the SAT or ACT or whatever are super easy/etc., but i do think that they’re fairly analytical exams that many people can easily have trouble with.

#uk tiktok pisses me off they're all 'american students r so dumb' shut UP i did multivariable calculus in high school #ask #i hope this answered your questions!!#Anonymous #gah

6 notes · View notes

ib-bachelorette · 5 years ago

Note

I’m thinking of applying to Cambridge as an English student. I’m not a UK citizen and have limited knowledge on application via UCAS. How does it work? Do you have any advice?

Hi!

I was really similar to you. Not many people from my school apply and honestly the UK application system is a bit of a mystery and even worse is the system of applying to Cambridge. I applied for Natural Sciences so there will be differences, for example I was required to take a pre-admissions test whilst for english they would probably require academic work instead.

So, here goes a condensed list of applying to Cambridge for someone who has absolutely no idea!

UCAS

To apply anywhere in the UK you need to do it through UCAS. You can apply to 5 or less universities and only one of Cambridge or Oxford (unless you want to be an organ scholar I think?). You usually apply through your school so get your teacher/ college counselor/ principle involved. You need one reference, a personal statement, and records of your grades.

Your Personal Statement

This is super important for someone studying english!! Less so for me, but you really need to think carefully about this. I’m going to admit my statement was awful, but there’s lots of great examples online and watch a lot of youtube videos of people giving advice on their personal statements. Basically, this is an opportunity for you to write why you love the course you’re applying for, why you’re a good fit for it, and examples of how you’ve engaged with it (reading, courses, etc).

Deadline:

Get your application in by October 15th! Cambridge has an earlier application than most UK schools.

Picking a college

This is going to be where you live, eat, and have supervisions for the next 3 years. It’s a huge part of your experience as you don’t usually have much contact with your university outside of exams or lectures. Your college sorta is your university, as you pay fees to it and they decide to accept you (not the university).

Both in your UCAS application and in something that you will be send by email afterwards called the SAQ, you need to pick a college. Pick one you like! It might be worth looking into rents/scholarships if that’s something that you’re interested in. Stay away from “Playing the game” by applying to a ‘bad’ college for a better chance to get in. Cambridge has a pool (basically if you don’t get into your first college another one can take you).

You can also choose to apply to no college, where you’ll be randomly allocated. I didn’t do this mainly because if you identify as female (or non binary) on your application you could be pooled into an all girls college, which are great but not the experience some people want for uni.

Admissions Tests

Some subjects do this. You take an admissions test in November. You can do this at a test centre, but this usually costs money. Ask your school to become a test centre. It’s really easy and all you need is a test room, a teacher free to invigilate, and a lockable cupboard to put the exams in.

Interviews

If you have the grades, you will usually be invited to a Cambridge interview. This is super expensive because they sometimes don’t tell you about your interview date until a week or two before, and you have to pay for flights yourself. I think some colleges offer up to 80 pounds on travel, but it depends on where you apply.

Interviews vary by college. In english I hear they ask you to read an article and discuss it, and also go over your written work you sent in. I’m planning on doing an interview help post later!

Offer

In January (there’s a specific day and all colleges use this day) you hear if you have a place. The UK works on offers, so they’ll usually ask you to graduate with certain grades. My offer in the IB was 42 points with a 776 in Chemistry, Biology, and Maths at HL. Some offers are higher and some lower, it depends on the college and the person.

Note, by sometimes in May? (I think) you have to pick 2 universities that you want to go to. One becomes your “main” which you go to if you get the grades and the other your ‘insurance’ which you go to if you don’t meet the grades of the first one but meet the second. So usually, you pick a second uni with a lower offer.

Your results

When your results come out you either meet your offer (yay!) or you don’t. If you just miss your offer you could be put into the ‘summer pool.’ Note your college would tell you if you were int he pool though. This is basically a chance for colleges to fill places with students who are amazing, but narrowly missed their offer. This means you could still be accepted to cambridge, but to a different college than you applied or got your offer from.

#cambridge #university #applying #studyblr #university of cambridge #UCAS #help #mine #Anonymous

1 note · View note

doodledialogue · 5 years ago

Text

Interview series - What after B.Arch? #16

Interviewee: Ar. Valentin Gheorghian Post-graduation: Masters in Architecture | Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași, Romania

What prompted you to take up Architecture? I wanted to become an Architect ever since we had a school assignment in 4th grade at a subject called “technology” when we had to draw our “ideal house” for us and our family. I loved that assignment so much, took a long time to do it properly, and with excellent results – that then and there I decided this is what I would like to do for a living and started to buy architecture magazines/ magazines with houses.

Tell us about studying Master of Architecture at TUIASI. In Romania architecture studies comprise of 6 years and result in gaining both degrees: Bachelor’s and Master’s. One cannot do just the first one – the first one is meaningless. You are not considered a graduate before you finish year 6, pass all your exams and pass the Graduation/ Degree project (final project, 6 month long).

After graduating Year 4, you continue with Year 5 – which is – in theory – already “Master” level – but nothing changes – it’s a continuous 6 year study cycle, no interruptions, same school, same teachers, same colleagues – only different subjects (more advanced), more projects and more complex projects.

Tell us about the application process. There is no “application process” in the way it’s understood in the UK – one has to pass a gruelling admission exam at one of only 6 universities in the country that have Architecture departments. For that 5-6 hour exam, students train – via private tutoring – for at least a year – because the examination requires excellent hand drafting skills, technical drafting skills and advance descriptive geometry – none of which is being taught in high-schools; in that lies the need to take on private tutoring.

One should start with the application process for 2 years in advance.

What preparation did you do before starting the program? There were 10 days of intensive drawing courses – both technical and hand drafting – organised by the university just before the admission’s exam. These were good and useful for someone who already knew what they were doing – but pointless for someone who didn’t have a clue. Students take a minimum of 1 year of difficult private tutoring (with a lot of homework) to get to the drawing (both technical and freehand) skill level required to pass the admission examination.

In terms of pre-reading for the program– I’ve always enjoyed reading about architecture and buildings – but especially about historical buildings/ cities and the history of architecture.

Did you speak to any alumni/professors of the program? I hadn’t met any architecture students or young architects before joining the program – and it would have been extremely useful to gain some insights and tips & tricks and the subtleties of the university. Had only met old architects/ teachers – the ones with whom I did private tutoring to prepare for my admission exam.

Did you have to give any entrance tests? How did you plan for them? The 6 years integrated study program has a 5/6h entry examination testing freehand drawing, technical drawing and mathematical/ geometry skills. One trains in private for at least 1 year for these.

How long was your program? 6 years – October 1st 2007 – October 2013. There is no flexibility regarding fall/spring semesters.

Did you have post-study plans in mind when you took it up? Just went with the flow. Now, however, I am planning to do a PhD in a related field and go into teaching at an Architecture University - because I am astonished about the low wages in the Architecture field - as opposed to other skilled careers - and I would do this as a way to supplement my income. I love teaching as well and I think it would be an excellent for for me - but the main reason is the financial one.

Did you have to apply for a visa? Non-applicable – neither in my home country of Romania (where the bulk of the program took place) – nor during the time spent abroad – which was all spent inside the EU – thus not requiring visa.

How was the experience at the school? Very difficult yet very rewarding at the same time. Longer hours, more courses, more seminars, more projects and more time spent on projects – than any other university that I know of. Less time for socializing and leisure activities than any other students. Longer academic year: from the 1st of October – start of the academic year – until mid-July (end of “practical training” week/ weeks)

How was the teaching and learning environment at your school? Every class (year of study) had their own classroom - 6 years of study – 6 classrooms. There were roughly 50 people per year of study/ class – but never would everyone show up (except perhaps some exams) – so everyone could fit in. Apart from these 6 classrooms – there were 2 multi-function rooms/ projection rooms, amphitheatre type (although not sloped) for projections and special presentations, and an IT lab with computers. That’s it – those were all the available spaces (small school, intimate, student-oriented).

Classical style of teaching – you go in class – just like during high-school – and the teacher teaches for 2h their subject – with either a 10min break between classes, or a small 5min cigarette break mid-way. Most difficult or practical subjects also had “seminars” same duration, same location – during which we would do exercises and problem solving

The frequency of the classes depended on the year of study. The busiest teaching schedule was in year 1 – and decreased progressively towards year 6 – when there are no taught classes at all (only non-supervised individual work on the final project, “degree project” and on the Dissertation – at the same time). Year 1: 6-8hours of classes per day, every day. Year 5: about 3-4hours per day. Year 6: 0. The decrease in number of taught hours was compensated by an increase in number of projects (like “homework”): in year 1 students only had to work on projects in the main school subject, “architectural design” (counting for half of all study credits). This grew up to year 5 – when there were projects to be worked on at home for at least 10 school subjects, such as: urban planning, interior design, special structures, construction materials, and so on.

There was no time for other things – not even a shade of social life. Architecture life occupies ALL your time, at least during uni.

Tell us more about the mentors. One would meet mentors/ teachers/ assistants whenever one could find them around the school or in their office – in years 1-5. There was no formality in the method used to meet with them, no “appointments”, nothing like that. In year 6 – final year – it would be even easier – one would have personal contacts for one’s degree/ final project mentor, as well as a few others with whom one would have a close collaboration for their final project – such as a structural engineer/ structures professor. These meetings would either take place somewhere in the university – or at that teacher’s private practice – most if not all of them also had their private practices and would be project architects on their own. Despite this ease in meeting and approaching – there was and is a much higher degree of formality in addressing/ interacting with teachers – as compared to the

UK or the west. One would NEVER address a teacher/ tutor/ assistant by their first name, for example; that would be a sign of huge disrespect.

Did your institute have any support system for international students? Any incoming international students would come through the Erasmus program, and would stay for half a year, usually in years 3 or 4. There were very few of these – maybe 2-3 per academic year – due to the fact that Romanian architecture and architecture education is completely unknown internationally.

As a general rule – these internationals would live like princes – would enjoy a much easier life than locals/ regulars. The teachers were way more lenient towards them – on one hand – so they would get high marks regardless of their academic performance, and on the other hand – they always had money. Erasmus scholarships barely cover half of one’s living costs in a country such as France (where I had studied as an Erasmus student) – but are way more than needed in a cheap country such as Romania – so sweet life!

Were you involved in research projects while studying? I was involved in all research projects, volunteering activities, publications, work camps and anything related to the subject, both internally and abroad – as visible from my CV. Those abroad were taking place in either English or French. I’ve never seen/met any students from the UK taking part in any of these – thus gaining the impression that UK students are very inward-looking – as opposed to EU students who are very open-minded and open and international and love foreign exchange programs and so on.

Tell us about your time abroad? My 6 month Erasmus program was spent in ENSAP [École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture et de Paysage] Lille, France - and I lived on campus through the duration of the exchange.

It was a brutally difficult program - not because of the academic level, which wasn’t any higher than back in Romania - but because of the density of classes, amount of project work outside of hours spent in uni, and the (lack of) dedication of my teammates (all projects were done in teams). I regret not having more fun and a social life during my Eramsus - such as most of my friends had - those who went to different countries and destinations - but there was nothing I could do about it.

Could you tell us in brief what your thesis/dissertation/final project was about? My thesis/ dissertation was about gentrification and urban regeneration – with case studies of several post-industrial global cities: Paris, Brussels, Sao Paulo, Shanghai and Detroit; contemporary urban challenges – in very different political/ social/ economical contexts. Differences, similarities, solutions. My final project was an Immigrants Integration Centre in central Paris – combining urban regeneration of a brownfield (urban planning part) with architectural design of 9 individual buildings – a small “city within a city”

The dialogue with my supervisor went smooth and on friendly terms – one chooses their supervisor based on one’s previous grades – and as I finished years 1-5 3rd in my generation (3rd highest score) I could obviously choose whichever tutor I wanted – and chose the one that I had the best relationship with.

What were the frequency, duration and structure of the meetings with supervisor?

All of this was flexible and down to our own (me and the tutor’s) preferences, schedules and available times. Usually we would meet either in my tutor’s practice or at university, for a couple of hours, every 2 weeks or so, and go through the work. Sometimes I would send the latest over email the day before – just to give them the chance to take a look and make some notes – but this wasn’t always possible.

What challenges did you encounter?

The scale of my project and complexity and limited time. I practically managed to finish a volume of work 5 times greater than most of my peers. Practically in 6 months’ time, I did my urban planning dissertation project (a 65-page theoretical analysis, on the subject mentioned above), the urban design of my site, and the full architectural design of 9 large buildings, plus the presentations and graphics of all the aforementioned.

How did you manage the finances? There is NO tuition fee – Education is completely free in Romania – for all levels all the way up to PhD. One only needs to cover for living expenses. My parents covered my living expenses – which – in Iasi, Romania – amounted to less than 200GBP/ month. For example: monthly rent in student dorm: about 50 GBP- all expenses included (heating, electricity, broadband, and so on); local transport card – unlimited travel – 1 month – about 5GBP (yes, five, I am not missing a zero or two J). Some people worked part time/ full time to cover for some/ all of their living expenses. Given the fact that school work required at least 70 hours per week (total - both “home” and “in class”) meant that those who worked were not very good students, and usually missed/ skipped class.

Did you volunteer/work part-time job/intern while studying?

I did only a short stint just before year 6 in a small architectural practice in a small city. It is compulsory to work for 3 months in a supervised way in a practice – and submit reports of what exactly you have been doing there – to be accepted to begin your final/ graduation project and dissertation. I got the job through an older friend’s recommendation – she had already been working there.

How did you choose your accommodation?

I chose a student residence on the university campus. In year 1 nobody is allowed to choose – one is simply allocated a place in a student residence in the campus – if one doesn’t wish to live elsewhere (rent out) – but after graduating year 1 – places are given based on the student’s past performance and grades – and one is allowed to choose. Based on my marks – I always finished among the top 5 people from my class – I always chose what I wanted….though there wasn’t much difference between residences. The ”commute” was a 20min walk – from campus to the Architecture School (all classes and exams took place in the same building – the architecture school building – up to year 5; in years 5 and 6 one might have to do some assignments in a few other buildings – all actually closer than the architecture building)

I considered several factors such as campus student life, proximity and contact with colleagues, proximity to the university, proximity to the shopping mall (there was 1 shopping mall in the city – right there next to campus), social contacts, costs – much lower than renting out while choosing my accommodation.

Did you travel while studying? I had never visited another country before university. By the end of university, I had travelled to over 20 European countries, mostly for studying their culture, architecture and history. Did a 6 month long Erasmus exchange program in France (at ENSAP Lille), an international volunteer restoration work camp in St. Tropez (France) as well as summer universities and specialization courses every summer during my studies – such as at the Bauhaus Architecture school in Dessau, Germany.

How do you think the Master’s degree helped you? By allowing me to be a registered Architect in the UK, EU and RO. Without it I could have only worked as a “draftsperson”

Did the city you studied in play a major role during your study? Yes it did – Iași is a great city to study in – perfect size for a university city (a third of the city is student-population), cheap, interesting, cultural, laid-back: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ia%C8%99i

Could you tell us about your current work and future plans? I’m working as an Architect and BIM specialist in central London. Depending on the economic prospects in Britain after Brexit – I might move back to France. It was a gamble moving here – having to choose between Paris and London – between the Euro and the Pound Stirling – and the balance tipped in favour of the UK because the GBP was a more valuable currency at the time. Right after the Brexit vote, the Pound dropped by 20% in value – on international markets. What can I say? Very bad timing…my reasons for being here (and not elsewhere) keep disappearing.

Looking back was there anything you would have done differently? I really wish I had worked less and had more fun. I could have had a similar result by working smarter but less – and having more fun. I’d always been afraid to not be a workaholic and go above and beyond. Too bad.

What message would you like to give those planning their post-graduate studies? Think about actual job prospects and the career you want to pursue – and study the market; plan accordingly. Work smart, don’t work more! Have fun – in a smart way – these years are never coming back! Social interaction will never be as easy and with so many opportunities ever again – take full advantage of this! It’s all downhill after graduation – in terms of social life ☺ Seriously, no kidding…

Presenting our team's project at EBEC [European Best Engineering Competition] Romania & Republic of Moldova - National Stage

Presenting our team's project - and winning first place - at SUC 12 [Summer University Carinthia] - Villach, Austria

Architect's chat at Bauhaus Summer University, Dessau, Germany

Presenting a school project in front of the Dean of Harvard Universty - Graduate School of Architecture and Design

Specialization course in Kosice, Slovakia - international team

Year 1 - working in the studio - hand drafting

Year 1 or 2: working in the university student dorm

With colleagues from uni

Exploring Luxembourg's contemporary architecture - European Quarter

Study trip in Venice for the Architecture Biennale

#Architecture #architecture students #romania #masters in architecture #iași #whatafterbarch #architect #Architects

2 notes · View notes

acatex · 5 years ago

Text

Hey Snarklings!

Are you surprised that I’m still alive? I know I am (lols am I even relevant anymore?) Before I get into my whole MCAT prep strategy, I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for leaving you guys in the dust. I have been very stressed lately and I just felt like I was letting you guys down which was why I made a really hard (but spontaneous) decision on my academic career. Of course I cannot comment right now on what I did/planning to do, but an upcoming blog post would be up in the next couple of days to explain the whole grey area that I was stuck in. Okay, it’s time to put away the tissue boxes and dive into every pre-meds worse nightmare: The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)

Disclaimer: This is my method and it may or may not work for you, so please take it with a grain of salt because, the way that I learn may be different from you, but it is a good idea to see how others approach this scary test.

What is the MCAT?

In short, the MCAT is a standardized test taken on a computer program to measure a prospective medical student’s potential to succeed medical school. Think of it as foreshadow of one’s ability to do well on painstakingly long exams that are cut up into blocks: Since most of medical schools in the US and Canada require doctors in training to take many board exams that can be 8-9 hours long.

Another reason why the MCAT is administered is to see whether the applicant can use background knowledge of the subject (biochemistry, biology, chemistry, psychology/sociology, physics, critical reasoning skills, etc) and integrate with other sciences to synthesize and draw an objective answer to a novel/unknown situation. This makes the MCAT different from others standardized tests such as SAT or ACT since these tests are more on memory recall and regurgitation, while the MCAT is more on integration and application to unknown situations. Think of it like this, when a doctor walks into a patient’s room, they know some things (the knowledge they’ve been taught in med school) and there’s probably things that they don’t know about a patient’s health, but when a doctor integrates what he/she knows and connect it to the unknown they can solve problems.

What is the MCAT tested on?

Since, one of the reasons why the MCAT is administered is to test your endurance on future medical school board exams such as: USMLE step 1, step 2 CK, step 2 CS, Step 3 if you are in the United States or the MCCEE, NAC, MCCQE part 1, MCCQE part 2 in (Canadian boards), and Comlex Level 1, Level 2CE, Level 2PE, Level 3 (Osteopathic med schools/DO). They do this by testing you on undergraduate courses and are broken down into 4 sections/blocks

Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS)

Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems

Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behaviour

Prior to Taking the MCAT

I highly recommend taking the required courses before taking the MCAT. The AAMC recommends to take the following pre-med classes:

Introductory (first year) Biology (2 semesters/1 year)

Introductory/General Chemistry (2 semesters/1 year)

Organic chemistry (2 semesters/1 year)

Biochemistry (1 semester)

Introductory Physics (2 semesters/1 year)

Psychology (1 semester)

Sociology (1 semester)

Now I never took a sociology class and I am planning on taking physics in my upcoming (and last) school year of uni. But that doesn’t really matter since you can just self study for it.

Resources?

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

So MCAT prep cannot be MCAT prep without a good set of MCAT books for you to review on. Now, there are many MCAT companies out there and a lot of people are confused on which one they would get to the point that everyone keeps on asking the same question: What books are YOU using? Hey, are those books good? Listen, your success on the MCAT does not depend on what company that you choose to get your books from. Why? Because it is you and how well you reviewed and practice those questions on a DAILY BASIS. I know people who got into med school by using Kaplan, I know people who got rejected who used Kaplan, and the same goes for other prep companies such as The Princeton Review, Examkrackers, The Berkely Review, etc. It doesn’t matter. Just pick one and stick with one. Do not. I repeat. DO NOT BUY TWO BOOKS OF THE SAME SUBJECT BECAUSE YOU THINK THAT ONE COMPANY DOES A BETTER “JOB.’ Again, It is you who will determine your own success, not a book.

Now, for me, I was about to buy the Kaplan MCAT series but, my mother surpised me on my 21st birthday with the NextStep MCAT Content Review and Practice Passages. At first, I was bummed out but as I went along, I realized that the books are doing its job: Helping me review what I learned in undergrad (wipes tears away; literally every time I turn a page I get flashbacks). And the best part is: It was free since it was my birthday gift so I did not have to spend a dime.

When I found something that I did not fully understand or the book did not give me a detailed answer I usually used Khan Academy videos (There’s a whole section just for the MCAT with practice problems). Other videos/channels worth mentioning:

AK Lectures for biochemistry and general chemistry (his explanations for thermodynamics is so straight to the point, they’re super clutch)

The Organic Chemistry Tutor: MCAT Test Prep General Chemistry Review Study Guide Part 1 and MCAT General Chemistry Lectures Review Prep Part 2 – Equations & Practice Questions

Leah4SciMCAT for doing MCAT Math Without a Calculator and Amino Acids for MCAT/Biochem students. I also looked at Fischer Projections for MCAT Orgo and Biochemistry which helped so much since she sues fun mnemonics and straight to the point concepts that just makes the learning fun and easy.

Bozeman science for their anatomy and physiology sections for every organ system mentioned in the biology MCAT book. I also looked at a video or two from the AP chemistry, AP biology, and AP physics (which I remembered fondly back in high school and so I’m familiar with them thus, I didn’t look at every video but just ones that I had trouble with, ex: transcription vs translation.)

My method for studying: I tend to study in rotations or two chapters of the same subject a day until completion. The image below is how that looks like in my mini day planner:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Since I do not have a job nor am I in school during the summer I was able to study for 8 hours a day and found myself going through rotations quicker than I expected. Before I go to bed I reviewed what I learned and anything that I do not finished I would have to finish in the morning before starting a new rotation.

Active Learning

So when I start a new chapter I use my metacognitive abilities: What do I know vs what do I don’t know.

Let’s take the endocrine system as an example. I know that the endocrine is invovled in hormone secretion and regulation of the metabolic oathways that maintains homeostasis. I know an example of this would be aldosterone (a steroid hormone) and vasopressin (a peptide) hormone helps regulate homeostasis by repsonding to low fluid levels and by increasing fluid retention. But what I do not know is how exactly they achieve this: thus when I’m studying that’s my goal or my purpose. I am learning to apply and find answers to my questions.

Every time a paragraph says something about a hormone I would turn it into a question and write the answer in my own words. Here’s an example on tropic versus non tropic hormones:

In orange I wrote the section of the chapter: Regulation

I wrote a capital Q for question and A for answer.

And sometimes I write a little flow chart for easy summary of what I learned

The reason why I used this system was for 3 reasons: (1) By writing out the section in a different colour, it acts as a study guide (you know with all the topics/questions pertaining to one part of the chapter for a test). (2) Turning the info in a paragraph into a question and answers makes it interactive and makes you think about what you are learning; sort of like flashcards. I would cover the answer portion with another piece of paper and just talk/aggressively whisper out the answer (the answer doesn’t have to be word by word but just similar to what it is). (3) When it is time for revision: Your notes are in a Q/A format or like test which is better than writing a bunch of notes and just passively looking over.

Here’s another one on the hypothalamus-anterior pituitary-adrenal cortex axis (HPA)

As you can see I love flow charts for sequential pathways and showing the cause and effects of each step (what increases or decreases, which hormone is involved, etc)

I will write a more detailed post on what I put into my MCAT notebooks and what I look for when reading or extracting information from the review books. So just hold on and be patient.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Knowledge is power but practice makes perfect. Remember that the MCAT will not really test your ability to recall facts straight from the book; this is not a trivia show. It is your ability to apply known information (your MCAT content review) and integrate them with other information in an unknown situation (the MCAT passages). That’s why I like that my MCAT books have practice passages at the end of each chapter. I also bought extra practice passages from NextStep because they really do help me understand the content and the timing. If you do not have practice passages right now, go to the Khan academy MCAT section and there’s loads of them (but they are really easy though).

Also, I really enjoyed watching videos on YouTube on how to approach passages and seeing what other people’s strategies and methods are. I tend to integrate what others do with my own method, but everyone is different so just take it with a grain of salt. Here are a couple of my favorite Youtubers, one of which is actually my best friend.

Amanda and Rich Show: MCAT Biology Passage Breakdown

CurveSetter: MCAT 2015 Biochemistry Tutorial 1 (Amino Acids) – CurveSetter Tutoring

CurveSetter: MCAT Biology/Biochemistry Passage Analysis (Acetylcholine) – CurveSetter MCAT Prep

CurveSetter: MCAT 2015 Chemistry Tutorial 3 (Titration Passage) – CurveSetter Tutoring

CurveSetter: MCAT 2015 Chemistry/Physics Selected MC 1 – CurveSetter Tutoring

CurveSetter: Electricity and Magnetism MCAT Physics Passage – CurveSetter MCAT Prep

CurveSetter: MCAT 2015 Biology Tutorial 1 (Neuron Passage) – CurveSetter Tutoring

CurveSetter: MCAT 2015 CARS Tutorial 1 (Passage) – CurveSetter Tutoring

CurveSetter: MCAT 2015 CARS Tutorial 1 (Questions) – CurveSetter Tutoring

SecondChance MCAT: MCAT Science Passage Breakdown #1

SecondChance MCAT: Full MCAT CARS Passage Breakdown (98% CARS Scorer)

Bless her Health: CARS WORKSHOP 08/24

Bless her Health: CARS WORKSHOP 08/28

After going through a few passages or so, review your mistakes! Then again look up your Q/A notes and see where you went wrong. When you do this, you’re allocating your attention areas that need it. This really helped me retain information whilst, practicing applying concepts with other concepts. Another reason why, is that the questions on the MCAT are really different from your college classes. Again, you’re not regurgitating facts out, you’re applying what you know with what you don’t know by looking at superficial similarities and coming up with the best answer. Since this is a new skill, the only way to learn it is through practice.

I am planning on making a post about how I breakdown science and CARS passages as well so stay tuned.

Spaced Repetition Is Key

One of the keys to success for the MCAT is repetition for retention. If you do not review, you will forget it. That’s why I always made sure that after a section of a chapter I would look over what I had so far and really try to understand what I just learned and see how it relates to other chapters or to the other subjects in one way or another to get the BIG PICTURE. Then, before I go to sleep I will look over at the chapter again as a whole and annotate anything that I think needs more detail. Then the next day before starting a new chapter, I quickly look at all the previous chapters by talking aloud (or aggressively whispering if you’re around people, sorry to the girl at Starbucks who has to put up with my) and just make connections to it. Over time, I looked at all the previous chapters so much that I can recall many concepts.

Review while making your Q/A notes

review after making your Q/A notes

Look at your Q/A notes before you go to bed

Before starting a new chapter, look at all the previous Q/A notes to refresh your memory

1 day later look at your old Q/A notes then maybe 3 days later do it again

Congratulations, all the info you’ve mastered are now stored in your long term memory. It is permanent until you die (unless if you get amnesia).

I hope this helps make up for my absence and don’t worry, I will post more on MCAT prep. So ciao for now, and stay flossy everyone.

How I Prepare for the MCAT Part 1 Hey Snarklings! Are you surprised that I'm still alive? I know I am (lols am I even relevant anymore?) Before I get into my whole MCAT prep strategy, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for leaving you guys in the dust.

#MCAT #medical school #premed

1 note · View note

paw-sitivi-tea · 6 years ago

Text

Student exchange: A preparation guide

Part 1 - Travel documents and booking tickets

Part 0 - Introduction/Overview of topics Part 1 - Travel documents, booking tickets (Feb 2, 2019) Part 2 - Accommodation: On- and Off-campus (scheduled for Feb 3, 2019) Part 3 - Finance and healthcare abroad (scheduled for Feb 6, 2019, due to Chinese NY;-D) More parts planned, topics see Introduction.

follow or search for #yuistudiesabroad for past and future posts.

----------

This series of posts focuses on preparing for an exchange semester/year abroad, meaning that you have already picked or been accepted for a program and are worrying about WHAT TO DO NOW SEND HELP. My reason for posting a guide? Not only will it serve as my own reminder, but also as help for future exchange students. Write me anytime for questions, either per ask so all can see or per message, but I also reply to comments with my main account. I can give more specific answers to those going to China since my host uni is there. Important: I will NOT talk about how to choose an exchange program here, BUT there will be a post on that soon!

Now, let’s start...reading. (Or unravelling this mess in my head.)

Travel documents: passport and visa

You will most likely require a study visa, other types are usually not accepted. There may be different types of such visas, your host university should send you further information, or check your host country’s consulate website. Here are examples of documents you will need:

Passport (must be valid for your stay!) + copy

Passport photos (take more than 4, you will need this later)

Admission notice (You need this back)

Financial statement (depends on uni/country)

application form (or even an appointment)

also, check:

Visa types (see above)

Time needed to get it

Cost

Number of entries (!) if you want to travel abroad during your stay

Recommended sources: host country’s consulate website, exchange guide of host uni, former exchange students

Registration at your destination (note: after arrival)

Many countries require you to register at the Foreign office/Migration centre/police station upon arrival. Sometimes, your university/dorm or the hotel you stay at will do it for you, but always check! You will get fined or lose your visa if you don't do it in time.

It might be possible that you get a visa with a very short duration that needs to be turned into a residency permit at the office.

Do not be afraid to ask the consulate or other relevant authorities of your host country, they don't bite. Better safe than sorry!

Recommended sources: host country’s consulate/migration office website, exchange guide of host uni, former exchange students, a contact person at host uni

Booking tickets

This is fairly straightforward: You know where you have to go, but when?

book your tickets after you get your visa if possible because changing flight dates are not always cheap.

However, if applying for the visa requires a ticket reservation, give yourself a little cushion: A week/10 days before the semester starts and a week/10 days after it ends (or more if you have time and money). This should leave enough room for exploring, odd exam dates, time to get documents, etc. It is also a reasonable time to stay at hotels if your accommodation is not ready by that time.

Avoid arriving too early! I know it is tempting to travel and look around before the semester starts, but remember that your visa goes into effect as soon as you arrive. Make sure your visa covers your stay and if you travel around - your entire stay. Often, visas cannot be extended, unlike residency permits. Overstaying will result in (heavy) fines or even a travel ban. Take this seriously.

Avoid booking peak times if possible. For example, my travel agency told me that Chinese tourists tend to fly back to China before and after the Chinese New year, driving up the ticket prices. These country-specific trends are often overlooked since your home culture operates on a different schedule.

Whether you book online by yourself or go to a travel agency: always compare the prices.

Always ask about what is included in the price (food, seat, luggage)

Call agencies and check their offer, and say you need time to consider. The pro here is that their prices are fixed, while online bookings are influenced by algorithms.

But booking websites (if not airline-specific) offer more options. Check if you have to pay extra for seats etc. Please only use reliable sources...seriously.

Sometimes, flying from different cities is cheaper. An example: Vienna - Shanghai plus Beijing - Vienna is cheaper than Vienna - Shanghai and back because of ...various reasons. Maybe it’s the timeslot, the average cost of landing in Shanghai, maintenance fees, etc. But there was a significant difference (IMO, 670 vs 620 was significant). So this should be taken into account if you want to travel around a bit after uni ends and pass other cities from which you can fly home.

Midnight flights (can be cheaper) are not that terrible, just arrive early and wait a bit longer. (That is an option if you are a night owl.)

If you have a transfer between, ask if you have to get your luggage and check them in again to prevent a nasty surprise.

Something I noticed is that you rarely get good discounts if you are booking a trip that spans a long period of time, so be prepared.

Stay realistic with price and service. If you book something extremely cheap, be prepared for one hell of a ride.

Ask for advice and use all the resources you can get. Parents, former exchange students, etc.

Recommended sources: Travel agency, websites such as Momondo, booking, Expedia (Use at own risk, these are some of the best and worst depending on your preferences.) *I will always recommend harassing asking former students, they are a good source for information. Buy them a coffee afterwards or something.

----------

Thanks for reading flower buds and sugar cubes! I hope I covered everything...tell me if I missed something! There will be more so stay tuned or just follow the tag #yuistudiesabroad

#yuistudiesabroad #studying abroad #my stuff #studyblr #exchange semester #exchange program #heypat #athenastudying #noodledesk #big birb look here #travel

2 notes · View notes

zzamoree · 2 years ago

Photo

DO MORE OF WHAT YOU WANT AND LESS OF WHAT YOU SHOULD

When I was 15, I stopped believing in coincidences.

I had just graduated high school, and apart from the majority of my classmates, I wasn’t applying for the local college. I was ready to move out. Move far.

Go somewhere that made sense for me.

I had known this since the first day I came back to studying in Mexico. From 7 to 12 years old, I was crossing the border to the USA, in a van, every day, for elementary school. In my last semester, my schedule consisted of attending 5th grade in an American school during the morning, and getting dropped off in the evenings at a Mexican elementary school. I had to be ready to attend junior high the next semester.

It wasn’t that I preferred the American school, but I also wasn’t a massive fan of the city I was living in, so I chose neither. I applied for the State College, 5h away from both places, in the Capital of the State.

Since I’m the youngest of 3 children, and also the only woman, the idea of going away at the age of 15, to the capital, wasn’t so alluring for my parents. When I mentioned the possibility, my father walked over my words as if I was a tiny Smurf being obliviously missed by a giant. My mom said loud and clear. NO.

But then again, these people were my example of persistency and commitment. So I persisted in my desires, and committed to taking whatever it took to get me there.

I had this non verbal agreement with my dad, that evolve from a very fair tantrum, when I was 14. You see, I wanted a hamster, and my dad used to park next to an animal shop when he picked my mother from work. So I gave him, every week, the exact amount of the price of a hamster, hoping he would get me one… but it never happened. It’s funny my dad stole from me. Well, actually, it was my mother who kept the money.

So, I waited for a whole year for a goddam hamster, and never got it. So I made a tantrum and, fair enough, he agreed to turn the tables again, and give me every week my money back. I used that money to pay for the college admission fee. I lied one morning saying I was going to a friends house, and instead, I went to take the admission exam. On the 17-06-2012 I became student #350 from the Ateneo Fuente.

I felt so confident about my journey that when I approached my parents to share my results, I was basically just letting them know I was going there. I wasn’t asking for their permission.

From there on, nothing was a coincidence, but I didn’t know it back then.

Juan Antonio de la Fuente, a renowned lawyer and jurist who had defended the sovereignty of Mexico as a representative of the country at the European courts for Foreign Intervention, was the founder of the university. I didn’t know this back then, but I ended up choosing International Relations as my BA.

For Uni, I wanted a bigger challenge. I wanted to move to a bigger city, so I applied the same method and shneakishly applied for a uni +5 hours further away. Ta- Da! the method works! I got in. *cough* With a 40% scholarship. *cough*

Then another challenge came: I had to graduate with a 3rd language. So I went to Italy to learn Italian. Tasted Europe for the first time. Tasted so good it left me with midnight cravings and midlife crisis. ‘‘ I’m coming back, I’m coming back’’ I promised to myself.

Made it back! But a bit more to the north, in the Netherlands. …and believe it or not, Italian was also very useful here. Thanks to that, I got a lovely Italian lady that recommended a real state lady who found the lovely dutch house I live in today.

I never pictured myself living in the Netherlands. Same as Phillips didn’t imagine a whole town would remember his name for eternity: Eindhoven, NL.

I didn’t knew it back then, but I’m a creative. A designer of stories. Eindhoven is the leading city of design in the Netherlands. Furniture, Light, Architecture, Photography, Graphics, VR. Anything and Everything is here. I got here because love called me up here. A love I also didn’t see coming, since I had just ended a 5 year relationship with who I thought I was going to marry.

I’m about to become a quarter of a century and I had this flashback / realisation today.

Do you still think casualties are possible? or are you just not ready to embrace the call for your own destiny?

P.S The illustration is a design for my first ever business card :D but is a quote I would like more people to know. So I pictured it in hanging in bus stops.

#storytime #storyteller #mexican #destiny #quotes #motto #illustration #photoshopdesign #artists on tumblr #youngartists #zamore #zeamor

1 note · View note

goldenfharry · 2 years ago

Note

We can choose our uni, but only if we have the grades for it, which can be extremely hard 🥲 ///

really?? wow in my country you can go to the one you want regardless of your high school grades and if you owe subjects you can enter the same while in the course of your stay at the university present at a certain time high school diploma completed but it is not mandatory for admission, yes you have to take two entrance exams but they are easy i mean basically they are general questions about the career you chose For example, I entered the Faculty of Law and they asked me general questions about texts, putting together university texts, the differences between government powers also evaluate your form to argue etc etc but they are not qualifying exams they let you take the same as long as at a certain point you take them and pass them

Unfortunately my country has an obsolete education system and it’s very common to have gap years here because we literally get stuck due to grades. For example I had to take a gap year, a forced one because my math grade was not sufficient. But if you look at it, it’s fucking ridiculous to loose a year with a discipline that I didn’t even needed, since I’m in a letters degree. Among others, our system is very bad and a lot of students lose years of their lives trying to enter uni, unsuccessfully, sometimes just because of a certain grade, when they are actually great students at the rest, like my case.

0 notes

english-ext-2 · 7 years ago

Text

Planning Your Degree

Unlike high school where you had a limited range of electives to choose from and a couple of eligibility and progression criteria to keep in mind (10 units minimum for the HSC, at least 4 subjects, 2 mandatory units of English, etc.), university has dozens of electives and entire handbooks with enough fine print to make you cry. You’re often left to navigate the waters (of your tears) yourself, since academic advisers aren’t as accessible – there’s hundreds of students in a department or faculty, and only a couple of them to go around.

Not to say you shouldn’t try to get in touch with academic advisers! Certainly, if you encounter any difficulties you should get in touch with them. I’d love to provide a list but there are advisers for different faculties, departments and schools just at Usyd, so you can imagine how long a complete list would be for every major university in Sydney. Besides, advisers often change without notice.

Ultimately, you’re responsible for ensuring you’ve taken mandatory subjects, any prereqs for senior subjects, that you’re not under or over-loading your units, that you’re on track to meet the required number of credit points or units for graduation, etc. That said, not even meticulous planning can save you from the incompetence of uni bureaucracy. That’s just something you’ll have to learn to tolerate.

Just remember:

YOUR HANDBOOK IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

To make life marginally easier, bookmark your degree handbook and always refer back to it before and after semester to make sure you’re fulfilling your requirements.

UTS handbooks

USYD handbooks

UNSW handbooks

Macquarie handbooks

WSU handbooks

These are all undergraduate handbooks btw, don’t confuse yourself with the postgrad handbooks. They contain essential information on admission, requirements, attendance, core/compulsory units of study/subjects, etc.

Spot the Difference (or not)

One of the horrible (truly horrible) things about degree planning between universities is the lack of consistent terminology. This drove me through several walls in my planning. A “major” at Usyd is also a “major” at UNSW, though it’s interchangeable with “area of specialisation”. Usyd “units of study” are UNSW “courses”. Aren’t you missing NESA and nice, straightforward Board Approved Courses now.

There are other terms like streams, sub-majors and sub-structures but they’re university-specific and with some digging you can find what you’re looking for. These are just the most common terms you’ll encounter and need knowledge of.

Lmao WSU what even

It’s tempting to plan your entire degree in advance, which while showing excellent organisation and foresight, doesn’t account for the messier reality of new and cancelled units, and units that were offered in one semester suddenly being offered in another. Trust me on this. You can only deal with so much administrative bullshit before shorting out. Sure, you can tentatively assume where exchange or internships might go, but don’t assume a unit you had an eye on for 2019 semester 1 will definitely run in 2019 semester 1 (even the compulsory ones can switch around randomly).

Using Excel

It’s also helpful to map your degree in an Excel spreadsheet – maybe do this after you’ve gotten your ATAR and are tossing up between two or three degrees.

It’s not exactly art but it serves its purpose. Down the side you can see I’ve divided my study into semesters and across the top I’ve included the components of my degree. Because I took INGS, I had:

an International Studies core (4 INGS units of study)

a language core (3 language units of study)

a compulsory major (8 units of study, 6 of which are senior units)

a second major (I could have chosen electives but I wanted to double major)

compulsory exchange (4 units of study approved by my departments)

You’ll also notice the purple row and column at the bottom and far right. Those are my total credit points (I know it says “UOC” but that was because my first table was for UNSW B International Studies and they use “units of credit”). It’s vital that you keep track of how many credit points you’ve done!! If you don’t meet the requirements you jeopardise graduation (which is why it’s ESSENTIAL to make sure you get academic approval for any subjects you might take on exchange.)

I returned to this outline after each semester to make sure I was on track, and to confirm how many units I would need to take next semester.

Choosing Your Units

.. or units of study, subjects, courses. This is going to be a more general section since I can’t possibly provide reliable advice on specific units in specific degrees.

The first thing you should ask is: IS THIS UNIT COMPULSORY? It sounds obvious but hey, you need to pass compulsory units to graduate. You should also be aware if those units have prerequisites or are prereqs themselves for senior units, as that will affect the order in which you take them. In first year it’s relatively easy to determine which units you’ll do (starting from scratch), but once you hit second year, depending on your degree, there’s some flexibility.

For example, I have law friends who’ve played around with matching different compulsory law units to make for a more interesting semester. One of these friends, doing a double degree in Commerce and Law, also tried to balance her Commerce and Law subjects to take the edge off reading-heavy law units and keep herself sane.

If you have electives, have fun with them! Shop around, but consult your handbook to ensure your unit of choice will count towards your degree.

Your choice will depend on a combination of factors:

Prerequisites, corequisites, and prohibitions

Availability - semester 1 or 2? trimester 1, 2 or 3?

Your personal interest

Quality of lecturer/tutor - consult your network, keep an eye and ear open for the good ones

Timetabling - important for those who have work (also ties in with attendance-as-assessment)

Assessments - units with heavily-weighted exams or several small assessments might not be so attractive

How well a unit complements your major(s) - this one is a bit understated and perhaps more applicable to the Humanities, e.g. my social research units complemented my media politics unit very well

Degree planning can be a pain, particularly for those with 5-6 year degrees, but it’s so important you’re on top of your units to ensure all that hard work and suffering pays off at graduation.

#hsc #year 12 #university #degree planning #atar

73 notes · View notes

fuckstudy · 7 years ago

Note

hi! do you mind sharing what uni you graduated from/extent to which go8 has an impact? (totally understandable if you dont, just curious) and how did you find the process of securing a law-related job upon graduation? do you have any tips regarding tackling the aus job market for law grads? esp. when you don't have a lot of professional exp/good grades/connections :/ sorry theres alot of qs here, haha. ty!

Hey! All good - love it when I get inquisitive anons in my inbox. Grab a cuppa, cause here we go:

1. Go8

I graduated from a Go8 uni.

To the extent to which Go8 has had an impact in actually securing a job - not much. Employers focussed on my grades (regardless of uni) and what practical experience I had.

So ‘brand and name’ wise, being a Go8 graduate had no effect on my prospects of employment.

However, I’d say the opportunities and structure of a degree program at a university has a greater impact on your changes of securing a job upon graduation. A LLB/JD program that integrates practical experience (e.g. a program that includes a semester elective where the university actually helps you get a 6 month internship), in my opinion, is worth much much more than whether a uni is part of the Go8. So I guess, to the extent a Go8 university provides that… then yes, it has an impact. But you’ll find that a lot of non Go8 universities have similar (and sometimes better) programs.

I also found Honours (or any other extended research program) helped me with the application and interview process. It demonstrated an area of interest, an ability to write longform, research skills and was an easy reply to all those pesky interview questions (e.g. “tell us about an area of law you are interested in and how you’ve demonstrated that interest….”)

And to get really petty, the marking scheme that a university uses has a an impact. I guess. Some universities don’t scale their marks. Others do. A HD in one university may only count as a D in another university. Human resources usually know about this, I’d assume cvMail adjusts for this…. but if you’re going at face value…. (personally I think this is just law grads’ paranoia and absolute bs….but i dnk whether its something you’d want to consider)

2. How did I find the process of securing a law related job upon graduation

Honestly? Pretty shit.

I mean, yes, I secured a ‘law’ job upon graduation. And for the foreseeable future. Which will enable me to be admitted, go through my restricted practice years, become a ‘lawyer’ etc.

But the stress, anxiety, depression that comes with employment uncertainty started…. a long time ago.

Why?

I mean, we all know the process of securing a “law job” traditionally starts in your penultimate year. Most top to mid tier firms only offer grad jobs to candidates who have completed clerkships with them. Hence, the clerkship application process in your penultimate year can be really friggin’ hectic.

And it’s hard not to think you’ve lost your shot at this “law career” thing - even if you’re not sure you want to go into law but want to keep the door open - when you aren’t successful in the clerkship process.

But here’s the thing - clerkships aren’t the be all and end all.

The problem is, it feels like it.

The most important thing to me was finding the confidence to apply widely every time you get knocked back. Every time you get knocked back for a clerkship, grad job, job, internship - it hurts. Its a real confidence shaker. It makes you doubt whether or not you’re good enough to finish your degree, and why the fuck did I choose this degree - I shoulda done commerce instead.

But push through. Cry, yell, sleep in bed, doubt yourself, get angry at yourself (I did), stay up all night doing the application - it doesn’t matter as long as you submit the application.

Also, don’t forget the role of sheer dumb luck. For me, whilst I had a strong academic record (and some practical experience), I only landed my job two weeks’ after sitting my final exam…. over a lunchbreak. Seriously.

Its about creating your own chances. I didn’t say no to any opportunity because I couldn’t afford to say no. And in the end, the sum of my weird, random, off the beaten track opportunities led me to that lunchroom, to that conversation and to my current job.

3. Tackling the aus job market

Firms are changing. We’ve got a lot of global connections now. And that creates a lot of opportunities - and a lot of competition.

The usual “job tips” apply - e.g. apply widely, prepare for your interview etc.

But specifically in Aus - if you have the opportunity to, do a rural/ community based stint. Not many people are willing to go out 3 hours into the middle of nowhere. Or to live in the outback for a bit.

But that’s where you’ll get the best experience. Chances are the experience you get there will be much more hands on. More court appearances (if advocacy is what you want to do). It’d be much more hectic - given the strain on resources and the sheer logistical difficulties... but a few rural years’ experience may give you the edge when you move back to the city and hunt for those 2+ PAE (post admission experience) jobs.

Don’t be afraid to start in a small-mid tier firm. Just... never forget that where you start is not where you will finish. Because you will change - your wants, your interests, your priorities. And as such, it’s realistic to expect that your career goals will aswell.

4. Tackling the aus job market when you don’t have any connections

(you and me both anon)

LBR, having family/ friend connections in the ‘law’ can be a shortcut to getting your foot into the profession.

But the best thing is that being in law school gives you the opportunity to make those connections.

For example:

Participating in competitions is a platform through which you can start building your networks (I have to admit, I never did this though.)

Getting a mentor. Seriously. Mentoring programs are the best for this.

Engage with your lecturers - esp if you’re interested in their research/ subject area. Chances are they’ve got contacts from their time practicing or as a lecturer.

I kept eyes on my university careers’ page like a hawk - including opportunities outside of law.

If its within your financial means, go for unpaid opportunities.

And… even though it’s bloody competitive and hard and everyone seems to have this ‘taboo’ about talking about who/what/when/where they applied, talk to someone you trust. For me, it was graduates in the year above me, or from other universities - they kept me in the loop.

It also helps to stalk the fuck out of career’s handbooks from other universities. Whilst all universities are pretty detailed in the commercial/ top tier end (who could blame them - chances are they’re funding that new refurbishment on campus :P), I found some universities provided much broader advice + opportunities outside ‘commercial law’.

Here’s the thing... you don’t need connections to enter the legal profession. Sure, ‘networking’ is part and parcel of the gig. But never think that “I’ll never be a lawyer because I don’t know anyone!”.

In the end, jobs are (well, should be) given on merit.

And if they’re not going to take you on merit - then are you sure that’s a place that you’d want to work?

All the best anon. I know it’s a frustrating time to be a law grad.

#law #career #job #lawyer #lawblr #aus #fs: replies #anonymous

29 notes · View notes

schule4fluechtlinge · 6 years ago

Text

Blog #2: Refugees and Higher Education in Germany

Students in a German university lecture hall. Image from InfoMigrants.net, 2017.

As I explored in my previous blog post (K-12 Education in Germany), education is vital to the successful integration of refugees in Germany. However, the discourse surrounding educational opportunities for refugees tends to emphasize either early childhood and school education or vocational training. Far less attention is paid to higher education, which can open doors to further academic rigor, diverse professional careers, and upward social mobility for refugees.

In 2016, Germany was the largest European recipient of new asylum applications, with the highest number originating from Syrian nationals. Refugees from Syria are relatively well-educated, with estimates by the German Agency for Labor in early 2016 showing that more than 50 percent of them had at least secondary schooling, and 27 percent had attained even more, if not necessarily a degree. Fewer than 3 percent had no formal schooling. When the refugee crisis began, German higher education institutions scrambled to find opportunities for refugee students who, in many cases, have experienced study interrupted by conflict for years. Germany’s response to the needs of refugee tertiary students can best be characterized as a gradual evolution from emergency-based responses to more coordinated efforts that address the large-scale educational needs of displaced university-age youth.

Today, many universities offer flourishing German language courses, mentoring programs, financial support, and tutoring centers for refugees. In doing so, they have responded to a need that has rapidly become apparent: the strong interest in studying that many refugees who have arrived in Germany with a high level of education show. Yet, due to the language barrier (and other factors that I will explore further in this blog post), enrollment in German universities has remained relatively low. This blog post will evaluate refugees’ access to higher education in Germany and explore which policies are in place to support refugee students in universities.

A female student at Uni Hamburg. Image from Welt.de, 2018.

Accessing Higher Education

Asylum seekers in Germany are at a significant disadvantage when attempting to enter university through normal procedures. In addition to the required academic qualification, degree-seeking international students must demonstrate financial means as well as German language proficiency in order to enroll in most academic programs. When and if a student has been accepted to a university, the critical question of funding remains. While public German universities do not typically charge tuition, there are fees associated with study, costs German students often cover with “BAföG” (Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz) – government-backed funding providing up to 720 Euro per month. However, a refugee may only apply for BAföG 15 months after receiving asylum. Given that financial aid is dependent on the timely processing of an asylum application – widely recognized as inefficient —barriers to higher education entry can persist for two years or more. This wait condemns many students to an enforced period of inactivity without access to study or work opportunities.

To bridge this gap, several German universities have responded by offering the on-site validation of academic credentials without original documents, a very helpful service for prospective students who have fled conflict areas on short notice with few personal possessions. In Niedersachsen, for example, open admission degree programs at the state’s nine universities are open to asylum seekers and refugee students who successfully complete a preparatory exam at a local college and provide proof of their German language proficiency. Other universities also offer enrollment in courses for students with “guest” status, particularly targeted towards asylum seekers waiting for their application to be processed. Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, for example, offers a Refugee Bridging Program that permits asylum seekers to take classes and sit for exams, typically earning academic credit, with participation reflected in a certificate that may be useful in qualifying for future academic study.

These efforts to help refugee students navigate the bureaucratic limbo are certainly admirable -- but ultimately only a handful of universities offer these kinds of resources to students with a migration background. Without support from universities like the programs I mentioned above, it can be very difficult for refugee students to succeed in a university setting.

Refugee students learn German in a Sprachkurs at Universität Heidelberg, led by my former language teacher, Dr. Mattias Wermke! Image from Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung, 2016.

Refugees in Universities

Despite these challenges, more refugee students have expressed interest in attending university in Germany than ever before. In 2015, when the German Rectors Conference (HRK) -- which represents German universities -- began their unofficial poll, the number of refugee youth interested in finding out more about university study was logged at just over 9,000. By 2016, this number had climbed to 23,700. By 2018 winter semester, over 27,000 students expressed interest in applying to study or enrolling in Bachelor’s degree programs in Germany.

Infographic from InfoMigrants on refugee students’ interest in attending a German university, 2019.

For Germany’s Education Minister, Anja Karliczek from the CDU, this increase in numbers is a sign that Germany’s current integration programs are working. “Integration in universities is becoming better and better,” she said. “Since the end of 2015, more than 10,000 refugees have managed to sign up for university degrees; and that pleases me. That is 10,000 more people with good chances and 10,000 future professionals. That will be good for their countries of origin, if they go back; and it is good for Germany as they will help meet the needs that our economy has.” Indeed, some universities, such as the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Dortmund, already offer a Bachelor’s degree in social work with a concentration on poverty and migration. Students are required both to take theoretical coursework on topics related to asylum and migration (such as law and customs) and engage in practical, hands-on experience in a social work organization. In this way, the program trains young refugees to be future professional leaders who can help others integrate into German culture. This is just one of the many ways that higher education for refugees can benefit both the host country and the immigrant communities within them.

Anja Karliczek also stated: “Talented refugees should have the chance to study, our government is supporting that. That shows that our funding for universities is having an effect.” The Education Ministry allocated €100 million through 2019 to help increase refugee enrollment by providing preparatory courses and free applications, and by increasing funding for assessment programs to determine eligibility. Ultimately, this kind of funding and commitment on part of German universities is necessary in order to ensure college-aged refugee youths have the opportunity to study at the tertiary level -- and beyond.

Sources:

“More refugee students signing up to German higher education than before,” Emma Wallis, March 28, 2019. https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/15979/more-refugee-status-signing-up-to-german-higher-education-than-before

“The integration of refugees at German higher education institutions,” DAAD, November 2017. https://www.daad.de/medien/downloads/studie_hochschulzugang_fluechtlinge_engl.pdf

“German Universities Open Doors to Refugees: Access Barriers Remain,” Simon Morris-Lange, January 1, 2016. https://ejournals.bc.edu/index.php/ihe/article/view/9110

“Access to Higher Education for Refugees: A Review of Interventions in North America and Europe,” Bernhard Streitwieser, Bryce Loo, Mara Ohorodnik, and Jisun Jeong, March 2018. https://gsehd.gwu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/working_paper_2_bernhard_streitwieser_final_3.25.18_3.pdf

“Lessons from Germany’s Refugee Crisis: Integration, Costs, and Benefits,” Stefan Trines, May 2, 2017. https://wenr.wes.org/2017/05/lessons-germanys-refugee-crisis-integration-costs-benefits

“BAMF Brief Analysis: Social structure, level of qualifications, and employment,” Anna-Katharina Rich, March 2016. https://www.bamf.de/SharedDocs/Anlagen/EN/Publikationen/Kurzanalysen/kurzanalyse3_sozial-komponenten.pdf?__blob=publicationFile

“Access and Aspirations: Syrian Refugees’ Experiences of Entering Higher Education in Germany,” Lynn Schneider, July 16, 2018. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1745499918784764?journalCode=rcia

“Studying as a Refugee: Pathways to Studying at a German University,” Information for Refugees. https://www.study-in.de/refugees/studying/requirements/studying-as-a-refugee_53906.php

“Asylum Procedure,” Informationsverbund Asyl und Migration, 2018. http://www.asylumineurope.org/reports/country/germany/asylum-procedure/procedures/regular-procedure

“Bridging Programme,” Leuphana University of Lüneburg. https://www.leuphana.de/en/study/study-options-for-refugees/bridging-programme.html

“German University Offers Courses in ‘Refugee Assistance,’” InfoMigrants. https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/9072/german-university-offers-courses-in-refugee-assistance

0 notes