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Schols Schols Schols, information and venting thread.

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    #2
    Pitseleh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 156 ✭✭Pitseleh


    Hmmm... Is it good idea to e-mail lecturers and attempt to forge some kind of 'rapport' with them, ask them what readings they'd espoecially recommend etc.?


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    #3
    paperclip
    Closed Accounts Posts: 561 ✭✭✭paperclip


    *sitting in circle*
    Hello everyone, my name is Theresa and I'm doing schols.
    All: Hello, Theresa.

    Excellent, a thread for us to lurk in and whine and think about how it would be cool to actually succeed...
    I'd be happy to get exemptions to be honest, t hat's what I'm aiming for really, but if they were to give me schols, I wouldn't say no....

    Apex: thanks for all the previous threads, handy to look through. Are there any tips for us at this stage of the whole shenanigans?

    If anyone here has done schols before, please come forward!


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    #4
    balzarywex
    Closed Accounts Posts: 96 ✭✭balzarywex


    *takes talking stick from paperclip*

    I'm Colm and I, too, am inflicting this upon myself...

    Exemptions would be 'dandy' (though they'ld be even dandier if was down the arts block area...)

    Cheers Apex! Moan I shall... in time...


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    #5
    JC 2K3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,794 ✭✭✭JC 2K3


    I will be inflictng this on myself, but not until next year :p


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    #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 16,720 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    JC 2K3 wrote: »
    I will be inflictng this on myself, but not until next year :p

    Well... you have the option of doing it this year too :)


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    #7
    JC 2K3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,794 ✭✭✭JC 2K3


    ?
    TCD Scholars' Website wrote:
    Q. How do I become a Scholar?

    Put simply, you need to get a first class honour grade in the Scholarship Exams of your chosen course. To sit the exams you must at least be in your Senior Freshman (second) year. Application forms are available at the beginning of Hilary term, on which you detail the courses you are nominating yourself for examination in. The exams are taken between Hilary and Trinity terms, and the results of those elected to Scholarship are announced by the Provost from the steps of the Exam Hall on Trinity Monday (in May; the Monday following the Trinity Ball).
    http://www.tcdlife.ie/scholars/Scholar/FAQ.php#10

    Of course, there's no way I could reasonably learn a year and a half's worth of material in 5 months in any case.


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    #8
    Awayindahils
    Registered Users Posts: 2,024 ✭✭✭Awayindahils


    You can be signed off by your individual apartment to sit schols in JF.

    Eh it's far too early to be wishing you all luck, enjoy michealmus term, and sort out all your personal stuff NOW.


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    #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 16,720 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I had it checked out two years ago, it's open to first years. The Statutes stated that rising Junior Freshmans are not allowed participate, but this was taken to mean first years when it actually should have meant soon-to-be first years who haven't been entered on the books yet. First years have obtained Schols in the past.

    There's another thread somewhere where I went into some detail after some queries on this...

    Ah, here that is.


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    #10
    shay_562
    Registered Users Posts: 1,764 ✭✭✭shay_562


    Exemptions ftw. Best summer I've ever had; 6 months of uninterrupted bliss. Good luck everyone - try not to kill yourselves with work, remember to try and have a bit of a life too, enjoy college stuff while you still can.


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    #11
    paperclip
    Closed Accounts Posts: 561 ✭✭✭paperclip


    Does producing very comprehensive past paper answers sound like good tactic to you?


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    #12
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 16,720 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    JC 2K3 wrote: »
    ?


    http://www.tcdlife.ie/scholars/Scholar/FAQ.php#10

    Of course, there's no way I could reasonably learn a year and a half's worth of material in 5 months in any case.

    Oh, and the other moral is that Scholars aren't always right :D


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    #13
    JC 2K3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,794 ✭✭✭JC 2K3


    lol, well currently the only paper from last year's CS schols that looks like I might be able to ace would be Maths. The rest I haven't much of a clue about really.(though they don't look insanely difficult)

    I think I'll wait til next year in any case.


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    #14
    frisbeeface
    Registered Users Posts: 697 ✭✭✭frisbeeface


    I don't suppose there are any law scholars floating about? If there are, hi, can you please sit them for me?

    I'm very unhappy that I can't get full exemptions!


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    #15
    Kwekubo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,238 ✭✭✭Kwekubo


    I suppose I can legitimately throw my hat into the ring here, since our first year exam results constitute part of Schols if we choose to go down that route. Academic masochism ftw.


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    #16
    Corruptedmorals
    Registered Users Posts: 4,194 ✭✭✭Corruptedmorals


    I have a question, I'm doing Irish Studies, brand new course, would that be open to schol next year?


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    #17
    xeduCat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 793 ✭✭✭xeduCat


    Absolutely.


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    #18
    xeduCat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 793 ✭✭✭xeduCat


    frisbeeface wrote: »
    I don't suppose there are any law scholars floating about? If there are, hi, can you please sit them for me?

    I am, but sitting them once was enough! Sorry. If you have the bad fortune to be in my seminar group, though (Constitutional Law 2), we will talk about Schol there though ;)
    I'm very unhappy that I can't get full exemptions!

    It's not too bad. I took three of the four SF subjects for Schol (aside to general readership: each course differs in terms of the rules for exams and for examptions - law requires you to do five exams (out of the eight subjects that are required in JF/SF), but only grants exemptions in subjects you take. Doing one subject in the summer exams is still much better than doing four!


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    #19
    Thirdfox
    Registered Users Posts: 7,110 ✭✭✭Thirdfox


    Which groups are you taking? I may well be in your group... and thinking about taking Schols too...


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    #20
    claire h
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,056 ✭✭✭claire h


    Oh the joys of academic masochism... good luck, guys. :)

    Would it sound totally pathetic to say that it's actually sort of fun sitting the exams? For some subjects at any rate it gives you much more freedom to focus on specifically the things that you like, and go off on tangents a bit. So yay for that. Oooh, the papers from this year are online now... awww, the traumatic memories. ;)


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    #21
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,459 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    paperclip wrote: »
    Does producing very comprehensive past paper answers sound like good tactic to you?

    It is a good idea (a very good idea actually), although the worth of past papers is very much dependent on the course. They'll always be helpful, just sometimes more helpful. Just bear in mind lecturers and course material can change (different lecturers can have very differing views on what constitutes a schols level question).

    As an example I did TP schols two years ago and through looking at past papers I knew every single question that came up on two of my exams and did quite well. However, in another exam the past paper lulled me into something of a false sense of security, as our exam ended up being several orders of magnitude harder then in the previous year. Try and ensure you know all the course, and not just what has come up previously


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    #22
    manicmonoliths
    Registered Users Posts: 312 ✭✭manicmonoliths


    I was thinking of doing Schols next year. I'm in JF BESS at the moment, from what I've heard BESS Schols seem to be relatively easier than other courses. Would anyone agree?
    It would be terrible to volunteer to do Schols and not get them, that would be my only doubt about doing them.... I suppose I'd be better prepared for the summer exams, but still it'd be a pain!
    What exactly makes the exams so hard? Are the questions asked very specific? Would I have to study way outside of the regular course content? Or is it just the standard of answers looked for is so much higher?
    How would Schols compare with say for example 4th year exams?

    Lot of questions I know....


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    #23
    sully-gormo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 212 ✭✭sully-gormo


    Im thinking of doing schol in BESS, anyone do it last year, how did it go?

    I have Maths, Intermediate, Econ of Irl, WEP, HPT, Law

    What kinds of preparation classes do they run, are there many. How much help do you get from the lecturers?


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    #24
    europerson
    Registered Users Posts: 2,909 ✭✭✭europerson


    manicmonoliths wrote: »
    I was thinking of doing Schols next year. I'm in JF BESS at the moment, from what I've heard BESS Schols seem to be relatively easier than other courses. Would anyone agree?
    No. BESS lecturers tend to help with the preparation for the exams more than other lecturers though.
    It would be terrible to volunteer to do Schols and not get them, that would be my only doubt about doing them.... I suppose I'd be better prepared for the summer exams, but still it'd be a pain!
    Well, if you get a II.1 in Schols, you wouldn't have to do any Annual Exams: you would be exempted from them.
    What exactly makes the exams so hard?
    They're earlier in the year, the questions are harder, the standard sought is higher, and the subject matter is generally more diverse.
    Are the questions asked very specific? Would I have to study way outside of the regular course content?
    No, the questions are very general, especially for Politics courses, and therein lies the difficulty. You would be expected to have a much broader understanding of the issues involved, all right.
    Or is it just the standard of answers looked for is so much higher?
    This is really what separates Schols from Annuals. The questions will be broadly similar, but a lot more will be expected in Schols.
    How would Schols compare with say for example 4th year exams?
    Much easier, I should think. It's all about preparation though.

    Just to conclude, next year the academic year will be semesterised, so we don't know what's going to happen the Schol exams, which, of course, traditionally take place during the Hilary Term vacation.


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    #25
    ApeXaviour
    Registered Users Posts: 5,523 ✭✭✭ApeXaviour


    Brain tired, fanciful words elude me, I'll get the necessary info across though. :)
    paperclip wrote: »
    Does producing very comprehensive past paper answers sound like good tactic to you?
    As podge said yes, but it depends on what course you do. You do pharmacy right? So yeah... definitely a very good idea. But, again as podge said, pay close attention to which lecturers did what courses in previous years. If it's a new lecturer or new course they're likely to ask something very different.
    paperclip wrote: »
    Apex: thanks for all the previous threads, handy to look through. Are there any tips for us at this stage of the whole shenanigans?

    If anyone here has done schols before, please come forward!
    At this stage? Just keep up, take comprehensive notes, get all your continuous assessment in well on time. No need to start proper study yet though, enjoy yourself. But... THINK about starting proper study, be determined and have it on your mind that very soon you'll be going hell for leather on the aul cramming. Do a bit of study before christmas, the 23rd to 2nd of Jan or so you can probably write off. After that though be prepared mentally to be in the library until closing most nights of the week. A few people I know had regrets about not starting early enough. They had intended to, but imo not mentally prepared themselves to. As a result they didn't really get down to it until mid February or so.

    When answering past questions, which should comprise the majority of what you do. Exams test your ability at answering exam questions, best way to get good at this is practice.
    If you're not totally sure on an answer you made to a past question (to what level it would be marked on etc.) bring it up to the lecturer and ask them! Get feedback on tutorial questions too. Sometimes, even in science, it's not so much what you answer but how you answer it. Don't just bring up questions you know you did perfectly to boost your ego, bring up ones you're not sure about but can't see how to improve.

    Tangent: I learned the hard way above, I would have done a lot better in one of my maths exams had I done the above. I knew the derivations/proofs perfectly, I could do half the calculus in my head as I was so used to it from physics. So I didn't write down exactly every step in the maths proofs, I skipped the parts that I could deduce to save time. Now this is perfectly acceptable in physics, but goes against convention in maths apparently. Even though I'd done them right, I was told "as far as I know you may have just learned a few steps of the proof off by heart and don't understand it".
    manicmonoliths wrote:
    It would be terrible to volunteer to do Schols and not get them, that would be my only doubt about doing them.... I suppose I'd be better prepared for the summer exams, but still it'd be a pain!
    Well, as others have mentioned you get exemptions if you get a II-1. Even failing that you should do much better in the summer exams. IMO everybody should do them in 2nd year. What would really suck is if you did them in JS and didn't get them (what nearly happened to myself). You don't get exemptions either way, and they don't help you for your annual exams much at all so... yeah you would have pretty much just wasted your time.
    claire h wrote:
    Oh the joys of academic masochism... good luck, guys. :)
    I second Claire's sentiment, schols is a great thing to have, and character building to go for. If you don't get it in SF, you can try it in JS, but be careful, do that only if you're fairly sure you can get it.


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    #26
    shay_562
    Registered Users Posts: 1,764 ✭✭✭shay_562


    manicmonoliths wrote:
    I'm in JF BESS at the moment, from what I've heard BESS Schols seem to be relatively easier than other courses. Would anyone agree?

    "Easier" might be the wrong way to put it, but I'd say BESS schols is certainly more achievable than some other subjects, depending on which streams you do. The existence of (comparatively) simple objectively marked subjects like Management II (Accounting) and Maths&Stats means that a few high firsts are quite achievable, which makes the whole process decidedly smoother. That said, I still didn't get them, but I can see why it would be easier than sitting schols in, say, History, where it's all subjectively marked and a lot more based on the likes and dislikes of a particular professor.
    sully-gormo wrote:
    Im thinking of doing schol in BESS, anyone do it last year, how did it go?

    I have Maths, Intermediate, Econ of Irl, WEP, HPT, Law

    Me and awayindahils did it, both got full exemptions but, sadly, both of us were quite a way off the full thing. Seven people in SF BESS got schols last year (more than I think was expected), but that's no guarantee for this year. I did Business/Economics/French, so I can't comment on all, but for those I can: Maths and Stats is, if you have a mathematical brain, a subject you should aim for a first in. One guy in our class got 93 last year - that may be outside the realms of possibility for those of us who aren't idiot savants, but a bit of study here will get you far. Similar for Intermediate Economics (I assume Walti is still teaching the macro half of that?) - while I wasn't too gone on our micro lecturer, this is another "with work, a first is possible" subject where, if you're good at it, you can push up into the 80s easily. Economy of Ireland is trickier to call - being essay-based, I don't know anyone who got higher than the low 70s, and most people who I talked to seemed to languish around the 60 mark. The key here is reading the book til you can recite it from memory, getting your set essays written and polished up early and using all the help O'Hagan gives (and he's willing to give a lot) to get them as perfect as possible.

    For everyone considering BESS schols - exemptions are very, very attainable in most BESS subjects. Everyone I know (save one person) who sat schols and showed up to each exam got them, and they're definitely, definitely worth it - not quite enough to make it better if you were desperate for Schols, but enough to make you happy if you threw your hat in fairly casually. The joys of a 6 month summer and no lectures during Pav season can't be over-stated.


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    #27
    sully-gormo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 212 ✭✭sully-gormo


    Yeah Walti teaches it; and Francis O'Toole teaches the micro
    How much do they hint at whats on the exam paper and how much will they help you out. Do they put on extra classes and such like. How are the politics, law and the general paper?


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    #28
    Time Magazine
    Registered Users Posts: 8,452 ✭✭✭Time Magazine


    Séb Wälti won't be around after Christmas (:() so that might make things more difficult.


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    #29
    Awayindahils
    Registered Users Posts: 2,024 ✭✭✭Awayindahils


    Walti also doesn't do hints.

    HPT is very firstable. I did it for the BESS paper and they were my two highest marks. Do all you maths assignments as you go along and have your 8 Econ of IRL essays prepared by the end of reading week (HT). Have macro doen polished andif Walti does any aprticularily hard questions make sure you can do it. Teh hardest homework question we got last year appeared on our shcol paper. I woke up that morning and went an studied it, unfortunately I drew a blank during the exam. WEP is very broad and quite hard to get a first in. I can't comment on Law.

    Oh for HTP buy and read "50 major political thinkers" published i think by Palgrave. There is one copy in the library but its about 25 euro and it should be easy enough to get 2nd hand copies of and it makes the course a doddle.


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    #30
    Corruptedmorals
    Registered Users Posts: 4,194 ✭✭✭Corruptedmorals


    My course is interdisciplinary..merged with Modern Irish for language, with History for Irish History..would that make it easier or more general and therefore more difficult... I think I'll look up past papers a lot, but none exist for actual Irish Studies yet of course, bleugh.


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    #31
    europerson
    Registered Users Posts: 2,909 ✭✭✭europerson


    Corruptedmorals wrote: »
    I think I'll look up past papers a lot, but none exist for actual Irish Studies yet of course, bleugh.
    Well, if you share courses with established subjects, just put use their course names in the exam paper finder-thingy.


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