The Idiot's Guide to University (FAQ)

[leeam]

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wow! that sounds really good
haha a "D" at uni is different to a D at high school lol-i'd die if i got one at high school!

[Benny1103]

I don't think scaling is commonly applied in Victorian Universities. In fact, it seems to only happen in very rare instances. Since leeam is from Victoria I think this might be relevant to her.

[Optophobia]

Originally Posted by glitterfairy

rote learning will not save your butt.

rote learning?

[Generator]

Originally Posted by Optophobia

rote learning?

It's a mechanised method of studying that involves the individual memorising all that is before them, often without actually understanding what it is that they are memorising. In other words, it's a method of study that doesn't require a thorough understanding of the material.

If it's still not clear, the point is that you would be best to do all that you can to understand and apply what you are being taught because to merely memorise and regurgitate responses pretty much defeats the purpose of being at uni (and it may come around and bite you on the arse should a question come from the out-field). Just remember that you are at uni learn, not memorise.

[leeam]

in terms of marking, ive found uni marking a lot easier than at high school. maybe thats because ive chosen subjects i actually enjoy, and i actually STUDY!

[glitterfairy]

Originally Posted by Mike Ockisard

i love how you call the thread 'the idiots guide' but then you even go that one step further and add (FAQ) just for the people that couldnt understand the concept already like they really were idiots haha

I like to cover all corners.

[glitterfairy]

Uni year tends to start late Jan/Early feb and finish Nov or early Dec (depending on exams, usually). There's normally a mid-year break, as well as mid-semester breaks. Exact dates depend on which uni you go to - length of holidays (except for the big 3-month one) also depend on individual unis. MQ for example tends to have a 4-week mid year break, but we don't have STUVAC...

[kami]

Originally Posted by glitterfairy

DISCLAIMER: Written by a Mac student. I’ve tried to be general wherever possible, but if something I’ve written does not apply to your university, please let me know and I will edit accordingly!

Um, here goes...
*Basically at UTS in each semester we get two terms that are 7 weeks each with a one week holiday in the middle, though communications students get two weeks break instead.
*First tute is pretty much playing the name game and being assigned presentation weeks.
*From my experience UTS isn't big on putting their lectures on tape and they don't use iLecture, so its probably a *really* good idea to turn up( especially since some subjects require a summary of what you learnt from each lecture before you'll be marked as present). However some lecturers will put up some notes.
*At UTS (at least in my faculty) pretty much all of the assessments need to be handed in directly to the tutor who marks them. If it's a final assessment you need to give them an envelope as well if you want it back.
*With failing, if you fail 2 or more units in any given semester apart from your first then UTS can exclude you (which is pretty much uni version of expulsion)

[withoutaface]

Originally Posted by glitterfairy

Uni year tends to start late Jan/Early feb and finish Nov or early Dec (depending on exams, usually). There's normally a mid-year break, as well as mid-semester breaks. Exact dates depend on which uni you go to - length of holidays (except for the big 3-month one) also depend on individual unis. MQ for example tends to have a 4-week mid year break, but we don't have STUVAC...

I dunno about mac, but city unis tend to be late Feb/early March...

[PwarYuex]

Originally Posted by withoutaface

I dunno about mac, but city unis tend to be late Feb/early March...

Same as every uni, I think.

We started on the 27th Feb.

Originally Posted by miss_gtr

-It is ok to look a bit nicer than usual on the day that you are taking your ID photo. You will have to stare at it for the rest of the year, and so will your friends, bus drivers, ticket inspectors, coop people, cityrail officer etc. Not that I endorse being vain, or the need to look immaculate at uni. Just a thought.

Try the rest of your undergrad. We don't get new cards every year.

[glitterfairy]

Originally Posted by withoutaface

I dunno about mac, but city unis tend to be late Feb/early March...

gah so true

Sorry guys, I was planning my work timetable at the same time I wrote that last post (I'm a teacher, I follow the NSW public school's year) so got mixed up :/

Yeah, Mac has Dec/Jan/Feb off too

Oh and Kylie: AWESOME post. Mighty good procrastination job

[Jessica_00]

GOOD STUFF~! to be honest ( and dont laugh at me) I didnt really know what a semester was LMAO

[sando]

can someone plz explain to me how credit points, majors and double degrees work ?

[hipsta_jess]

It depends what uni you go to.
My uni (as with most others) believe that 40 units is what you should be doing per semester. 40 units supposedly equates to 40 hours total effort per week (this includes class time, so if you have 15 hours in lectures/tutes/labs, you're expected to put in 25 hours to assignments/readings/study/etc). Generally under this system, you do 4 subjects per semester at 10 units each (thus, 10 hours total effort per subject per week), although sometimes it varies (I generally have to do 2x 10 units. 1x 20 units).
A major is the area in which you concentrate on. Each uni and each programme will set out how many credit points you have to complete in that discipline for it to be your major. For example, when I did science, say you wanted to major in biology, you had to do 20 units of it at 1000 level (1st yr), then a minimum of 40 units of it at 3000 level (3rd yr). It was upto you if you took all of these 40 units in first sem, or 20 units per semester, or even took more than was required.
Double degrees, you do 2 degrees at once. I think they're generally one 'shorter' degree (say, commerce for 3 yrs) and one 'longer' one (law for 5 yrs)...but you mix it up...yeah, I don't really get it so I won't try and explain it any more.

[cbadvanced]

Originally Posted by glitterfairy

HOW DO I DEAL WITH PEOPLE SEEING ME IN….*gasp*…THE SAME OUTFIT TWICE?
It happens. And then you get over it very, very quickly.

pfft i've been wearing same stuff (as in 3 shirts, 2 pants) for last 4 years

trust me, people start to not get over it very very quickly