School/Uni Help Thread

My sister got rejected by her 1st choice and is gutted confusing though considering the criteria states 300 ucas points is enough and she's on course for well over 400

 

Rarely about UCAS points though- all about the grades. You can get say AABB and get over 300 points say but they need AAAB.


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What industry are you going into?

Imo the hardest part of getting any grad job is actually getting to the assessment centre imo. I've heard a few horror stories but by and large they're usually pretty decent experiences if somewhat tiring.

There's definitely a few apprentice style dickheads at these things, but if you can come across as genuinely interested in the industry, clued up on the company and easy to get along with then you're practically there.

 

Civil service who I already work for which should help. I've been told to expect from it, 4 exercises - role play, group discussion, analysis and project management.

I know that I have a 1 in 3 chance as there's 200 jobs and just over 600 candidates. The only thing I'm concerned about is from what I've seen about other graduates already on it is that many had years of work experience and I've only graduated in July and worked full time since then

 

Yes i have a bit of experience, getting jobs in accountancy for the big 4 require multiple stages.

Best advice i can give is to not speak for the sake of speaking, its blatantly obvious and makes you come across as being dominant and not taking into account other members of your team. Chip in when you have something to say, ask other parts of the team if you do a team exercise as part of the assessment centre on their views.

Ask questions for those interviewing you, i wouldn't be too afraid of them, there are people there in the same boat as you, just be yourself.

Don't know what psychometric tests there are for civil service but make sure you pass them if there are!

Also be aware of current hot topics, shows an awareness and understanding of the current environment.

 

I agree with all that.

One thing I would add is that you're in a really good position if you work there already. Play up to the fact that you're already there, you enjoy the role, you like the environment and can see a future for yourself in the industry. If you're in the job and doing well you're far less of a risk than bringing in an entirely new graduate who may decide it's not for him/her or just not get on with folk.

 

Thanks for the advice lads

 

Exams are * depressing man.

 

If in doubt, divide by zerooooOOOH SHI-

 

I did about 4 hours of study for the two I already completed, got one tomorrow and haven't even started reading notes yet....cannot be arsed anymore.

 

See the thing about exams is if I just had 2 over the space of a week or two I'd do really well in both, but 4 of them in the space of just over a week (which was basically all of the last 3 years for me when it came to exam time) can seriously get to *. I end up just doing * all for the last one and hope that I scrape a pass.

I remember in my first year I had 3 for 3 days in a row for my first set of exams. I can't understand why they do stuff like that? I know you shouldn't leave all studying so close to the exam dates, but still you need a day or two in between each one at the very least.

 

I'd an exam on Friday at 3.30 on a fairly tricky module so I spent most of the previous week cramming for that, then had an exam at 9.30 the next morning on what was probably my best module, but because I spent so much time on the other one and had * all time to cram I think I didnt do well at all. Only thing is if I'm a few marks off what I need come June I won't mind repeating that exam too much in August.

I'm struggling for motivation myself and I still have four exams left.

I'm the same, only really get motivated a couple of days before an exam. Don't have an exam now until Thursday, and then another gap until the Monday but my last three exams are in four days, (Monday, Wednesday and Thursday). My last exam is by far my weakest module as well so I can see myself * that one.

These exams have me in a terrible humour the last week or so, probably because I know I haven't really put in as much effort as I should have.

 

Exam on Thursday and I did absolutely no study for it on Saturday, about an hour on Sunday, none yesterday and I've done about 8 hours of cramming today, I don't know why I am so incapable of just spreading out the work I need to do, even over a few days

 

Smashed my exams time to relax and wait for baby number 2 to arrive now

 

The people who seem to struggle just now 'finding' the time to study for exams better hope they don't end up in a profession that has CPD and exams on-going, as they are going to * a wall trying to keep their full time job as well as study :smiley-laughing002:

 

Haha tell me about it Tim, they would seriously struggle big time. * I am struggling and I tended to leave revision till two weeks prior to exams.

 

Got an orals exam in 2 weeks, so much * harder to revise for and a * tonne to remember. Too used to last minute revision and just cramming which always worked best for me.