Chemistry at UoM compared to chemistry at school

Student experience 12th September 2017

As Welcome Week approaches I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Manchester chemistry. This blog post covers 5 differences between studying in school or college and here at undergraduate level. My name is Kristy Turner and I am a school teacher fellow here in the school of chemistry. I am a member of academic staff here 3 days a week and on the other 2 days I teach in a secondary school, I have been a secondary school teacher for 12 years. Because of this I am very experienced in the area of transition between school and university so here are 5 main differences.

1. The A-level/IB curriculum is followed by thousands of students and because of this a whole publishing business has been built upon providing textbooks and revision guides for it. In addition to this a number of teachers and amateur tutors have built websites and YouTube channels offering support. The Manchester chemistry curriculum is unique to us (though of course it covers many things that are common to other 1^st Year chemistry courses). The textbooks on the reading list will cover much more than what is being taught which is a big change from having a book or website focused in one particular exam board. If you’re not used to using textbooks to support your learning it is worth making time to build good study habits using one in the early weeks of term.
2. In school or college your classes are quite static, the same people with the same teacher(s) for one or two years. That class will also be small enough number where you know everyone’s names, but large enough for you to hide a bit if you forgot to do your prep. In contrast, your university classes will be variable in size, from a tutorial of 6 (if everyone turns up) through to a lecture with more than 200. You will see the same lecturers for perhaps a matter of weeks, a single session or for the whole year. They may not know your name.
3. The rules of interaction between academic staff and students are much clearer in school and college. You’re probably used to dropping in at a staffroom or office to seek help and your teachers have mostly been around during the working day. It can often be difficult to find academics here at Manchester without making an appointment, many have research groups who they supervise and administrative duties which take them to meetings across campus or they may be out of their office because of conferences. It is generally best to send an email to make an appointment, after you have done everything you can to work through your problems in your independent study. You’ll also be come across lots of other people who will help you in your studies in different ways, lab demonstrators, technicians, PASS leaders and administrative staff.
4. You will probably be used to using past papers and mark schemes to guide your study and success at school or college. At undergraduate level you will have access to 3 years of past papers but no mark schemes. Mark schemes don’t features heavily in higher education and where marking guidance exists (for example where more than one marker is marking the same question) then it is designed to be used by expert markers who will always be vigilant to give credit to correct chemistry. The vast majority of exam questions will be marked by one marker, the academic who set it, hence why mark schemes in the sense you are used to do not exist.
5. You might not have done very much experimental work at school or college and when you did your experiments will have been relatively short. Lab sessions here at Manchester last a whole day in first year and you will have work to do beforehand (pre labs) and afterwards. You will have to have a much greater awareness of safety than you had before (don’t worry, you will get training on this).

I hope you have found this blog post helpful and you enjoy your first few weeks here at Manchester. Remember that if you find settling into undergraduate life difficult then do make contact with your personal tutor, another academic you trust or a member of our administrative staff and we will do our best to signpost you to help.