To be honest, if you can get 4 Ms in the level 3 chemistry exam then I don't think you need to worry that much. CHEM191 won't be easy, but it should be manageable. If getting 4 Ms is going to be a challenge for you, or if you're worried about chemistry, definitely do what you can to attend the bridging course. The bridging course doesn't teach you CHEM191 material - it teaches you high school chemistry material relevant to CHEM191, with the aim of getting you as prepared for CHEM191 as possible. If you feel you have a solid grasp on NCEA chemistry then it isn't necessary, and study/tutorials during CHEM191 should be sufficient. If however you think your NCEA chemistry needs some improvement, then the bridging course (in ADDITION to study/tutorials during CHEM191) would be a very good idea.
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Otago HSFY chat - archive
- Thread starter jeavey
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To be honest, if you can get 4 Ms in the level 3 chemistry exam then I don't think you need to worry that much. CHEM191 won't be easy, but it should be manageable. If getting 4 Ms is going to be a challenge for you, or if you're worried about chemistry, definitely do what you can to attend the bridging course. The bridging course doesn't teach you CHEM191 material - it teaches you high school chemistry material relevant to CHEM191, with the aim of getting you as prepared for CHEM191 as possible. If you feel you have a solid grasp on NCEA chemistry then it isn't necessary, and study/tutorials during CHEM191 should be sufficient. If however you think your NCEA chemistry needs some improvement, then the bridging course (in ADDITION to study/tutorials during CHEM191) would be a very good idea.
papermoth
Regular Member
Hey guys,
Belated thank you! Going to Otago next year. Turns out honesty is the best policy. Who knew "the atmosphere rararara, student life blah blah" stance would actually work. Either that or I totally misjudged my parents liberalness- my mother actually goes "it'd be good for you" because- get this right- "you're anti-social" o.0 pfft, I've concluded they want to get rid of me :|
Anyway, question (probably being an eager beaver but...) I was looking through some of the HSFY text books and noticed most have a heap of questions. Just wondering if these questions are reflective of the degree of difficulty of questions in actual HSFY tests? (hope that made sense?)
Thanks!
Belated thank you! Going to Otago next year. Turns out honesty is the best policy. Who knew "the atmosphere rararara, student life blah blah" stance would actually work. Either that or I totally misjudged my parents liberalness- my mother actually goes "it'd be good for you" because- get this right- "you're anti-social" o.0 pfft, I've concluded they want to get rid of me :|
Anyway, question (probably being an eager beaver but...) I was looking through some of the HSFY text books and noticed most have a heap of questions. Just wondering if these questions are reflective of the degree of difficulty of questions in actual HSFY tests? (hope that made sense?)
Thanks!
I think it's being a bit too eager beaver haha. Just wait until you can log in to the system then you can have a look at past papers.
Here's a note about textbooks from me seeing as HSFYs will probably be thinking about them right now. This is only my opinion and I'm not so sure its a popular one. If I was sitting HSFY in 2011 I wouldn't buy any of the textbooks. I think the textbooks are mostly a waste of money, and I also think that people waste SO much time looking at the textbook. The best resource and the most important resource you have by far are the lecture slides and what the lecturers say out loud. THOSE are the things that will be tested on. The textbook is there to aid in your understanding of concepts you may find difficult, in which case you could easily just borrow your friends one from your hall to have a brief look.
HUBS: sure there are some things tested from the textbook, but really the number of marks you gain is miniscule compared to the amount of effort you would need to put in. Why not spend those hours reading the textbook on something more useful like nailing the lecture material for CELS or CHEM 100%?
CHEM: may be useful to help understanding of some concepts, but really you shouldn't run into too many problems about concepts, and if you do just borrow someone elses textbook.
CELS: no need to learn anything from the textbook, just know every of every lecture perfectly (of course you wouldn't learn things like when the first microscope was made etc. etc.)
PHSI: because the textbook is written by the university now, it is way better. It was a different horrible textbook beforehand. If physics is your weak point then definitely get this book. It has a lot of questions in it too which are good practice.
HEAL: the textbook I found helpful when I did HSFY. Not so sure about how helpful it is anymore. I would be more inclined to borrow this book off someone else.
BIOC: no, everything you need is on the lecture slides.
Here's a note about textbooks from me seeing as HSFYs will probably be thinking about them right now. This is only my opinion and I'm not so sure its a popular one. If I was sitting HSFY in 2011 I wouldn't buy any of the textbooks. I think the textbooks are mostly a waste of money, and I also think that people waste SO much time looking at the textbook. The best resource and the most important resource you have by far are the lecture slides and what the lecturers say out loud. THOSE are the things that will be tested on. The textbook is there to aid in your understanding of concepts you may find difficult, in which case you could easily just borrow your friends one from your hall to have a brief look.
HUBS: sure there are some things tested from the textbook, but really the number of marks you gain is miniscule compared to the amount of effort you would need to put in. Why not spend those hours reading the textbook on something more useful like nailing the lecture material for CELS or CHEM 100%?
CHEM: may be useful to help understanding of some concepts, but really you shouldn't run into too many problems about concepts, and if you do just borrow someone elses textbook.
CELS: no need to learn anything from the textbook, just know every of every lecture perfectly (of course you wouldn't learn things like when the first microscope was made etc. etc.)
PHSI: because the textbook is written by the university now, it is way better. It was a different horrible textbook beforehand. If physics is your weak point then definitely get this book. It has a lot of questions in it too which are good practice.
HEAL: the textbook I found helpful when I did HSFY. Not so sure about how helpful it is anymore. I would be more inclined to borrow this book off someone else.
BIOC: no, everything you need is on the lecture slides.
papermoth
Regular Member
Hey thanks skyglow1, I thought I'd get told this... mainly because people have been telling me not to get textbooks in really life too.
I did though (well some and second hand too) because I probably would've ended up blowing the money on comics anyway (true story) so I figure now at least I'll be that friend you end up borrowing from :]
I did though (well some and second hand too) because I probably would've ended up blowing the money on comics anyway (true story) so I figure now at least I'll be that friend you end up borrowing from :]
Ramza
Regular Member
yep you really need to be familiar with the concepts, its for ppl who really have no idea in chemistry, but its all up to you. It helps to know NCEA. and skyglow does a good sum up too, missing it is not gonna make you fail, its really just NCEA stuff, if you make it with M's you should spend the extra 3 weeks enjoying your break
Ramza
Regular Member
i let my health sci flat mate borrow my last years ones, although i like to keep my books, they helped alot with BBiomedsc, well only HUBS and BIOC text books. - you could get great marks without them
ChickenPie
Regular Member
I don't entirely agree with skyglow that textbooks are unnecessary, but in all honesty you can just go the library and use them there.
I found that textbooks made it simple to learn a concept - especially for papers where you can't rote learn the slides, such as physics and chemistry (memorising the slides for those wouldn't be very useful and would just give you a false sense of security)
For CHEM they were a good source of questions, which I thought helped me for that paper. You could just use it before the exam in the library though.
For PHSI I found the textbook immensely helpful. I didn't even really look at the slides - just the textbook. It is written for the course and contains very little "non-essential" information. The questions aren't liked by everyone, but I wasn't too fussed.
You can certainly do without CELS. In fact, using the CELS textbook is probably a disadvantage - the prescribed readings are usually much wider than the actual coursework.
Same for BIOC. I didn't buy a BIOC textbook and wouldn't have used one.
HUBS is useful, even just for diagrams. That was usually the reason I used it.
I found that textbooks made it simple to learn a concept - especially for papers where you can't rote learn the slides, such as physics and chemistry (memorising the slides for those wouldn't be very useful and would just give you a false sense of security)
For CHEM they were a good source of questions, which I thought helped me for that paper. You could just use it before the exam in the library though.
For PHSI I found the textbook immensely helpful. I didn't even really look at the slides - just the textbook. It is written for the course and contains very little "non-essential" information. The questions aren't liked by everyone, but I wasn't too fussed.
You can certainly do without CELS. In fact, using the CELS textbook is probably a disadvantage - the prescribed readings are usually much wider than the actual coursework.
Same for BIOC. I didn't buy a BIOC textbook and wouldn't have used one.
HUBS is useful, even just for diagrams. That was usually the reason I used it.
kaixian0011
Regular Member
Ah alright, because I can just self learn alot of the NCEA stuff even up to E anyway.
mhmm Thanks alot for your inputs =]
mhmm Thanks alot for your inputs =]
papermoth
Regular Member
Hey thanks guys (even though no one really answered my original question ^_^-- patients is a virtue I guess, I'll find out in good time, so all good)
Anyway, I have the textbooks now (well physics, anatomy, chem and biology) so I guess I can form my own opinion on the matter soon enough!
Peace.
Anyway, I have the textbooks now (well physics, anatomy, chem and biology) so I guess I can form my own opinion on the matter soon enough!
Peace.
ChickenPie
Regular Member
Ha. I never read the original post, only skyglows.
The questions in every textbook aren't representative of those found in tests. Some are similar but on the whole most are not.
The style and content emphasis are usually different.
The questions in every textbook aren't representative of those found in tests. Some are similar but on the whole most are not.
The style and content emphasis are usually different.
Hey I was just wondering where about all of you were staying next year? Does anyone live in Dunedin or are all of you guys staying in a hall?
I live in Dunedin, actually not too far from aquinas, a bit more up the hill. I used to do my paper run right past aquinas though. That hill can be BRUTAL in the winter. I slipt a number of times although it was dark and you can't really see ice it's a bit hard at times.
Even though I'll be a foundie still could be cool to meet a few of you guys, a couple of my mates are doing HSFY too.
Oh and just wondering what are everyone's personal favourite study methods? After being away from study for a year I'm a bit stuck on how to start and even when I was sitting NCEA I didn't really study, I could generally get M's and E's with little to no studying and maybe an hours cramming before my exam.
So everyone's ideas would be cool, I want to sort out techniques during Foundie year so I can approach HSFY with an idea of how to do things.
I live in Dunedin, actually not too far from aquinas, a bit more up the hill. I used to do my paper run right past aquinas though. That hill can be BRUTAL in the winter. I slipt a number of times although it was dark and you can't really see ice it's a bit hard at times.
Even though I'll be a foundie still could be cool to meet a few of you guys, a couple of my mates are doing HSFY too.
Oh and just wondering what are everyone's personal favourite study methods? After being away from study for a year I'm a bit stuck on how to start and even when I was sitting NCEA I didn't really study, I could generally get M's and E's with little to no studying and maybe an hours cramming before my exam.
So everyone's ideas would be cool, I want to sort out techniques during Foundie year so I can approach HSFY with an idea of how to do things.
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Ramza
Regular Member
I'll be on clyde street next year near unicol. WHy you need to know. I had alotta 2nd year mates who were at aquinas and they really ejoyed the place except for the hill. I was at st margs last year, but halls are just for friends and contacts all i think.
I just do what i think is necessary to me, If you feel you've done enough then its up to you, everyone is different, but repeat and constantly look over what youve done. Revise often to really instill it in your head and keep up with the amazingly high workload.
ChickenPie
Regular Member
Why are you doing Foundation Year? Sounds like you don't need it.
(to OUSchweiz)
(to OUSchweiz)
I havn't done year 13 and so that fact just makes me really nervous about just going straight into HSFY especially after not really doing any set study this year and I won't be in the best environment to be able to study well.
I will be living at home as I do live in Dunedin, I will also have the constant nagging of my parents telling me to get a job when actually what I want to do is study. At the start of this year i thought I would be able to do it. I thought I would be able to go straight into HSFY but now I don't really know.
I will be living at home as I do live in Dunedin, I will also have the constant nagging of my parents telling me to get a job when actually what I want to do is study. At the start of this year i thought I would be able to do it. I thought I would be able to go straight into HSFY but now I don't really know.
squigglypencil
Member
Hey OUSchweiz ^_^
If you don't feel prepared, a foundie year could be good for you to settle in and get all your foundation knowledge sorted out. Getting familiar with some of the stuff that you get taught is really vital. I did HSFY this year and I found that semester 1 wasn't too bad because it was mainly based on year 12 stuff. I studied it pretty well in year 12 so I didn't have to work as hard... others found it quite challenging but it's more straightforward and simple than Semester 2. Semester 2 was a little more challenging (more "new" content).
I don't recommend getting a job during HSFY, it can get really busy so sometimes it's good to use your spare time to relax. It could be easier studying at home (as less distractions) but still, I think working while studying full time is pretty hectic..
Really hope everything works out for you! Dunno if I helped you at all with my rambling... but I think that you're capable of getting the high grades since you seem pretty keen on studying!! If you want I've got slides + podcasts + past papers from this year and I don't mind if you steal 'em off me next year. Applies to anybody else out there... lots of lurkers out there ;D
@Sqiggly pencil: It would be awesome if I could get all your slides and things off you. Even just seeing what exactly I will be expected to learn in HSFY and therefore what I need to make sure I really study properly in the Foundation course.
Yea and I get what you mean about the job, although now that I have what I'm doing next year sorted out the only thing my parents hassel me about is getting a job. Purhaps I'll be able to cope with a few hours during Foundie and save up then quit before HSFY. I dunno. I'll see how it goes.
But yea slides would be great and I hope you get into med and all ^_^
Yea and I get what you mean about the job, although now that I have what I'm doing next year sorted out the only thing my parents hassel me about is getting a job. Purhaps I'll be able to cope with a few hours during Foundie and save up then quit before HSFY. I dunno. I'll see how it goes.
But yea slides would be great and I hope you get into med and all ^_^
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