Bridging Courses (2 Viewers)

[Butterfly_Wings]

I'm doing Speech Pathology at UNI, which has Chemistry as assumed knowledge, but I didn't do it.
I was wondering how much of a help bridging courses really are...all that info squashed up in such a short amount of time-I don't know if I could even learn a thing that way! Or at least nothing that couldn't be caught up on during the course...
The problem is, my cousins wedding is the same week they are scheduled to run, and I had planned to make the trip to Victoria for it. I don't want to miss it, and spend time and money doing the course if it won't help all that much...any words of wisdom?

 

[MiuMiu]

thats a good idea actually why don't you just grab an Excel Chemistry study guide and then that way you can refer to it throughout your course

 

[Ezmay]

hate to ruin your plans, but chemistry is a little hard and from what I hear very hard to pick up at Uni if you haven't done it at school. I think it would be really difficult to teach yourself with just an excel book, you really need someone there to explain. I really think a tutor is the only way to go. As for the bridging courses, I really wouldn't have a clue. But I guess they are designed especially for people in your situation, so they can't be all that bad.

I guess you just have to work out your priorities. Cousins wedding vs passing chem at uni? Anyhow good luck

 

[mannnnndy]

DONT get the excel chem book cause it sucks! If youre going to pick up a textbook, get conq chem or something. But you might be able to do a catch up course during the uni year rather than a bridging course, and by the end of first year you are completely up to date with all the other students and you dont miss anything important. I know that you can do that at unsw for engineering, cause thats what Im going to be doing for physics. Call the uni that youre going to and ask if they let you do that.

 

[Dario]

I don't think I woudl have learned anything if I'd just read textbooks in year 12. Teachers are very important in explaining things. Go for Jacaranda textbooks if they cover Chemistry. You might as well do a bridging course, if only to get a feel for Uni lectures. I'm going to do a Chemistry bridging course as it will help with my course.

 

[Butterfly_Wings]

Originally posted by natstar
If you dont have the assumed knowledge, how can u teach yourself the course? Dont u have to actually do the course in the HSC/TAFE. What i mean is, dont u have to satisfy the BOS standards or some shit like that. I mean, how can u pick up a text book and go "i fink i'll study HSC maths, then i can have the qualification of knowing HSC maths"
Dont worry, if im confusing u cuz im confusing myself but i hope u know what im going on about.

Well, obviously if you just teach yourself from a text book you won't be totally up to speed, but you may find it a bit easier to understand if you have a bit of an idea of the concepts and stuff...

Thanks everyone for the advice...I think maybe I'll just borrow some chem books and try to get a bit of a general idea, and if I get REALLY stuck when UNI goes back, I'll look into doing a catch up course like Mandy was saying, or maybe find a tutor or something like that...

At the advising day yesterday, the lecturer person said that about half the people in the course wouldn't have done chem, and of those who hadn't done it, about half wouldn't have done the bridging course either. So at least I won't be alone...

 

[MiuMiu]

Originally posted by natstar
If you dont have the assumed knowledge, how can u teach yourself the course? Dont u have to actually do the course in the HSC/TAFE. What i mean is, dont u have to satisfy the BOS standards or some shit like that. I mean, how can u pick up a text book and go "i fink i'll study HSC maths, then i can have the qualification of knowing HSC maths"

Assumed knowledge is different to prerequisite. A prerequisite for a course is something you HAVE to have done in the HSC to be accepted into that course, whereas assumed knowledge means the level of chemistry in that course is that studied in the HSC and it is just assumed that the student will know it rather than it being taught as part of the course. What it means is that if you didn't do that course at HSC level you may have trouble with the chemistry aspects of the course, but the fact that it isn't prerequisite means that you could still get by without it

 

[MiuMiu]

if it says 'mathematics' doesn't that mean 2 unit cos isn't that what they call it in the HSC?

 

[flyin']

Originally posted by natstar
yeah i know that, but for my uni course there is no pre's, only assumed and reccomended. Neither are compuslsory, yet bridging courses in maths are avaliable becuz maths is a prereq, as is english.


Well anyway. If i was to teach myself maths what one should i do.
-General
-2 Unit
-Extensions

depending on what course ... mathematics (some call this advanced, i dont know why) should be enough unless it specifies ext1 maths ...

 

[utopian731]

Originally posted by Ezmay
hate to ruin your plans, but chemistry is a little hard and from what I hear very hard to pick up at Uni if you haven't done it at school.

I dont thinkanyones plans are ruined. HSC chemistry is not hard at all. What made it hard was the style of touchy-feely answers the BOS markers wanted. The actualy chemistry int he course could be summarised ona couple of pages and this is what you will find important next year. I really dont think its a big problem, you could teach it to yourself if you feel you have enoguh backing or ability in the sciences

 

[MiuMiu]

Originally posted by natstar
. I would have chossen maths in year and 11 and 12, yet we had to choose between maths and modern history, and i wanted to do modern more cuz i was better at it than maths.

Really? At our school maths has its own line (like English)

 

[utopian731]

That is pretty stupid, considering just about everyone does some form of maths

 

[Butterfly_Wings]

Originally posted by natstar
General maths and 2U maths are both 2 unit hey. They dont specify what level it just says "mathermatics".

If it just says maths, they definately mean regular 2 unit maths, not general maths. I doubt General Maths would be assumed knowledge for anything courses...

 

[Jesse]

Hi!

I did the UTS Chemistry Bridging Course and did find it a little helpful I didn't do any Chem in high school and the thought of having to do Chem at Uni was daunting!

I thought the BC was a bit overpriced - almost $200 (I can't remember sorry). It did however prepare me for what I was going to learn at uni. They teach you the basic concepts and introduce you to terms and ideas about Chem. At the end of the 2 weeks, they give you a certificate too (makes it all worthwhile! NOT!!! Heh.)

But don't worry if you choose not to participate in the BC. First year Chemistry isn't that hard (I actually did pretty well in First year Chem for someone who didn't do it at high school). They assume that some/most students have not done any chem at all and proceed to teach ppl in ways that help ppl understand.

I still remember my first year Chem lecturer - Prof. Mick Wilson. He was great He said the best way to learn was to learn from your mistakes - he handed out answers to the final exam after we handed in our test papers! All you could hear from the students walking out were "Oh crap!! I Knew that was the answer!" or "damn! I shoulda multiplied that by 2" etc

 

[Butterfly_Wings]

Originally posted by Jesse

I did the UTS Chemistry Bridging Course and did find it a little helpful I didn't do any Chem in high school and the thought of having to do Chem at Uni was daunting!

I thought the BC was a bit overpriced - almost $200 (I can't remember sorry). It did however prepare me for what I was going to learnt at uni. They teach you the basic concepts and introduce you to terms and ideas about Chem.

But don't worry if you choose not to participate in the BC. First year Chemistry isn't that hard (I actually did pretty well in First year Chem for someone who didn't do it at high school). They assume that some/most students have not done any chem at all and proceed to teach ppl in ways that help ppl understand.

Thanks for that.
Hopefully my chemistry lecturer will be as accommodating...

 

[kini mini]

Originally posted by Butterfly_Wings


Thanks for that.
Hopefully my chemistry lecturer will be as accommodating...

If you need chem for uni, you should pick up one of the American college undergrad chem textbooks like Zumdahl's or Atkins's General Chemistry, They will give you a far better grasp of chem than the touchy-feely NSW HSC books . You'll probably understand it better than most of the HSC ppl too .

 

[MiuMiu]

Heaps have people have said to forego the bridging course, and they sound like they know what they are talking about. I reckon don't do it (but then again you prob shouldn't take my advice) and don't be afraid to ask for help at Uni if you find you need it.

 

[flyin']

yeah, definitely dont forego bridging courses because they are there for a reason (not just to scam your money) that is to give you some of the assumed knowledge that your competition will already have ...

 

[Jesse]

I can't speak for UNSW or USyd but UTS does have a Chemistry learning centre for students who seek help. It's basically just a room with desks and a tutor who answers any questions you may have.

I found this helpful at times but they do encourage you to learn and figure out some answers on your own rather than them giving you the answers (no spoon feeding!!)...

 

[utopian731]

Originally posted by kini mini

They will give you a far better grasp of chem than the touchy-feely NSW HSC books .

You sure got that right

yeah, definitely dont forego bridging courses because they are there for a reason (not just to scam your money)

I rekon there are far more things out there to scam your money than to help you