… by Freddie / from York / BSc Mathematics and Physics [2nd Year Entry] / 3rd Year (UG)
You’ve done the work, got the grades, and eventually settled on a university choice. Well done you for choosing Edinburgh! (You did, right?).
Then, if you’re like me, you’ll only later notice the option to enter through the second year of the course – wait, that’s a thing?
Yes, it’s a thing! And I’ll let you in on my experience of it.
The decision for me was a tough one to make.
Thankfully my hard work had paid off, and I was in the comfortable position of actually having made the grades to be able to consider my options to begin with. Despite this, I was still worried that the step up would just be a bit too big, especially after having taken a year out between school and university. My brain was rusty; I’d spent a winter season working in a kitchen in France, and the summers slowly stewing in the sunshine.
I didn’t know how much direct entry would restrict my choices too. I thought how I would be giving myself a year less to know what I wanted to do, and what route to go down – course, career and otherwise.
Whilst the issue of being lamped in the face by a fistful of uni work certainly played heavy on my mind, to be truthful (maybe a little embarrassingly) I was most anxious about how the decision might affect me socially. I was concerned that everybody would have already made their friends by the time I got to Edinburgh a year later, and that it would be difficult to ‘gel’ with people and fit in with groups.
Though, there was a clear financial benefit to it – they do say money makes the world go around. Thanks to last year’s General Election campaigns we’re all painfully aware of student debt, and the global shortage of magic money-trees. As an English student, direct entry would mean saving £9250 in fees, and a year’s worth of spending needed to keep myself alive!
Then, the more I thought, the more it appealed to me. I’ve always enjoyed a challenge, and I knew this route would be a challenge I could focus on, certainly a rewarding one if I performed well. I thought how it could be a notable and recognised route to take, by future employers and the uni.
Besides, all my friends back in England would be doing the usual 3-year course, so realistically I wasn’t lopping any time off the average degree anyway.
So, I went for it.
A few weeks in, everything was great!
Friends were actually no problem whatsoever, I’d moved into first year halls and there was no difference in how we all studied and socialised, we were all new here.
Course mates were a little more difficult, but I very quickly sussed out who else had taken the same route, we made a bit of a clan and we’re all great mates now. (Strangely, I think we all bonded over a mutual love of Shrek… I’m not doing well to bash the ‘mathematicians are a bit weird’ stereotype.)
The course material I found quite challenging, it required a lot more independent study than I was used to, and almost all concepts I came across were totally new to me. In lecture there’d often be reference to first year courses, so it was a little difficult to keep on top of things.
However, the university recognises that many concepts introduced in the first year are totally new to some. As a direct entry student, we were still required to sit a few first-year courses, just squished together and accelerated a bit.
In second semester, things cranked up.
I’d over-enthusiastically chucked myself gung-ho into the Snowsports Club, and was the Social Fresher Rep for the club, so I was dedicating a lot of my time to be an active member.
I worked regular night-time bar shifts from 10pm-4am; I can’t say I’d have got top marks for ‘audience participation’ in my 9am lectures.
I was still chugging along with direct entry course material, after having taken a year out from school. This was on top of keeping up with my course friends and making time for my new close friends who I lived with, all whilst remembering to cook/sleep/drink/exercise and keep myself at least semi-functioning.
I wobbled, and clearly struggled for some time. Though I was totally comfortable in my halls, which was nice.
I’m now well settled into 3rd year.
There’s still catching up on work to do, it’s just residual from time spent trying to study like a second year whilst living like a first year, but it’s going well! Things have progressed with the Snowsports Club too, it’s at the centre of my social life, and I’m now the social secretary.
I’m living in a flat with 6 of my best friends – 3 medics, a mathematician, a physicist and a biological scientist make for pretty intense study time.
All in all, I think doing direct entry was the best decision.
- I haven’t missed out at all in friendship groups, I couldn’t be happier with the people I have, and I wouldn’t change them for the world.
- All the same courses are available to me in 4th year as would have been, so I’m not at all restricted how I thought I may have been. I’m really excited about all the possibilities of study next year.
- I’m chuffed to bits I’ve saved myself at least £15,000.
In hindsight, the only drawback for me was the jump in workload. But really, I can’t complain. I’m studying at a world-class institution. I recognise that to be here is an achievement in itself, and the issue of a little more work can be overcome by the same drive and passion for studies that brought me to Edinburgh to begin with.