To think university is fairly easy?

[watthaduck]

This is not a boast in any way, I am not trying to ruffle anybody's feathers but am genuinely curious if I'm missing something.

So I am at a fairly average university in Glasgow, I was a direct entrant into third year after completing my HND at another fairly average college in Glasgow. I am a mature student (28) and am studying social sciences with a main focus on politics, from there I'm hoping to do my masters in social work.

Anyways, leading up to university, I heard so many people, lecturers included telling me what a shock to the system university would be, how I would be studying constantly, how the workload would be so much more full on than college so I was fully prepared and slightly dreading it.

However, since starting beginning of October we have had 6 assessments for the term, 2 assessments per module which have mainly consisted of 1000 word to 2000 word essays, one assessment we had to complete four fairly basic questions and a presentation. Everyone on the course is freaking out, saying how difficult the workload is and how all the assessments are crammed together whilst me and another girl that have been on the same course from the start genuinely scratch our heads wondering if this is a joke.

I've only had one piece of coursework graded and this was the assessment with the four questions which I got 72 percent, not amazing but was happy with that being my first piece of work. Yet today I was speaking to other students who got 43 percent and said how difficult the work is this year.

At college we literally had about 12 pieces of coursework all within 6 weeks of each other including exams and I was very stressed but always passed with an A.

I guess my question is am I doing something wrong? I am putting in the bare minimum amount of effort to be honest as is my friend as struggling with motivation with it all being online. I've never felt less stress through education.

AIBU to think that people were just trying to scare me about uni? And that it's actually not that hard?

Obviously I understand and appreciate that some courses are harder than others and mine just might be a fairly easy one but I'm just waiting for someone to come out and shout JOKE

I did a law degree. I never went to Uni, I spent all my time working, socialising and shopping. Perhaps I would have got better than the 2:1 I got who knows. I am now in the second year of a Masters with the OU after 15 years away from education and I got a distinction last year. There is a significant jump in the level of work. I also work full time and I am a single parent. I make time for my work now though and I put more into it.

I should say that as a (very) mature student I wasn't into the clubbing or lots of drinking scene. I probably spent more time working and reading than those that had a good social life. I loved the course and didn't mind.

Good for you OP
Life experience counts for a lot, I never struggled at uni but my final year after a year in industry was a doddle. The real word can give you great time management and prioritisation skills

Could I ask why you went for the Social Science Hons instead of the Social Work course?

I found university really hard. I just about scraped a 2:1 in my degree though so I must have been doing something right.

I found my degree to be hard work, being science-based with a lot of practical stuff too (which I loved!) - there was a LOT to remember and this was back when most of your module was marked on exams rather than coursework.

But when I did a Masters degree in a different science discipline, it felt "easier" - the coursework was no more demanding, rather less if anything, and I ended up saying to the friend who was doing the course with me that it felt more like an A level than a masters degree! Except for the dissertation - that was a slog.

@Ginfordinner I think my particular choice of course really lent itself to being studied as a mature student, having life experience and a broader perspective of many of the topics we studied really helped. I’m sure I would have floundered too if I’d tried to do a degree at 18 (I’d have definitely been too pissed to study most of the time 🤣). Added to that the young uns have got all the drama of learning how to live independently, friendships, relationships and all that. I just went to my lectures and came home to my kids, no one wanted to be friends with the random woman 15 years older than them!

I found it ok, quite easy. I had a lot of lectures and tonnes of essays to do in all my area subjects. I enjoyed it all and got reasonable marks.

GCSEs were the hardest, A'levels easier. My law degree (4 year LLB) was a breeze.

I also like some others think being a mature student makes a huge difference. Some of the stuff I see from students straight from high school is pathetic. Which is probably not their fault, but they often don't know how to study or manage their time. Increasingly, they don't read, they don't know how to read properly, and their general knowledge is shallow.

I also think more and more courses are basically degree mills.

It's hard to say what the issue is in your case, but that's where I'd be looking.

I’m a mature student now at a local uni
It is piss easy - flying first with zero effort
My first two degrees were from Cam 25 yrs ago. Not a breeze at all.

@RonaldMcDonald

I’m a mature student now at a local uni It is piss easy - flying first with zero effort My first two degrees were from Cam 25 yrs ago. Not a breeze at all.

You're clearly exaggerating.

In the 1980s I went back into education since I lacked a degree and found that I was being dis-preferred to graduates even though I was fully qualified in my profession. I read psychology at a good RG university and getting on the course was very competetive, I was amazed at how low the standard was. I was competing against people 20 years younger, often from private schools and much more affluent backgrounds. The kinds of backgrounds where parents can provide private tutors and all the facilities. My own parents had not only been negative about the value of education and had actually stood in my way. They had used expressions like "getting unrealistic ideas above my class".

Later when I went on to do post graduate degrees at the same university I worked as a tutor and was told that I was marking too strictly! The standard of English and spelling was deplorable. The standard now has fallen even further and I feel so sorry for all these dumbed down kids who are not being stretched.

Really.
It is comedically simple. I have no reason to exaggerate.
Another person on my course does each piece of work the night before and is on a low first.

So much of University is utterly handed to you today - especially, I guess, at lower ranking universities.
I’ve had marked assignments with schematics of suggested word counts throughout. It seems aimed at a bright 4th year student and content, except for referencing, seems barely above GCSE level

@sneakysnoopysniper

In the 1980s I went back into education since I lacked a degree and found that I was being dis-preferred to graduates even though I was fully qualified in my profession. I read psychology at a good RG university and getting on the course was very competetive, I was amazed at how low the standard was. I was competing against people 20 years younger, often from private schools and much more affluent backgrounds. The kinds of backgrounds where parents can provide private tutors and all the facilities. My own parents had not only been negative about the value of education and had actually stood in my way. They had used expressions like "getting unrealistic ideas above my class".

Later when I went on to do post graduate degrees at the same university I worked as a tutor and was told that I was marking too strictly! The standard of English and spelling was deplorable. The standard now has fallen even further and I feel so sorry for all these dumbed down kids who are not being stretched.

100% this

You should try my course...health care " like drinking from a fire hydrant" as one colleague put it.

When i say health care I mean rafiography.Lectures 9-5, meaning not much free time to study, but still lots of studying to do...essay once a week and exams. Punishing 14/ 16 week placements with appraisals, exams and essays thrown in while everyone treats you like shite as you are a student.
However, it is facinating and rewarding so there is that!

Radiography

In a cool black and white idea of 1950’s America - where it is a hot day and all the children dance around the fire hydrant as it’s spray sparkles and keeps them cool - shimmering like rainbow droplets.

Or being water boarded under pressure?

Sounds like you’re not actually doing the work, hence why you’re finding it easy. You’re describing working to pass the assessment, and not actually gain knowledge, or reading around your subject. I would say that GCal isn’t a strongly ranked Uni, and especially not for Social Sciences (if you were doing a Health Sciences subject, they rank better, for example). I’d have thought that the ‘feeling lost’ in seminars would be enough of a clue that you’re not doing enough, tbh.
My advice would be to read, read, and read some more. Don’t just do the prescribed reading - do your own reading around a subject/approach/theory. You’ll find it tougher if you don’t get the grounding in now. We see it often with students who come in from an HND - the self-study and self-direction can be a challenge, when you've come from a much more didactic system. Just my experience from 20 years in Scottish higher education.

Waterboarded underpressire! Even the wualified rads were reminicing about how brutal 3rd year was...in the thick of it now and hence cant sleep. But when i see some of the amazing things that health professionsls do you can see why solid training is needed.

Qualified* sorry for typos! Bloody phone

Studied a humanities subject at Oxford. 72 was considered an exceptional mark for an essay.

Yes.
I’m tossing around doing additional learning for something to do
Your study sounds both vital and important that one gets it right - rigour is de rigueur

@Redolent

Studied a humanities subject at Oxford. 72 was considered an exceptional mark for an essay.

Agreed. Was the rarest of rare in olden day Cam I was given 85 for a module. I was appalled by the ease of marking. It is UG but still the standard is v dumbed down.