Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School Sixth Form: Case Studies

	Jennifer Anne Thompson Medical Biochemistry University of Sheffield
	"University is the best experience"

	Quick Menu
	» About the University » About the course

Duration at BRGS Sixth Form: : 2006 - 2008	Previous school: BRGS
Subjects studied:	Date of submitting these answers:
» Psychology	March 2010
» Biology
» Sociology
» Chemistry
» Critical Thinking
» General Studies
University you are at, why you chose this university, and give one interesting fact about your university:
University of Sheffield.I decided to go to university in Sheffield because although it is classed as a city university it has a very studenty/campus feel about it and so you get the best of both worlds! Its got all the amenities a city centre provides but its also got the peak district as well. Its not a really big city so it didn't take long for me to settle in and feel comfortable in the city. An intresting fact about the University of Sheffield is that Sir Hans Krebs who discovered the Krebs cycle studied here :)
Best things about your university city:
Its a really beautiful city.. with the most trees:person ration! Each person has 8 trees!!! So its the greenest city in England.
Worst things about your university city:
It is very hilly and so you need to be quite fit if you want to walk everywhereI.. but there are buses of course! If you do walk then you'll manage to keep off the calories from all the takeaways you'll be having at uni :)
Social scene/nightlife in your university city?:
Because Sheffield is one of the major cities it has a lively nightlife. There are 2 main streets in sheffield which have bars all along them so its easy to do a bar crawl. At the end of the streets are a number of big clubs to go to at the end of your bar crawl. The university union has been voted the best university union for the past few years and it organises its own union nightlife which are always fun and safe to go to. Theres a women's bus which runs free at night and will take you to your door as well! :)
Popular activities at your university/ in your university city?:
The university has societies for most sports for example, netball, football, hockey, rugby... everything! I am a part of the walking club and we go on weekends away which are always fun! There are also many volunteering projects you can get involved with. I help out at the Sheffield Homeless shelter every Sunday and I help out at a local Rainbows group every Tuesday. Theres many things you can do to give back to the Sheffield community whilst you are living here including maintenance of the Sheffield parks for you eco-garden fanatics!
Favourite places to shop
There's Meadowhall which is a 5 min tram ride thats just like the Trafford Centre! Its got a cinema, food court and shops of course so everything in one! I do like the city centre too though which is 5 min walk from my house and also has all the shops I need.
How much on average per week do a) Halls of Residence, b) Renting a house, cost in your university town/city?
a) halls of residence is quite expensive really but i paid £94 per week. But it is definitely worth it. They are lovely and you get to have the best first year at uni experience in halls. B) I am now living in a house which costs £63 per week. There's alot of housing available in Sheffield with a range of prices, you just have to search for what you want.
What is the accommodation like in your university town/city?
The accomodation is very nice in the first year and if you search you will find very nice houses too. Our house is lovely :)
How much on average do you spend on food shopping per week?
If you buy the Tesco cheap brands on average you can spend about £20 or less on food per week. I don't advise buying your lunch in uni every day because its quite expensive. Similarly the university offers an "eat with us" card which you get a certain amount of money per week to spend on food but most people choose self catered because you have more freedom as to what you eat.
What is the course you are studying? - Was it your original choice when applying for university?
I applied to do Biochemistry and have now specialised further to Medical Biochemistry.
How many years does your course last?
4 years.
What you enjoy most about your course/ what impresses you about it?:
The department which runs my course is very efficient and gives good feedback about our work. The lecturers are very nice and always happy to help too. I expected the lecturers to keep a distance and not build up relationships with the students but they are just like the teachers at BRGS used to be like - friendly and talkative which is nice.
What you enjoy least about your course, and what could be improved :
My course has many assessments which I think is not always a good thing. At our age we are already stressed enough about examinations so to add ontop of that continual assessment throughout the course can get too much sometimes.
How do you rate the teaching standards on your course, and do your tutors/lecturers/the university give you the right support for your studies?:
Yes the teaching is excellent for my department, when I was choosing where to study it was in the top 5 for teaching quality. The lecturers are very helpful and we have a tutor assigned to us in the first year which we keep thoroughout the whole course and build up a good relationship with so they are always there to help if you need them.
What A Level Grades/UCAS points did you have to achieve to be accepted onto your course?
ABB with Chemistry and Biology compulsory subjects to be taken at A-level.
Why did you choose the particular course you are studying?
I looked at what content the course would be covering and was very interested in it. It covers science at the molecular level which I find fascinating. I loved both chemistry and biology and this course combined the two!
Best thing about being at university:
Being independent and living your life exactly how you want to. Getting involved with as many social activities as you want, living with friends and controlling your life in every aspect.. its been so good.
Worst thing about being at university:
Money!
What do you plan to do after you graduate?
I think I am going to do a Phd and then hopefully get a job in research.
If you were to recommend going to university, what would you say?
Id say definitely research the course you choose a lot. Many people didnt and are now changing course after a year or two which is wasted time. But if you find something you are really interested in and can see youself with a job in that area for the rest of your life.. go for it! University is the best experience.. its just very expensive so you have to be doing it for the right reason.
Do you get homesick? If so, how do you deal with it?
Yes I do because I am very close to my mum, dad and brother. But this is again why I chose Sheffield. Because it is a small city the train station is very close to my house and its a lovely walk through the city centre thats very safe. It takes me about 2 and a half hours to get from door to door from Sheffield to my home in Bacup. So I can come home easily by train on a Friday after lectures and return Sunday evening. Train tickets with a railcard only cost £10. So its really easy to get home if I need to.
Do you think you made the right choice? Or looking back, would you have gone to a different university/started a different course?
Yes I definitely made the right choice. I visited 5 universities and When I visited Sheffield I could immediately tell I would feel at home here and I do. Its a really easy city to settle into.
What have you achieved whilst being at university?
I have achieved independence, and many adaptable skills from my volunteer work and general interactions with others whilst being at university. You also learn a lot about yourself whilst being at university such as what you want to acomplish overall in your life and university eases you into a future career as well.

« Back to Case Studies Menu