Connor Weaving Engineering/Physics/Maths/Geophysics Foundation Year, 2016

BSc Maths with Physics

Having the Foundation Year reinforce the key elements of the subjects I am going on to learn was invaluable. In addition, having a year getting used to university life was great as I feel a lot more comfortable about joining the degree level course with a bit of a head start.

Why did you choose to come to the University of Southampton?

Mainly because of the University's reputation. As I want to go onto some form of Physics research or engineering, Southampton was the obvious choice. The fact that it is 30 minutes away from my hometown was a bonus.

Why did you choose to take a Foundation Year?

My past qualifications and the fact that I hadn’t been in education for a while made it impossible to join a degree level course straight away. Having the Foundation Year reinforce the key elements of the subjects I am going on to learn was invaluable. Also, having a year getting used to university life was great as I feel a lot more comfortable about joining the degree level course with a bit of a head start.

What did you enjoy most about the Foundation Year?

I really enjoyed how busy it was. I know it sounds odd but having something I could be doing all of the time is a nice change of pace. The course is so full and has a nice balance with practical, coursework and theory work. Having three hours of labs a week gets you out of the lecture rooms and applying what you learn in the lessons. The coursework is mixed with a big focus on programming which I really enjoyed, as well as formal reports and Routes to Success which helped me identify what motivates me to work.

What were your lecturers and tutors like? Did you find them supportive?

All the staff have an open door policy and welcomed any questions relative to their subject or otherwise. Most of my emails to any of the staff were responded to on the same day, if not immediately. All the lecturers are massively experienced and work full time for the Foundation Year and therefore are totally focused on your success. For people with mixed educational backgrounds and different strengths in different subjects, the staff were exactly what was needed to help me succeed in the Foundation Year.

How has the Foundation Year helped to prepare for your degree?

I stayed in halls whilst on the Foundation Year and therefore had a year of proper university living before actually starting my degree. I experienced what it was like living like a student and got to grips with that way of life. I feel having this experience before starting a degree is invaluable as I can jump straight onto my course without the worry of getting used to bills or money management or making my way around the city because I’ve already dealt with that within my Foundation Year.

The Foundation Year also taught me how to study at university. Having a year to get used to how I need to work for my degree has put my mind at ease for when I start as I feel I can jump straight into the work without falling into bad habits and getting behind on things.

If you could give prospective Foundation Year students advice, what would it be?

Jump straight into it. Get involved in the lectures. Don’t be afraid to say what’s on your mind or ask a question if you are unsure about anything. Because the students on the course are so varied in their educational background I guarantee if you are unsure about something then somebody else will be too so speak up!

Go to the support sessions. The Foundation Year is unique in the fact that there is so much contact time timetabled in. All the gaps available have been filled with sessions to help with any questions on the topics. Go and take advantage whenever you can even if it is just to finish a worksheet. If you don’t get on top of the problems when they develop you will fall behind and it is so difficult to get back on top of things again.

Join a society! Get involved with an activity you love doing and meet new people in the process. Enjoy it. As important as it is to study hard you need to have something other than work you can do during the week. Take some time to take your mind off the madness of the Foundation Year as it is a big task to complete and can be overwhelming!

What are you enjoying most about your degree?

I start my degree this year. The good thing about the Foundation Year is that even though it guarantees places on mainly Engineering courses upon completion, because of how maths-based the course is I was accepted onto a ‘Maths with Physics’ course.