Will the course be too demanding?

[Liamsmith]

I am due to be starting my engineering cadetship in september with north star shipping. Im doing the FD course. However as i only got a D at higher maths and that was two years ago i am worried it might be a do demanding for me.

[ETwhat?]

It will depend on the teacher and how you have matured, some times things can get easier at STC they also run an evening class once a week that acts as a drop in center and you can go over the weeks work i dont know about the other colleges though.

If you worked hard at school and got a D then i would say its maybe too much, the other issue is the main advantage of doing the FD is that it gives you the exemptions needed for the further tickets (i think its 40% to pass and 50% for the exemption) it does mean that if you arent able to get the exemption marks then theres less benefit in doing the FD, after all the HNC will still give you the same CoC.

I would talk openly with your company about your concerns, they may be able to offer you the fall back possition of the HNC which would then take the stress of the thing away. However they have put you on the FD course and its in their interest that you complete the time so from their experience they must think that you will be able to get through it.

[Liamsmith]

Cheers guys. Obviously i will try my hardest at the FD, but would i be able to fall down onto the HND course if its to demanding?

[TheHarry]

I think they test you within the first few days to see if you have the right foundations, correct me if im wrong but thats what I read, about Warsash anyway I am not sure about other colleges.

[CharlieDelta]

Yes, at Warsash they do a maths test in the first few days (multiple choice maths!). It appears to make very little difference as some got very high scores on the HND and some got very low scores on the FD and nobody changed course. Some lecturers used the results to decide who could miss certain classes.

[chris]

we had some tests in the 'STC freshers week' so they might have used that to check we were all ok for the eto fd - they let everyone on anyway.

a lot of us were mighty hung over so the results might not have been that accurate

[kayak]

If higher maths is like A level maths, then what you do on the course (first phase) is no way near as 'exciting'. I think you'll get on just fine.

[Liamsmith]

Thanks for all the help guys. I emailed my training officer regarding my worries, she has said she thinks with my grades i will be fine. I also asked her about a maths test and she said we will have a test within a few weeks to help put us into classes based on ability.