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What were your STEP requirements to study Maths

Could I ask just how difficult an S,1 or S,S is to achieve? If I were to do STEP II/III I would ask a tutor (who's very good) to teach me it and I'm someone who has a good understanding of Maths, up to and including AS, rather than being someone who doesn't know what they're doing in theory when they answer A Level questions but keeps practising papers until they get full marks.

Reply 21

KAISER_MOLE

7

rupertj

but keeps practising papers until they get full marks.

That's what I'd recommend for STEP. There are a lot of online resources that are helpful (The Siklos book is very good).

Getting top end marks is of course going to be tricky, considering it's marked relative only to those sitting the STEPs (the calibre of which is usually very high). So summarizing I'd say...difficultish?

Reply 22

rupertj

12

KAISER_MOLE

That's what I'd recommend for STEP. There are a lot of online resources that are helpful (The Siklos book is very good).

Getting top end marks is of course going to be tricky, considering it's marked relative only to those sitting the STEPs (the calibre of which is usually very high). So summarizing I'd say...difficultish?

What I meant by those people who get full marks in their A Level modules is that in A level maths, you can learn to implement the formulae like a robot, without achieving any understanding of what you're doing mathematically. Lots of people manage to do this at my school.

Do you think that most people who get into Cambridge for Maths could score SS or S1?

Reply 23

Hashshashin

13

rupertj

Do you think that most people who get into Cambridge for Maths could score SS or S1?

No, roughly 12% of those who sit STEP II/III achieve an S grade in either paper, and the vast majority of candidates will be Cambridge offer holders.

Reply 24

Waheyyyy

1

What are the percentages needed for the different STEP 'grades'?

Reply 25

rupertj

12

Hashshashin

No, roughly 12% of those who sit STEP II/III achieve an S grade in either paper, and the vast majority of candidates will be Cambridge offer holders.

Well in that case does a very large number of Cambridge offer-holders fail to meet the conditions of the offer?

Reply 26

Y__

13

rupertj

Well in that case does a very large number of Cambridge offer-holders fail to meet the conditions of the offer?

Yes, I've heard figures of up to 30% and more.

edit: If you're interested in the exact numbers, I think the stats are available online. But there are definitely quite a few who fail their STEP offers.

Reply 27

ukdragon37

14

Y__

Yes, I've heard figures of up to 30% and more.

But that doesn't mean they are not forgiving. They know for a large group of people it's difficult so if you narrowly miss the grade there's still a significant chance you'll get in anyway.

(Butting in again from a CompSci, but hey, I got STEP with my offer :p:

)

Reply 28

Daniel Freedman

7

I've been asked to get 1,1. I've seen someone on TSR with a 1,3 / 2,2 offer though (Girton, I think ).

Reply 29

KAISER_MOLE

7

Aye, I don't think you're giving high performing A-level candidates enough credit, they have a bit of understanding. You do need a lot more understanding and mathematical acumen for STEP, but it is a standard exam so ideas and tricks crop up again.

There'll be stats for that, and I'd say no, less than half

Reply 30

Edenr

14

When I applied I seem to remember there being a sizeable number of colleges for whom 1, 2 was the standard offer. Mine was 1, 1 at Selwyn. Girton (and the female colleges) do seem to have lower offers though.

The best piece of advice I could give about the Siklos booklet is to avoid the answer pages like the plague until you complete a question, otherwise it ruins the objective. There is also a study school at Eastertime which some students are invited to where Siklos and others run sessions to help you get used to STEP questions.

Reply 31

TheUnbeliever

16

Hashshashin

and the vast majority of candidates will be Cambridge offer holders.

Surprisingly, this isn't the case.

In 2008, 2100 scripts were marked, only about 750 of which were written by Cambridge applicants.

(From the Siklos book)

Reply 32

SimonM

18

TheUnbeliever

Surprisingly, this isn't the case.

It would be more instructive for a breakdown ignoring STEP I though. (And including those who go on to apply)

Reply 33

SouthernFreerider

12

Not suprisingly :P my girton offer is rather low.

AA in double maths. B in any non-GS subject (got 98% in physics last year so that wont be hard to make a B).

and a 1,2 in any order for STEP II and III

:biggrin:

Reply 34

RageC

7

Damn...my offer is AAA and 1,1 in 2 and 3, not one of caius' nicer offers :frown:

Reply 35

RageC

7

Have people already notified UCAS of adding STEP 2 and 3 to the exams to be taken, is this required?

Reply 36

sonofdot

8

RageC

Have people already notified UCAS of adding STEP 2 and 3 to the exams to be taken, is this required?

I did it last week. I think it is necessary, or unis can't see what results we get. I just sent a short letter to UCAS and my application was changed within a couple of days.

Reply 37

SimonM

18

RageC

Have people already notified UCAS of adding STEP 2 and 3 to the exams to be taken, is this required?

I'm not sure you have to. I know that Cambridge Assessment need to know your university before you enter, so I'm guessing they might be informed that way

(It became a bit of a hassle for our exam officer trying to enter me last year without a university)

Reply 38

smilepea

RageC

Have people already notified UCAS of adding STEP 2 and 3 to the exams to be taken, is this required?

I'm sure one of my letters last year said that if any of the qualifications included in my offer weren't on UCAS then you had to notify them, just a short letter is fine, and then I was also told to email my other universitys telling them I was adding qualifications