Top maths unis - COWI

Given Cambridge and Warwick are the only two universities that consistently ask for STEP or AEA in their offers for maths, with Cambridge's offer higher (and to my knowledge Imperial occasionally do but Oxford never), would it be correct to conclude the strongest candidates end up at Cambridge, then Warwick, Imperial and lastly Oxford?

No, that doesn't make any sense. The reason that Oxford don't ask for STEP or AEA is that they use a maths aptitude test (MAT) and interviews to select their candidates. After these stages, they have decided which candidates they want and so they give them a fairly straightforward offer. As a result, almost everyone who gets an offer achieves it, so they give out pretty much one offer for every place. Conversely, Cambridge and Warwick use STEP as part of the process for deciding who is good enough to go to their uni, they just do it after they have handed offers out. I'm not sure of the exact statistics, but I've heard that Cambridge hand out roughly 2 offers for every place, and then the STEP forms the final hurdle that only half the students get over. Essentially, Oxford do the test before handing out offers, Cambridge and Warwick do it afterwards. They are just different processes and don't effect the calibre of students that each university attracts.

Why on earth are people negging this? It's the truth, pure and simply how the procedure differs between the Universities

Anyone who negged this is a moron.

Thanks. I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking this. I'm fairly new to the site, but it seems strange that people give negative rating to a post that I believe is a genuine and correct piece of advice and don't explain why...

correction,

COWIB.

EDIT: three bristols haters; 5 is a better number, no?

Thanks. I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking this. I'm fairly new to the site, but it seems strange that people give negative rating to a post that I believe is a genuine and correct piece of advice and don't explain why...

I think the B would be Bath before it's ever Bristol, but even then it probably shouldn't be there at all. Doesn't Bristol still not require an A*? I'm sure it's a great uni for maths (I was considering applying last year) but I don't think it's in the same caliber at COWI (despite the numerous poor things I hear about Imperial Maths - it still seems to be up there).

I think the B would be Bath before it's ever Bristol, but even then it probably shouldn't be there at all. Doesn't Bristol still not require an A*? I'm sure it's a great uni for maths (I was considering applying last year) but I don't think it's in the same caliber at COWI (despite the numerous poor things I hear about Imperial Maths - it still seems to be up there).

From personal experience, actually UWE is the top uni for maths. This year we nailed differentiation and next year we're going on to integration... BY PARTS!

I'm not paying £9k per year to do Core 2 again. UWE?????? = removed from UCAS form.

Why on earth are people negging this? It's the truth, pure and simply how the procedure differs between the Universities

Anyone who negged this is a moron.

5 Pos reps for the OP who said that Warwick was better than Oxford and 5 Neg reps for the person who explained that the universities have different selection procedures, and that Warwick was not necessarily better than Oxford.
...
Which all adds up perfectly well.

nope, the B is definitely for bristol on this forum. I think the COWI(B) trend is for research quality. As you say, imperial is still up there despite the -ve comments from students regarding the maths department.

Some people just don't like it if they aren't right or just out of bitterness sometimes. I got like five negs on a post for saying I'd probably be insuring Warwick in a Warwick thread.

Really?

I wouldn't neg that, it seems like a good idea

I think they didn't like me not firming it. -_- I actually changed my offer to Maths & Physics straight after getting my camb offer (specifically so I had it as an insurance option) - with the intention of changing back as soon as possible if I end up there How is it going anyway? Haven't seen you on the forums in a while