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Maths and Further Maths University help!

Hi, I am looking to apply for a 4 year Physics course at the following universities: Oxford, Bath, Warwick, Southampton, Birmingham.

I am currently taking 4 A-levels: Physics, Maths, Further Maths and Chemistry. I am thinking of dropping chemistry so I can focus more on my Physics and Maths. However, my teacher told me that sometimes universities don't take Maths and Further Maths separately. So even though I will have 3 A-levels at the end of year 13 (if I drop chemistry), the university might turn around and say that they cannot allow both maths and further maths to count as 2 out of the three grades needed as entry requirements.

This is just what teachers have been telling us at my sixth form, and I am unable to find information on the subject on the individual course pages on the universities websites. Personally, I thought they wouldn't mind what the third A-level was as long as I had Physics and Maths. Plus I heard that further maths is a real bonus if you were to consider a Maths/Physics course at university.

I would really appreciate the help if somebody could clear all this up for me!
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 1
Your teacher is naive in my opinion.
What you are saying applies
I have never heard of this. All the entry requirements i have read do not say they don't accept FM as a third subject. There are actually a few that ask FM to be the A* rather than normal maths !!
Reply 3
Original post by Kawaii289
I have never heard of this. All the entry requirements i have read do not say they don't accept FM as a third subject. There are actually a few that ask FM to be the A* rather than normal maths !!


Wow really! I have not seen any FM A* in any physics entry requirements, which makes me grateful! Thanks for the help!
Reply 4
Original post by M14B
Your teacher is naive in my opinion.
What you are saying applies


Thanks for the help!
Original post by ellot
Hi, I am looking to apply for a 4 year Physics course at the following universities: Oxford, Bath, Warwick, Southampton, Birmingham.

I am currently taking 4 A-levels: Physics, Maths, Further Maths and Chemistry. I am thinking of dropping chemistry so I can focus more on my Physics and Maths. However, my teacher told me that sometimes universities don't take Maths and Further Maths separately. So even though I will have 3 A-levels at the end of year 13 (if I drop chemistry), the university might turn around and say that they cannot allow both maths and further maths to count as 2 out of the three grades needed as entry requirements.

This is just what teachers have been telling us at my sixth form, and I am unable to find information on the subject on the individual course pages on the universities websites. Personally, I thought they wouldn't mind what the third A-level was as long as I had Physics and Maths. Plus I heard that further maths is a real bonus if you were to consider a Maths/Physics course at university.

I would really appreciate the help if somebody could clear all this up for me!


Your teacher is wrong. The only situations I am aware of in which universities dislike applicants with Further Maths as one of three A-levels are if you apply for medicine at certain universities, or certain economics courses at LSE. For Physics it should be fine, and I would go as far as saying that universities might prefer it to Chemistry (especially for Physics and Maths). In any case, there's no harm in emailing the universities you are interested in to ask what they think (and showing your teachers their response if they still think you shouldn't do Further Maths).
Reply 6
Original post by sweeneyrod
Your teacher is wrong. The only situations I am aware of in which universities dislike applicants with Further Maths as one of three A-levels are if you apply for medicine at certain universities, or certain economics courses at LSE. For Physics it should be fine, and I would go as far as saying that universities might prefer it to Chemistry (especially for Physics and Maths). In any case, there's no harm in emailing the universities you are interested in to ask what they think (and showing your teachers their response if they still think you shouldn't do Further Maths).


Thanks a lot, very much appreciated!
Take FM, it'll help a lot with your application

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