Oxford PAT 2016

Okay thank you, am I right in assuming there are different ones for C 1 to 4?

yes, you're right

SInce the syllabus changed which topics do you think wont come up that have come in the older past papers?

Also could you tell me which edexcel physics topics that come in the pat and to what extend i need to know these topics?

Thank you for your site!

Hey! I know this question isn't for me..but might be able to offer some help
Less likely to come up:
Reflection and refraction (specifically the equation of theta1/theta2 etc.)
This came up in 2015 and 2014 and caught many people out the first time.

Triangles in circles and vice versa, which came up throughout the old papers and again in 2015. Do expect a geometry question though.

2015 paper was very mechanics orientated with sliding slope, projectile motion, water hose, SHM etc so this year maybe a shift to other parts of the syllabus? ie electromagnetism capacitors etc

I think since they got rid of the long questions last years paper was less skewed towards any particular topic and seeing as there's 10 questions on each section they can probably fit a question on every topic more or less.
Hope I'm being helpful

hey thanks youve been really helpful!
Always down for any advice you have

Hey guys. Im looking to apply for physics and been preparing for PAT for a while now and i still struggle with the physics half A LOT. Do you have any tips that could help me get in the right mindset to tackle the questions?
Thank you very much and good luck everyone!

Hey! Could you expend a bit on how you struggle with the physics part?

Often with the PAT questions the bark is worse than the bite but rather than saying can't do it and moving on try to look past the weird wording, the dodgy looking symbols and equations and just apply a bit of logical thinking, you'll find the solution is often a lot simpler than it seems.

Unlike A Level questions which tend to be spilt into parts and guide you through (ie show blah blah is blah hence etc.) there are no checkpoints with PAT so have a bit of faith in yourself that you're going about it in the right way.

Hope this helps!

Thank you for the tips! Its just often I see a question and I don't even know where to start I've been doing quite a few past papers and I tend to get through the maths section unscathed, however the physics one always messes things up, and it feel like I haven't really made any progress towards improving with the physics questions. There's still over a month left so hopefully it clicks.
I just can't seem to get myself into the right frame of mind for solving these kinds of physics problems. I've tried working on some AS physics challenge or BPhO questions, but I can't seem to answer those very well either.

Hey does your reccomendation letter have to be from the relevant subject teacher?"
because i think my chemistry teacher might write a better sounding reccomendation letter then my physics one because of how she is really as a person.
Its hard since id have to pick one i think

Your reference doesn't need to come from your subject teacher, usually our housemaster or tutor (if the former is lazy) would write it since they know us best as a person. Your grades already tell them if you're good at physics or not so the reference is just regarding what sort of person you are ie work ethic etc.

Hope this helps!

Don't worry! Not knowing where to start at first is quite normal.
Try toning down the difficulty of the questions until you find yourself challenged but not lost. Avoid looking at the mark scheme before you reach an answer even if you think it's not correct and force yourself to think.

My math teacher would also right me one and it would be relevant to the course too, however shes only thought me alevel maths, so a little over a year? is that okChem teacher has been teaching me in year 10 and in year 11 and 12, same with physics.
In our school, the head of the departments actually dont teach too often so the head of the math department for example only is teaching me mechanics this yearmaybe ill ask them all to write one and see which one is nice. just more money they charge :P

Do you have any idea where I could start to get myself up to speed? Any textbooks or things like that?

Once again, thank you very much!

No worries!
Could you give me a rough idea of what level you're comfortable with right now so I can suggest some papers etc that are suitable? ie how are you finding your A2 physics? What you thought of the AS etc

You say the maths is alright...how do you find the mechanics modules?
Feel free to PM me if you'd rather not share here and I'll get back as soon as possible!

Not for me but could you suggest me some stuff too haha, physics section is absolutely make me go nuts! Specially that second to last question on 2012 physics section!
a2 is alright so far we are doing electric fields, its just alot of equations not too horrendous but ill find out after she gives us the test for it next week. As physics is alright nothing to crazy i find about it (edexcel)My mechanics is alrightt too m2 was quite a change from m1 however

The meteoroid question?
hahah we honestly don't have that many resources for pat prep, pretty much english speaking countries olympiads, and whatever oxbridge websites peoples made.
If you're doing fine with the olympiads it'd be counter productive to go for something easier...unless it's something harder you're after?....
But really pat prep is just about putting the work in... no trick sadly

http://www.physics.umd.edu/perg/fermi/fermi.htm try these!

The meteoroid question?
hahah we honestly don't have that many resources for pat prep, pretty much english speaking countries olympiads, and whatever oxbridge websites peoples made.
If you're doing fine with the olympiads it'd be counter productive to go for something easier...unless it's something harder you're after?....
But really pat prep is just about putting the work in... no trick sadly

http://www.physics.umd.edu/perg/fermi/fermi.htm try these!