Oxford Maths Students and Applicants

khussain

@Mikki
would learning a programming language be useful if i want to apply for maths + comp???
thanks in advance

In terms of entry into the course, the official stance is that no programming experience is needed. Everything programming-related is taught from the ground up; they don't assume that you know anything.

Saying that, I'd highly recommend you try it out. As henryt said, tutors will like it (it can only be a good thing, right?), but on a more personal level you'll find out if you enjoy programming/solving problems by programming. It'd be much better to find that out before you start your degree, instead of half way through the first year!!

Assuming you do enjoy it, the programming would also help in said first year if you know some of the basics. We had a course in first year on Java (a programming language, if you don't know it), but since I had experience in the language, I found the course easier than I otherwise would have.

Finally, the knowledge gained from trying out programming can only help you at interviews because you'll have learnt some basic ways of thinking about how to solve problems on computers.

Sorry, I've rambled! Basically: yes, try some programming! (Luckily) we don't do python at all; you do 3 different languages in first year, but Java's the only one of them which is good for self-teaching. Microsoft's "C#" might also be worth a try; I'd say it's more friendly for beginners!

Reply 43

1899smj

Hi Mikki！
i'll start my math+comp course this October, any advice for this summer?

Reply 44

Hi 1899smj!

To be honest, there's not really that much which I could recommend at this point. Once the English results day is over, the colleges will start sending out general information which will probably include some work for you to do. We were set these:

http://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate/practice-problems
http://web2.comlab.ox.ac.uk/geomlab/worksheets.html

It may be an idea to look over the maths sheets and see if there are any topics in them which you don't know. It wouldn't be of any harm to actually *do* the sheets, but it may be a bit pointless. :P Otherwise, I'd just relax and enjoy not having work to do!

Which college are you going to?

Reply 45

1899smj

Icy_Mikki

Hi 1899smj!

To be honest, there's not really that much which I could recommend at this point. Once the English results day is over, the colleges will start sending out general information which will probably include some work for you to do. We were set these:

http://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate/practice-problems
http://web2.comlab.ox.ac.uk/geomlab/worksheets.html

It may be an idea to look over the maths sheets and see if there are any topics in them which you don't know. It wouldn't be of any harm to actually *do* the sheets, but it may be a bit pointless. :P Otherwise, I'd just relax and enjoy not having work to do!

Which college are you going to?

Wadham
Programming in Haskell is "strongly suggested" on our reading list, so we'll do this language in the 1st year?

Reply 46

1899smj

Wadham
Programming in Haskell is "strongly suggested" on our reading list, so we'll do this language in the 1st year?

Yeah, Haskell (well, technically "functional programming" )) is the only Computer Science course which you will do in your first term (assuming things haven't changed drastically since last year). There will probably be 4 maths courses though; Analysis, Linear Algebra, Calculus (differential equations and in 2 dimensions), and Probability.

Regarding the book, there's no harm reading it if you can get a copy, but since the lecturer will assume no knowledge of the language it's not necessary.

Reply 47

1899smj

thanks!
it seems that we still have a lot to do on maths....

Reply 48

1899smj

thanks!
it seems that we still have a lot to do on maths....

In first term yeah, but in the other two terms it's a fairly equal split between Maths and CompSci.

[The high proportion of Maths in Michaelmas (first term) arises because people doing "normal" Computer Science actually do two of the Maths modules (Calculus + Probability) too. I guess an argument can be made that of the 5 modules you'll do, 3 are "compsci" ones.]

Reply 49

Woostarite

9

Icy_Mikki

In first term yeah, but in the other two terms it's a fairly equal split between Maths and CompSci.

[The high proportion of Maths in Michaelmas (first term) arises because people doing "normal" Computer Science actually do two of the Maths modules (Calculus + Probability) too. I guess an argument can be made that of the 5 modules you'll do, 3 are "compsci" ones.]

By the time you get to DPhil level, you forget how to do basic arithmetic. :biggrin:

Reply 50

Hi I'm also applying for Mathematics and Computer Science at Oxford, and I'm really stuck on how to right a personal statement. Since its UCAS, the PS has to apply to all my other uk uni courses and more often than not the specific Math and CS course isn't offered by them.

I was wondering how you started your opening sentence, or if you actually specified computer science at all?

Reply 51

ayiannakou

I want to apply for maths and comp sci at oxford however I have no computing experience I have ICT at Alevel but I know that it is completely different and is not as highly regarded as taking a science alongside with the maths Alevels I am doing. Also is it necessary to take 4 Alevels to have a good chance of getting in?

Reply 52

Woostarite

9

King of Fools

Hi I'm also applying for Mathematics and Computer Science at Oxford, and I'm really stuck on how to right a personal statement. Since its UCAS, the PS has to apply to all my other uk uni courses and more often than not the specific Math and CS course isn't offered by them.

I was wondering how you started your opening sentence, or if you actually specified computer science at all?

I wouldn't get too hung up on it. I'd say just mention both Maths and Computer Science, and other universities wouldn't really get suspicious if you were applying for say just maths; they'd probably presume that the Computing was just another interest of yours. Even if they didn't, they recognise that you're applying to institutions other than their's!
Heck, I put 'music' in the first line of my PS:

Jamie's Personal Statement

My three major interests and passions are Computer Science, Maths and Music, and I believe that there is a creative fusion between all these disciplines.

(you can find it here: http://www.studential.com/bio/getps.asp?ps=42&view=subject)

Reply 53

thanks! got it out of the way at least; now just a two month break before interviews.
Are they really focussed on math questions or does the conversation go all over the place?

Reply 54

BJack

19

King of Fools

Are they really focussed on math questions or does the conversation go all over the place?

My first interview started with a little on my personal statement but, beyond that, I just did lots of maths.

Reply 55

King of Fools

Since its UCAS, the PS has to apply to all my other uk uni courses and more often than not the specific Math and CS course isn't offered by them.

I had a similar problem, in the end I only applied for Maths + CompSci at Oxford and Southampton, and pure Maths for my other 3 choices. The unis for maths were all happy just seeing the grades they wanted, so I decided to split my personal statement fairly evenly between maths and compsci. It seemed to work fine, I ended up with 5 offers!

I was wondering how you started your opening sentence, or if you actually specified computer science at all?

Just don't make it a cliché. I wrote some dribble about how computers fascinated me, and I know for certain that it had a negative effect...

Are they really focussed on math questions or does the conversation go all over the place?

You'll have a Maths interview, and a CompSci one (if you get invited to interviews). Maths interviews seem very maths focussed, with maybe a bit of logical thinking. CompSci was more about problem solving really, it's not like the Maths interview.

ayiannakou

Also is it necessary to take 4 Alevels to have a good chance of getting in?

Officially the only thing they want is maths, and they like further maths. Someone else will have to answer the 4 Alevels question, I don't know for certain (I'm pretty sure I've heard someone say that it has no effect other than being a bit more impressive than 3).

Reply 56

hey guys thanks for the help so far, doing practises for the mathematics admission test and I was wondering if you ever get back your marks. if so how well did you guys do? just trying to gauge the sorta level i should be performing at

Reply 57

username245060

King of Fools

hey guys thanks for the help so far, doing practises for the mathematics admission test and I was wondering if you ever get back your marks. if so how well did you guys do? just trying to gauge the sorta level i should be performing at

You won't get your mark back, although if you were truely desperate they might tell you if you asked.

2006
Average score on questions 1-5: 64.3; amongst successful applicants: 85.0.

2007
Average score on questions 1-5: 56.9; amongst successful applicants: 75.2.

2008
Average score on questions 1-5: 58.7; amongst successful applicants: 77.0.

Reply 58