Is Further maths A level required to do maths at Uni?

I want to do maths at uni, but i havent done further maths at A level. can i still apply?
im not applying for top unis, my predicted grades are about ABC, with A in maths, so im applying for lower unis.
also will i have to do a STEP exam to get in?

thanks

Reply 1

Freerider101

Original post by xxlizardxx

From what I've heard its advisable and most people will probably have it although its not essential because they go over everything in A level Maths and FM in the first year. But its done at a super accelerated rate! Maybe if its not too late consider AS FM? I'm applying for a physics degree and I felt it was necessary to pick it up as a self-taught subject because a lot of other people will have it. Although I am applying for top 20 universities.

Maybe you should email the universities and find out exactly what you should do. I'm sure there will be other people in similar situations. Also ask your school for advice. But there will be universities that take people on with straight maths.

Reply 2

LettersFromTheSky

A couple of people I know are applying for maths, they haven't got further maths as as or higher, iirc its only the 'top' uni's that want it.

Reply 3

xxlizardxx

i considered doing AS further maths but couldnt because of a clash in my timetable. i wouldnt be able to take it up now as its too late, and i wouldnt be able to handle it. ive already started writing my personal statement but didnt think about needing to do further maths until my friend asked how i was applying without further maths!
im going to email the universities this week about it but i got really worried and wanted an answer.

Reply 4

becky.fm

Loads of people on my Maths course at uni haven't done FM, including me. Everyone struggles with a degree at the beginning, and I don't think we are any more disadvantaged.

Having a gap year though, ahah, i've forgotten everything!!

Reply 5

xXxiKillxXx

Original post by becky.fm

What university are you at? If you dont mind saying

Reply 6

Raiden10

It's not a problem. I did Further Maths, but Uni maths is completely different anyway. My friends who did not do Further Maths had no problem. It may help with a couple of courses on integration and differential equations in the first year, but everything else is completely different, and Further Maths is nothing to do with the majority of uni maths, especially the pure stuff, even in the first year. And even then, where any overlap with A-level happens they teach you everything all over again. From my first year, I would say further maths would have helped a fair bit with Math 3 (these are just random course names), and a bit with Math 5, and maybe math 6 (we did 10). Math3 was integration, differential equations and A-level revision. Math 5 was matrix algebra and then double integration.

Everything is new, or where it is A-level material, it is viewed from a completely different point of view. Maybe 20-30% of first year material is familiar from A-levels, and after the first year it is basically 0%, it's all new.

Our Prof Dimitri always used to say that in teaching analysis, it may even have been better not to have seen an introduction before uni level, and to not have met the subject of analysis without the proper treatment of limits and convergence you get at degree level. He stressed the need for appropriate definitions, which may be airbrushed at A-level.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 7

Dededex

Further Maths certainly helps lets be honest here.

But, overall - no you don't need it for some Unis. For top Unis like Cambridge Warwick etc. yeah you definitely need atleast AS Further maths.

Reply 8

boromir9111

No only Oxbridge ask for it, Warwick as well and Imperial but it would be prudent of you to get an idea what it's all about!

Reply 9

Raiden10

Original post by Dededex

Further Maths certainly helps lets be honest here.

But, overall - no you don't need it for some Unis. For top Unis like Cambridge Warwick etc. yeah you definitely need atleast AS Further maths.

I was addressing the point of whether not having Further Maths was a problem once at university (not really). Much like having A/A* in a subject besides maths, it is probably almost essential to get accepted in the first place at Oxbridge. It seems the point I addressed was completely different to what the OP was asking. Does it actually physically help much when you get there? Not a whole lot.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 10

Dededex

Original post by Raiden10

Yes but I was referring to Warwick and Cambridge, institutions where atleast AS Further Maths is required...

Reply 11

Raiden10

Original post by Dededex

Yes but I was referring to Warwick and Cambridge, institutions where atleast AS Further Maths is required...

... to get in. Not to do the actual studies.

I wasn't trying to be combative by quoting you, although it always seems to come across that way. You are right about getting accepted, and I am right about what happens when you are actually there. We were talking about different things, that is all.