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Which Further Maths Syllabus to take

Hi guys,

I am an international student currently taking a gap year to sort out my priorities. However I don't want to fall out of studies and am thinking of self teaching myself Further Maths and was wondering if someone could maybe help me choose which syllabus is the best to take- edexcel, cie or whichever and also tell me why they think that is better.
It would also be great if you could tell me which one is most preferred my universities in UK and is considered the hardest.

Thanks :smile:

UPDATE: Since you guys said it would help better if you knew :smile:, for my maths A levels I had taken the CIE board and am currently thinking about a degree in computer science at Uni. level for which I was told high level calculus and vectors is a must.
(edited 12 years ago)

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Original post by IngloriousJaen
Hi guys,

I am an international student currently taking a gap year to sort out my priorities. However I don't want to fall out of studies and am thinking of self teaching myself Further Maths and was wondering if someone could maybe help me choose which syllabus is the best to take- edexcel, cie or whichever and also tell me why they think that is better.
It would also be great if you could tell me which one is most preferred my universities in UK and is considered the hardest.

Thanks :smile:


I don't think there is a particular hard exam board. (Although OCR have a reputation for messing up papers). Universities don't care which exam board you take either.

I would say the only deciding factor would be if one exam board had modules you wanted to do and the other didn't. i.e D2 or M5 etc.
Original post by IngloriousJaen
Hi guys,

I am an international student currently taking a gap year to sort out my priorities. However I don't want to fall out of studies and am thinking of self teaching myself Further Maths and was wondering if someone could maybe help me choose which syllabus is the best to take- edexcel, cie or whichever and also tell me why they think that is better.
It would also be great if you could tell me which one is most preferred my universities in UK and is considered the hardest.

Thanks :smile:


Hello,
I'm studying OCR Further Maths at the moment. It's okay as a syllabus, the exam was today in fact, and it was surprisingly okay. I don't know anything about the other syllabuses but I know that for maths, edexcel is meant to be easier, so maybe the same applies for further maths.
I don't think universities mind too much about the board (but I'm not sure) but I do think OCR is considered to be one of the hardest (my college only chose it because it was the first to get rid of coursework).
BE WARNED: OCR seem incapable of constructing a fault free paper though. :rolleyes:

Also, several people in the year above self-taught it, so it is possible! :smile:
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 3
Original post by IngloriousJaen
Hi guys,

I am an international student currently taking a gap year to sort out my priorities. However I don't want to fall out of studies and am thinking of self teaching myself Further Maths and was wondering if someone could maybe help me choose which syllabus is the best to take- edexcel, cie or whichever and also tell me why they think that is better.
It would also be great if you could tell me which one is most preferred my universities in UK and is considered the hardest.

Thanks :smile:


I'm not sure if individual students can do it, but I've had all my fmath lessons online this year with OCR MEI. Would recommend you have a look at that as its basically self-teaching with added support. Also get great resources on the MEI website!
Original post by Freerider101
I don't think there is a particular hard exam board. (Although OCR have a reputation for messing up papers). Universities don't care which exam board you take either.

I would say the only deciding factor would be if one exam board had modules you wanted to do and the other didn't. i.e D2 or M5 etc.


Beat me to it! Too right they do! I'm still mentally scarred :cry2:
Reply 5
Original post by xsweetcherrypiex
Beat me to it! Too right they do! I'm still mentally scarred :cry2:


That the D1 paper? Tbh it was just the ultimate exam technique question :P!
Reply 6
Surely it depends what Maths A level you're doing? then you can interchange modules to get the best result?
Original post by Quadratic
That the D1 paper? Tbh it was just the ultimate exam technique question :P!


Yeah :frown:
I can't even bring myself to say :angry:decision:angry: out loud!
It has messed up my entire further maths A Level! Even if grade boundaries are low, I spent more time on that question than most people (stupidly I know - they always say leave it but I just couldn't!) and it came at the expense of virtually the whole paper XD
Reply 8
Ok. OCR are probably the more respected board, mainly because their papers tend to be the hardest. The Edexcel board is also good but it seems to me to be easier than OCR which I do. I can't say about any others.
Reply 9
Original post by Quadratic
I'm not sure if individual students can do it, but I've had all my fmath lessons online this year with OCR MEI. Would recommend you have a look at that as its basically self-teaching with added support. Also get great resources on the MEI website!


Iwould strongly reccomend that you dont do OCR MEI. its much moe difficult then the others, but more importantl the textbooks are awful which will make it even more difficult to self teach
Reply 10
As someone else mentioned, i would reccomend that you do the exam board that you did you Maths Alevel on.
Reply 11
To be honest if you're doing further maths universities will already respect your maths skills regardless of the exam board. I do edexcel and haven;t had too many problems, the textbooks are pretty useful and the exams are doable (getting 90% in all is possible, I have done so for most) if difficult (it is further maths after all). So I;d recommend them, but I have no experience of the other boards really, and they are all pretty similar.
Reply 12
Original post by xsweetcherrypiex
Yeah :frown:
I can't even bring myself to say :angry:decision:angry: out loud!
It has messed up my entire further maths A Level! Even if grade boundaries are low, I spent more time on that question than most people (stupidly I know - they always say leave it but I just couldn't!) and it came at the expense of virtually the whole paper XD


It was a bit unfair, well extremely unfair, but it's just one of those things :/ First rule of exams though - if you can't do a Q, come back to it later! :tongue:
Original post by Snavej
Surely it depends what Maths A level you're doing? then you can interchange modules to get the best result?


I did the cie board for my Maths A levels and am actually thinking of going for a computer science degree at Uni level for which I was also told that high level vector and calculus are a must.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 14
Original post by aams
Iwould strongly reccomend that you dont do OCR MEI. its much moe difficult then the others, but more importantl the textbooks are awful which will make it even more difficult to self teach


I've found the books quite straight forward? And the MEI website has some amazing resources, plus self-study plans already created. And if you get the online lessons alongside these then you'll be well ahead!

As for MEI OCR being harder, there is some slight truth in that from what I've heard. But if you're doing fmath you're more than likely aiming for a math related course at uni, thus you shouldn't be shying away from the hard stuff!
OCR seem to like putting their exams at the same time so clashes are quite common (even worse with STEP :s-smilie:) On the whole their papers have been fine, though I don't think this summer has gone too well especially that D1 (as mentioned in previous posts).
Reply 16
Original post by Quadratic
I've found the books quite straight forward? And the MEI website has some amazing resources, plus self-study plans already created. And if you get the online lessons alongside these then you'll be well ahead!

As for MEI OCR being harder, there is some slight truth in that from what I've heard. But if you're doing fmath you're more than likely aiming for a math related course at uni, thus you shouldn't be shying away from the hard stuff!


I suppose it personnel preference. i did A level maths on edexcel an i find it MUCH easier. Now those are straightforward textbooks. Everyone ive met who is also on MEI has agreed that the books are awful (especially in comparison to the other boards' textbooks)., this is also including the uni lecturers that taught some lessons. (and the books arent even in colour :eek: )

but i do agree that MEI does offer alot of additional resourses, as youve mentioned.
Do CIE. Harder and none of the modules rubbish either, but finding books can be a pain if you're self studying because the recommended one is not as in depth as it should be.
Reply 18
I don't think you have a choice

Only CIE and Edexcel offer their exams internationally.

If you've done CIE A level I don't believe you can do Edexcel FM - UK students can change between JCQ examiners for FM but CIE isn't part of the JCQ setup.
Original post by gdunne42
I don't think you have a choice

Only CIE and Edexcel offer their exams internationally.

If you've done CIE A level I don't believe you can do Edexcel FM - UK students can change between JCQ examiners for FM but CIE isn't part of the JCQ setup.


I was told I can and ya, I am not sure but it probably has to be between Edexcel and CIE but which one do you think is better in terms of having more resource material plus looks good with the Uni.

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