Physics Applicants 2012

Firmed Durham, Bristol insurance

Trying to work out what I need for Durham. To get the AA part of the offer, I only really need high C's/low Bs in my last physics and chemistry modules, and that's giving myself a semi-conservative 20/60 in the empas for both (i.e coursework). I'm bad in the coursework practicals, but hopefully not that bad!

However, maths is a bit annoying, for reasons which are too long to go into here. In short, I'm eligible for an A* having done it a year early, but I'm only on track for a high B in Further Maths at the moment. Due to the way edexcel work with maths, and that you can swap out the applied modules like M1/S2 etc between the 2 A-levels, and edexcel might class AA as higher than A*B...but I'd need the latter for Durham's offer. Sort of frustrating

Edit: Should point out half the problem is that i got 32 (i.e a U) in D1 in January :P In theory, if I use M1 and D1 in my normal Maths, along with C1-4, I'd have exactly 480 UMS for an A, which is upped to an A* 'cause of my C3/C4 marks. So if i lost 1 mark I'd go down from an A* to a B, pretty odd.
(Have I explained this in this thread before? Sorry if I have, cba trawling back)

edexcel is even more complicated than mei. mei do it so you get the highest possible for maths, then sort out the fm.
what made you decide on durham in the end? I've chosen Manchester

In theory I think Edexcel try and do that, but I think my situation is rather unique (I don't think many people get 90 in C3/4 and then a U in the apparently easiest module aha) so it's a bit awkward. I THINK that if I get a B in Further I SHOULD be given the A*, and that shouldn't be too hard to get, gonna aim for the A just in case.

And I chose Durham mainly to get away from Manchester. I do love it as a city, but it'd be nice to get away, plus Durham terms are so short I'll be spending more than half the year back here anyway. College system also swayed it for me. I did slightly prefer the course at Manchester, although mainly in the way it's structured. You'll love Manchester though, might even see you when I'm back home sometime aha.

Bristol is better than Durham for physics, and indeed a better university overall.

You are deluded. Get off your high horse and stop thinking you are better than others. You seem to think Durham is inferior to many universities because:

1. They have Gaddafi "dealings" that you don't have any proof of, nor are they something anyone cares about (as shown by the Durham graduate prospects).
2. They have an "Oxbridge mentality". They reject people because all universities are looking for different people and have different admissions processes. Just because they are a traditional university with colleges doesn't mean they have this "Oxbridge mentality" that you speak of.

one question .. why is duram under rated when it comes to international ranking
dnt take me in a wrong way i am just wondering.
i looked up times world university rank.. duram is behind manchester....

In short, its ranking is still reasonably good for a university of its size, it just may drop or fall significant from year on year. Since 2005 it's been anything from 70-something to 132 in the THES rankings.

It is largely due to size. The world rankings favour larger research intensive universities, with its peer and academic review. Durham, although it produces excellent research, is not a huge institution and doesn't produce the amount of research that Manchester does, for example, and therefore lacks the reputation (with exceptions, physics/astrophysics/cosmology for example where it does have a global repuation). Durham, being a medium size multi-faculty without a real medical or dental school, will inevitable rank lower than a UCL, Manchester, Princeton, Berkeley, ANU, Amsterdam...

But league table rankings mean effectively sod all anyway. Durham graduates still tend to compete successfully with graduates from universities higher in international rankings (UCL, KCL, Manchester) and does still rank well in the emplower review of the THES.

River85 pretty much summed it up in a different thread on this topic:

Wait just a minute, you firmed Durham over Bristol.... AND you managed to get an offer from both even with a U in D1? Thats very suprising. I know people that were rejected with straight As in all their AS modules, predicted full A*s ( this is for physics by the way, and yes, they did further maths). It wasn't all that bad though, they got an offer from Cambridge for Natsci . Durham admissions really suprise me at times. (Just out of question, are you state or private educated?)


Bristol is better than Durham for physics, and indeed a better university overall. The only difference is that Durham has an oxbridge mentality and demands Oxbridge offers for courses that are insufficiently Oxbridgette.

Wait just a minute, you firmed Durham over Bristol.... AND you managed to get an offer from both even with a U in D1? Thats very suprising. I know people that were rejected with straight As in all their AS modules, predicted full A*s ( this is for physics by the way, and yes, they did further maths). It wasn't all that bad though, they got an offer from Cambridge for Natsci . Durham admissions really suprise me at times. (Just out of question, are you state or private educated?)


Bristol is better than Durham for physics, and indeed a better university overall. The only difference is that Durham has an oxbridge mentality and demands Oxbridge offers for courses that are insufficiently Oxbridgette.

one question .. why is duram under rated when it comes to international ranking
dnt take me in a wrong way i am just wondering.
i looked up times world university rank.. duram is behind manchester....

Behind Manchester doesn't mean anything.
Hell, my personal opinion based off my own research (around limited resources like league tables, international research etc) is that it goes Cambridge>oxford>Imperial>Manchester>Durham (of course I'm going to place Durham high though)>other top notch ones. I'm factored in stuff like international research, employability etc, but not student satisfaction and social aspects.

Surely Durham ranks higher than Manchester then, in your personal ranking? 69% of Manchester physics grads enter graduate employment compared to 81% at Durham

Surely Durham ranks higher than Manchester then, in your personal ranking? 69% of Manchester physics grads enter graduate employment compared to 81% at Durham

Surely Durham ranks higher than Manchester then, in your personal ranking? 69% of Manchester physics grads enter graduate employment compared to 81% at Durham

I meant a Post graduate degree


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In theory I think Edexcel try and do that, but I think my situation is rather unique (I don't think many people get 90 in C3/4 and then a U in the apparently easiest module aha) so it's a bit awkward. I THINK that if I get a B in Further I SHOULD be given the A*, and that shouldn't be too hard to get, gonna aim for the A just in case.

And I chose Durham mainly to get away from Manchester. I do love it as a city, but it'd be nice to get away, plus Durham terms are so short I'll be spending more than half the year back here anyway. College system also swayed it for me. I did slightly prefer the course at Manchester, although mainly in the way it's structured. You'll love Manchester though, might even see you when I'm back home sometime aha.

Behind Manchester doesn't mean anything.
Hell, my personal opinion based off my own research (around limited resources like league tables, international research etc) is that it goes Cambridge>oxford>Imperial>Manchester>Durham (of course I'm going to place Durham high though)>other top notch ones. I'm factored in stuff like international research, employability etc, but not student satisfaction and social aspects.