STEP or Oxford aptitude test- which is easier?
Maths and statistics discussion, revision, exam and homework help.
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Re: STEP or Oxford aptitude test- which is easier?I'm guessing you've never tried a STEP paper before
eat your heart out: http://www.admissionstests.cambridge...st+Preparation -
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Re: STEP or Oxford aptitude test- which is easier?STEP by miles, but the MAT is taken earlier so generally the cohort has less experience and knowledge. Also it's taken outside "exam season" so I assume people often are less prepared than for STEP.
EDIT: Oh easier, sorry, MAT is easier, I answered which is harder
Last edited by ziedj; 17-09-2011 at 00:05. -
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Re: STEP or Oxford aptitude test- which is easier?This is irrelevant, surely? BMO is based on very basic maths but you'd be hard pushed to say it's easier than the MAT.(Original post by Aristotle's' Disciple)
MAT is supposed to be based on AS Maths knowledge only, so yeah.
I agree with the general consensus, though. STEP is far harder than the MAT; but the MAT is taken much earlier in the candidate's academia and is thus expected to be easier.Last edited by Farhan.Hanif93; 17-09-2011 at 00:09. -
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Re: STEP or Oxford aptitude test- which is easier?Arguably BMO2 is quite a bit harder; even BMO1 would be up there for most. I'd be lucky to get more than 5-10 marks on BMO2 if I were to sit it right now (obviously I practiced STEP a bit more but that's beside the point)...(Original post by kerily)
If there is something harder than STEP that sixth formers can sit, I don't want to know about it
Just realised that you said you didn't want to know about it, oops!
The common factor, they're both maths tests. Not sure how the BMAT/UKCAT compare. -
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Re: STEP or Oxford aptitude test- which is easier?Don't think they'd be (anywhere near) as hard as STEP.(Original post by Farhan.Hanif93)
The common factor, they're both maths tests. Not sure how the BMAT/UKCAT compare. -
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Re: STEP or Oxford aptitude test- which is easier?Yeah, BMO1 is arguably as hard or almost as hard as STEP, whereas BMO2 is significantly harder (in its own ways). But the hardest examinations that sixth-form students can reach are usually the International Mathematical Olympiad tests (even someone who can score full marks in the BMO2 only scores around 20/42, I seem to remember from this year).(Original post by Farhan.Hanif93)
Arguably BMO2 is quite a bit harder; even BMO1 would be up there for most. I'd be lucky to get more than 5-10 marks on BMO2 if I were to sit it right now (obviously I practiced STEP a bit more but that's beside the point)...
Just realised that you said you didn't want to know about it, oops!
The common factor, they're both maths tests. Not sure how the BMAT/UKCAT compare.
I've never taken any of these; I'm planning to for the first time this year (for BMO1, BMO2, etc., hopefully!). Not STEP. Looking at the past questions, they seem relatively solvable, albeit tricky. The International Maths Olympiad, however, is a completely different story ...
As for the OP's question, I've never seen the Oxford Aptitude Test for Maths, but consistent opinion among people who've done both seems to show that STEP is considered harder. -
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Re: STEP or Oxford aptitude test- which is easier?I personally don't think it'd be a fair comparison. STEP and BMAT/UKCAT have completely different objectives; and assess completely different things in a completely different style - as I understand it, the BMAT/UKCAT tests are also taken earlier in the year than STEP normally is taken. They're probably difficult in their own way, but I can only really comment on STEP as it's the only one I've taken.(Original post by Chief Wiggum)
Don't think they'd be (anywhere near) as hard as STEP. -
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Re: STEP or Oxford aptitude test- which is easier?I've done the BMAT and UKCAT. They're doable by your average medical applicant. I'd always have thought STEP would have been far harder, although yeah, I guess it's not really a fair comparison.(Original post by Farhan.Hanif93)
I personally don't think it'd be a fair comparison. STEP and BMAT/UKCAT have completely different objectives; and assess completely different things in a completely different style - as I understand it, the BMAT/UKCAT tests are also taken earlier in the year than STEP normally is taken. They're probably difficult in their own way, but I can only really comment on STEP as it's the only one I've taken.
I was under the impression you had to be fairly exceptional at maths to even get a reasonable STEP grade? -
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Re: STEP or Oxford aptitude test- which is easier?I wouldn't say that you had to be fairly exceptional even for a reasonable grade at the IMO.(Original post by Chief Wiggum)
I was under the impression you had to be fairly exceptional at maths to even get a reasonable STEP grade?
Although you need to be a bit smarter than usual, it really depends on what support you receive to prepare for these exams/olympiads. -
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Re: STEP or Oxford aptitude test- which is easier?Well, it comes down to what you feel is a reasonable STEP grade. If it's a grade 2 or less, I wouldn't say you need to be exceptional to get it; still a respectable result, though. In fact, I'd be willing to go as far as saying that the grade S is pretty much the only grade where being exceptional is almost a requirement as it more or less comes down to how quickly you can act on your intuition as well as being able to find multiple questions that you can have a reasonable crack at in the given time frame.(Original post by Chief Wiggum)
I was under the impression you had to be fairly exceptional at maths to even get a reasonable STEP grade?
That said, you'll also have to clarify what you mean by exceptional. If you mean the top 2 or 3 Y13 maths A-Level students from each school, then yes that sounds about right*. If you're talking about only those who qualify for the BMO, then probably not, as many people who don't qualify for the BMO do just fine. (for lack of a better example)
*Depending on what sort of school we're talking about here. If it's a selective school, then there may be a larger bracket of those capable of doing well. The level of help offered also makes a huge difference. There's so many things that come into it that it's hard to explain how "hard" it is...Last edited by Farhan.Hanif93; 17-09-2011 at 03:48.
