[MBMN]

I just started my AS and i've known for the past three years that I wanted to study physics as far as i can. My school said we should sort out our work experience for the christmas and easter holidays; so we can finish our personal statements and stuff by the start of the summer holidays.
Over last summer I spent a few weeks shadowing a PhD student at sheffield universities Physics department.
When I look around that's the only kind of thing I can find for that time. The biggest and most interesting things require qualifications I don't have or are 6 weeks long.
I wouldn't have a problem with that, but my family planned our first holiday in six years back to my home nation (ghana), for that summer.

If I don't do the big relevant project will my application suffer?
Or is it worth missing the holiday for?

[bistonut]

(Original post by MBMN)
I just started my AS and i've known for the past three years that I wanted to study physics as far as i can. My school said we should sort out our work experience for the christmas and easter holidays; so we can finish our personal statements and stuff by the start of the summer holidays.
Over last summer I spent a few weeks shadowing a PhD student at sheffield universities Physics department.
When I look around that's the only kind of thing I can find for that time. The biggest and most interesting things require qualifications I don't have or are 6 weeks long.
I wouldn't have a problem with that, but my family planned our first holiday in six years back to my home nation (ghana), for that summer.

If I don't do the big relevant project will my application suffer?
Or is it worth missing the holiday for?

First off, finishing personal statement by the start of the summer holidays? I started mine at the end and had loads of time to spare, even early deadline people don't usually start them quite so early.

And no, work experience isn't really needed for physics at all. It's useful, and something to talk about on the statement/interview, but by its nature it's an academic subject- they'd probably rather have a bookworm than an average student with experience. It's not like medicine at all.

Plus you've already got the PhD shadowing, which is more than enough. You'll find 4000 characters for your statement isn't nearly enough to include everything, so doing more experience (whilst good) wouldn't really boost your application much.

What A-levels are you taking? If you're not doing further maths you could self study some modules over that summer instead, which will boost your application a lot

[MBMN]

I'm taking Physics, Further Maths, Chemistry, & Biology.
To be honest i'm only doing Chemistry and Biology because of my parents. I would have done English lit and RS/Philosophy instead.

[bistonut]

(Original post by MBMN)
I'm taking Physics, Further Maths, Chemistry, & Biology.
To be honest i'm only doing Chemistry and Biology because of my parents. I would have done English lit and RS/Philosophy instead.

I do chemistry (should be doing a tedious homework now) so I feel your pain there, and biology I always found dull.

But in conclusion, don't miss the family holiday for some work experience. Especially when you've got that shadowing under your belt. If you're realllllly desperate to stand out from other applicants, self study an extra mechanics module? Even that wouldn't help that much, the main thing is to focus on A-levels and reading books around the subject.

[IOP]

Sounds like you are doing fine for getting on a physics degree. Physics degree entry requirements at: http://www.myphysicscourse.org/ and advice on getting work experience here: http://www.physics.org/article-caree...?contentid=465

Worth joining IOP for free to enhance your CV as well at: www.iop.org/16-19

[MBMN]

thanks to all for the advice.
I'll be taking a two week placement at leeds earlier in the year, instead.