[Intriguing Alias]

(Original post by Xero Xenith)
Very nice! I'd suggest trying your hand at a later paper - 2007 or 2008 maybe, just so you know where you stand with those too.

Thanks and yeah I definitely will. I'm under no illusion, that paper was significantly easier than most I've seen.

[Extricated]

(Original post by Xero Xenith)
Very nice! I'd suggest trying your hand at a later paper - 2007 or 2008 maybe, just so you know where you stand with those too.




This is true. However, I don't think the tests are used in a purely quantitative sense - having a higher mark than the next guy doesn't guarantee that he didn't find a nice solution to a problem you did in an ugly way. They check the scripts for things like that, I think.

Basically, for any pre-interview geezas reading this - just do your best. If you have the right spark, and a way to show it, they'll realise. Your application doesn't have to be perfect, and screwing up on one of the many opportunities they give you to show your spark is not the end of the world.

(Original post by twig)
In one of my interviews, all the questions involved knowing just one simple relationship which a primary school kid would understand. Yet some parts were insanely difficult (i.e. I know no offer holder so far who managed to complete it unaided). In the second interview however, fp2/3 knowledge was assumed for some Qs (same case for friends having college tests at Churchill, Cam). IMO fp2/3 in interviews is acceptable, but in college tests is unfair (as some students will have an unfair advantage, and a lot of the further pure stuff is quite trivial in interviews). Especially when some pupils are still finishing c3/4 topics, and there is no mention of reading ahead for interview preparation anywhere.

What would you recommend as good interview preparation for a year 12? I've learnt C1-C4, S1-S2, M1 and D1 so far. What kinda things should I be doing to help best prepare me for the questions you were asked? Would you recommend doing some STEP I over the summer as well?

Thank you

[Intriguing Alias]

(Original post by Extricated)
What would you recommend as good interview preparation for a year 12? I've learnt C1-C4, S1-S2, M1 and D1 so far. What kinda things should I be doing to help best prepare me for the questions you were asked? Would you recommend doing some STEP I over the summer as well?

Thank you

If you've done C1-4 then I don't see why you wouldn't at least try some STEP I - for interview or otherwise! Don't worry if you struggle, but just thinking about the questions might help

I found a nice exercise that had 99 interview questions - some of which were pretty interesting and along the right lines of what you may be asked - I'll try find it again and post it here

[deejayy]

(Original post by hassi94)
If you've done C1-4 then I don't see why you wouldn't at least try some STEP I - for interview or otherwise! Don't worry if you struggle, but just thinking about the questions might help

I found a nice exercise that had 99 interview questions - some of which were pretty interesting and along the right lines of what you may be asked - I'll try find it again and post it here

(Original post by Extricated)
What would you recommend as good interview preparation for a year 12? I've learnt C1-C4, S1-S2, M1 and D1 so far. What kinda things should I be doing to help best prepare me for the questions you were asked? Would you recommend doing some STEP I over the summer as well?

Thank you

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=320602 the 99 interview questions are on here. I would also recommend them !!

And on the trinity (cambridge) website there is a link to some other questions. http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/index.php?pageid=86&subid=22

I will also reiterate what Hassi said, start attempting some step I questions, if you can get the hang of them you will be in a good position for your interview.

[Dog4444]

(Original post by hassi94)
I found a nice exercise that had 99 interview questions - some of which were pretty interesting and along the right lines of what you may be asked - I'll try find it again and post it here

[Intriguing Alias]

(Original post by deejayy)
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=320602 the 99 interview questions are on here. I would also recommend them !!

And on the trinity (cambridge) website there is a link to some other questions.

(Original post by Dog4444)

Thanks; those are the ones

[Extricated]

(Original post by hassi94)
Thanks; those are the ones

(Original post by Dog4444)

(Original post by deejayy)
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=320602 the 99 interview questions are on here. I would also recommend them !!

And on the trinity (cambridge) website there is a link to some other questions. http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/index.php?pageid=86&subid=22

I will also reiterate what Hassi said, start attempting some step I questions, if you can get the hang of them you will be in a good position for your interview.

Excellent, thanks I really hope you all get in!

[lmq0209]

(Original post by Rahul.S)
in fact his no ones boy....except for those with offers from Selwyn

Did you meet anyone from Selwyn?

[ben-smith]

I met a guy with an offer from Selwyn but this was at the UCL offer day

[TheMagicMan]

(Original post by ben-smith)
I met a guy with an offer from Selwyn but this was at the UCL offer day

I remember this..

[ben-smith]

(Original post by TheMagicMan)
I remember this..

Did you two know each other? It looked like you did...

[shamika]

(Original post by deejayy)
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=320602 the 99 interview questions are on here. I would also recommend them !!

And on the trinity (cambridge) website there is a link to some other questions. http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/index.php?pageid=86&subid=22

I will also reiterate what Hassi said, start attempting some step I questions, if you can get the hang of them you will be in a good position for your interview.

Be careful of those questions though!

They vary tremendously in difficulty - some are actually 'impossible': cannot be integrated in terms of elementary functions (that annoyed me, I was sitting here for 10 minutes being stuck until I went and cheated using Wolfram). Others, such as Q1 and Q95 are very easy (not impossible in an interview but if you get asked those you will certainly be asked longer questions).

Agreed in general they're of the right 'sort'. I would also recommend MAT because I'm recall one paper having something very similar to my interview question

[Rahul.S]

(Original post by lmq0209)
Did you meet anyone from Selwyn?

yh guy named steven

BTW people on this thread.....extricated is a TROLL!!!! he aint applying for maths

[shamika]

(Original post by shamika)
Be careful of those questions though!

They vary tremendously in difficulty - some are actually 'impossible': cannot be integrated in terms of elementary functions (that annoyed me, I was sitting here for 10 minutes being stuck until I went and cheated using Wolfram). Others, such as Q1 and Q95 are very easy (not impossible in an interview but if you get asked those you will certainly be asked longer questions).

Agreed in general they're of the right 'sort'. I would also recommend MAT because I'm recall one paper having something very similar to my interview question

I'm now more annoyed with myself because I didn't recognise the integral

[GreenLantern1]

Has everyone applied to do Straight Maths at wherever they intend on going or are doing a Maths with/and whatever ?

If anyone is doing Maths and Philosophy do you know how much of the course is Maths and how much is Philosophy?

[L'art pour l'art]

(Original post by GreenLantern1)
If anyone is doing Maths and Philosophy do you know how much of the course is Maths and how much is Philosophy?

I think at Oxford, the maths and philosophy course covers all the pure stuff, and none of the applied. I gather they cover around two-thirds of what straight maths student would cover and a corresponding amount in philosophy (it's hard to make a comparison with the amount of philosophy covered because there is no straight philosophy). I heard it's more demanding than the straight maths one (in terms of the amount of material covered). I guess it's ideal for those who dislike applied maths and are into philosophy. I haven't looked into the Warwick one, but I suspect there is more flexibility in the number of modules you can to take.

[ben-smith]

(Original post by GreenLantern1)
Has everyone applied to do Straight Maths at wherever they intend on going or are doing a Maths with/and whatever ?

Me and themagicman are maths w/ Physics @Cam
KennethX applied to Ox for Maths w/ Philosophy.
A few people here applied for maths w/ econ at LSE.

[Xero Xenith]

(Original post by Extricated)
What would you recommend as good interview preparation for a year 12? I've learnt C1-C4, S1-S2, M1 and D1 so far. What kinda things should I be doing to help best prepare me for the questions you were asked? Would you recommend doing some STEP I over the summer as well?

Thank you

Even if you're trolling, I'd just say that the summer is an excellent time to start some STEP I.

(Original post by GreenLantern1)
Has everyone applied to do Straight Maths at wherever they intend on going or are doing a Maths with/and whatever ?

If anyone is doing Maths and Philosophy do you know how much of the course is Maths and how much is Philosophy?

I think most of us are Maths - it's clearly the best

Maths with Philosophy is probably only worthwhile if you're really into the whole philosophy side as much as you are the maths. I guess it would be a cool degree to take if you were, but I can't imagine many Maths employers would jump for someone who spent half his time on something not-maths.

But I don't know for sure

[Ree69]

Just did 4 (perfect?) solutions to 2004 STEP I in around 2 hours. Awesome.

[Zuzuzu]

(Original post by Rahul.S)
where you invited to the easter summer school?

if I remember right you weren't far from getting the required step grades....how you finding the first year at UCL after preparing for STEP?

I went to the easter school last year, yeah. How was it this year?

First year at UCL's going fine, although I don't think preparing for STEP has helped at all really. It just seems to be a common myth that goes round.