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Senior Physics Challenge 2012

Hello People!

I've just put forward my application for this years SPC, and was wondering if there was anyone else that had done so?

I havn't got my mark back, but wasn't very happy with the maths aspect of it - I'm pretty sure that I dropped a couple of marks.

Thoughts?

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Reply 1

Conan

My teacher has just recommended me yesterday, I haven't got round to doing the maths thing yet. Is there a time limit on it? Like an hour to complete the questions?

Reply 2

v2p

I did it last year, and can honestly say it was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had. You will find it so much fun :smile:

and want to kill yourself at the same time.

Reply 3

mucgoo

No time limit on the Math quiz although it says it should take an hour. There might be some kind of hidden clock which gets recorded along with your mark though?

There can't really be any discussion of it given people are still to take it.

Reply 4

josephtsui

Hi, I will be applying for it this year as well. Does anyone know when the deadline is for the application?

Reply 5

Jimbobp

Anyone got a reply yet? They said the middle of may...

Reply 6

Conan

Original post by Jimbobp

Anyone got a reply yet? They said the middle of may...

I've just received the email today. I got a place :smile:

How has everyone else done?

Reply 7

mucgoo

That booklet they suggest you read is very, very confusing.

Reply 8

Jimbobp

Nightmare, didn't get in :frown:

Reply 9

wandertree

I got in, but I haven't done anything on C3 or C4.. do you guys recommend me looking through this? I've also only done M1 - should I look through M2 as well?

Reply 10

Conan

Original post by mucgoo

That booklet they suggest you read is very, very confusing.

I've had a quick glance at it and I see plenty of calculus :ahee:

I'm going to look through it properly after I get through most of my exams next week.

I gather you've got a place? What A levels are you taking?

Reply 11

Conan

Original post by wandertree

I got in, but I haven't done anything on C3 or C4.. do you guys recommend me looking through this? I've also only done M1 - should I look through M2 as well?

C3 and C4 would certainly help with the maths aspect, I think I saw the chain rule in the booklet. Have you had a look at it?

I've only done M1 as well. If I've got time, I might start M2 - it could be fun :colone:

Welcome to TSR by the way :h:

Reply 12

wandertree

Original post by Conan

Welcome to TSR by the way :h:

Haha thanks :smile:

but yeahh... I'm not even sure what the chain rule is.. Is it in C3 or C4? I wish our school did c3 and c4 instead of s2 and fp1 -___-

I think I'll get down to it straight after exams - not right now, anyways.

Reply 13

mucgoo

Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry. I imagine 90% of the people there will be doing the first three.

That booklet certainly doesn't look accessible with just C2 knowledge. There's probably half a maths modules worth of stuff to learn just in the first "introductory" chapter.

Still, it looks to be a great week.

Reply 14

Thr33

I got the email yesterday - I received a place too :wink:

I havn't actually looked at the pamphlet thingy yet, as I still have 8 exams to go -.-
I presume, however, that at the very least, c3 experience would be very useful for calculus...I'm in the very (un)fortunate situation in that I'm sitting c3/c4 on the 14th/21st, so the booklet may be of revision use :smile:

Reply 15

mucgoo

That sounds very unfortunate.

For context
5A* + FSMQ-A
Gold,silver,bronze in the last 3 years of maths challenge.
My reference mentioned my full marks C1/physics 1 scores
and I got 95% in the online maths test they gave

Reply 16

wandertree

I'm really sorry to hear that :frown:

7 A*, bronze maths challenge this year, 27/30 of the maths test thing...
Erm... 99 on C1 and S1? ;A; that's all.

To be honest, I still don't understand how I managed to win a place..
Perhaps my teacher reference was fantastic ;;
Or maybe they look at which schools you went to.. hrm

Reply 17

Jimbobp

9A* full marks physics unit 1 95 in C1, 2 olympiads and 2 kangaroos in last 4 years, fulll marks in their test, didn't get in. Teacher probably couldn't be bothered to write a reference.

Just out of interest what was your rejection email like, was it a mail merge or were they indvidual.
Here's mine for refernce:
"We regret that your application to the SPC Summer School has not been
successful. The course was many-times oversubscribed and entry was highly competitive. We had to make difficult decisions based on a range of factors including GCSE/AS results, whether there was already another pupil accepted from your school (we rarely take more than one student per school, in the interests of equitability), additional activities such as maths and physics challenges and whether your recommending teacher had completed a reference before the closing date.

We have done Cambridge University admissions for a number of years. Your particular profile of GCSE scores, ability at Maths, progress with AS modules and remarks from your school suggest strongly to us that you should strongly consider applying for Physics (within the Natural Science Tripos) at Cambridge. Of course much can change between now and interviews in December, including your obtaining more AS modules, but experience tells us that students such as yourselves are likely to be considered very seriously as potential undergraduates. If you (or your teacher/parents) would like to discuss your particular details with us, please email us at the senior physics challenge [email protected] ."

Reply 18

mucgoo

You and mpc both have better academic than me or wondertree and it not meant to be means tested so the only possible difference is the reference quality.
Ask your teacher to see your reference?

"General comments about the School closely mimic those that we reported for previous years: Our aim
was to increase the uptake of University Physics by able students currently lost to other subjects, either
at school or in the school-university transition. We exposed students to the style and analytic power of
university level physics by teaching them dynamics, relativity and experimental technique at essentially
first-year university level with few concessions for age and mathematical background. The material and
sophistication required in the lectures was an eye-opener and a challenge for the students (see the
anonymous questionnaires and examples given below of the material). Students were given demanding
problems to solve. Many had thought that these were only to be encountered in the mechanics and
physics sections of higher mathematics and engineering courses – a misapprehension that loses our
subject many able students."

That suggest that it may discriminate against you if your reference made it clear you were intent on physics.