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STEP 1 or AEA?

What would look better, a 2 or 3 in STEP 1 or a distinction in AEA? Im looking to apply to Imperial, Warwick, Oxbridge etc....

Alternatively I could do both exams, what would people here suggest?
Reply 1
Avatar for Dez
Dez
20
The two papers are considered equivelants. Personally I think the AEA looks easier than the STEP, but you need to make up your own mind about that. I know that Warwick definitely does not consider one better than the other, and I doubt that Cambridge or Imperial would either.
Reply 2
Avatar for -G-a-v-
-G-a-v-
16
STEP is generally recognised as being harder than AEA, but I personally think the questions are nicer, and remember you only need to fully solve about 4 problems to get a decent result. The early pure maths questions and some of the stats and mechanics questions on STEP 1 are also fairly straightforward. Warwick ask for a merit in AEA or a grade 2 in any STEP paper. So taking AEA Merit = STEP grade 2, a distinction in AEA would look better than a 2 or 3 in STEP 1, but remember only a few people get a distinction in AEA. It's easier to get a 1 or 2 in STEP 1 if you pick the right questions and do them well than it is to get a distinction in AEA. It's usaully around 75% for a distinction in AEA, and 4 problems at 20 marks each (STEP questions are out of 20) when they take your best 6 marks so 80/120 is 67%, nearly 10% less than the mark for an AEA distinction, so personally I'd do the STEP paper and aim to get a 1 or 2.
Reply 3
Avatar for joe8232
joe8232
7
I have been debating this aswell, none of my offers include step or aea but i really would like to do one and there seems to be more material for step than aea so i am swaying more towards step 1.
Reply 4
Avatar for Chewwy
Chewwy
17
a 1 in STEP would look even better...
Reply 5
Avatar for -G-a-v-
-G-a-v-
16
joe8232
I have been debating this aswell, none of my offers include step or aea but i really would like to do one and there seems to be more material for step than aea so i am swaying more towards step 1.


The AEA tests only C1-C4

STEP 1 has questions on the core pure maths (C1-C4), mechanics (covers more or less M1-M2) and statistics (covers more or less S1-S2). This means that if you're better at applied maths, you've got more chance to do well.
Reply 6
Avatar for Simba
Simba
16
I would go for STEP I if I were you; that's supposedly for the top 2% or so of the candidates taking maths A-level(s). AEA is for the top 10% or so. Therefore a good grade in STEP I would, at least on paper I think, be more impressive than a similarly good grade in AEA.
Reply 7
Avatar for Malik
Malik
12
Do them all, it wont make much difference revision wise since AEA is not that much more then your average Alevel paper.
Reply 8
Avatar for mfb3000
mfb3000
Does anyone know what kind of mark you need to get an S in step?
I do...

Anyway, different sorts of paper sebbie.... a distinction in AEA would look better than a 2 or 3 in STEP I in my opinion.
Reply 10
Avatar for Simba
Simba
16
the_brainaic
Does anyone know what kind of mark you need to get an S in step?


Perhaps good/perfect solutions to 5 problems :smile: ...
Reply 11
Avatar for -G-a-v-
-G-a-v-
16
What does S stand for in the STEP grading, just out of curioisty?
Reply 12
Avatar for Kolya
Kolya
17
I believe it stands for "Scholarship"
Reply 13
Avatar for Malik
Malik
12
According to Wiki 'S' stands for outstanding. Suppose if you wanted to , you could pretend it ment Super :smile:

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