Physics - 2013 Entry

Original post by When you see it...

Whoa! All 4 of those are like uber competitive. Not only do they all ask for an A* (apart from the three-year course at Lancaster) but they all are around the top of the league tables. I was thinking of only applying to 2 or 3 of the ones asking for an A*. Have you considred reading QED?

I haven't actually. I'm not really an avid reader, never really read books before, but once we started doing particles in AS I got really interested and decided to buy some books lol.

Also, those Unis are stupidly competitive I know. Might have to wait till results day as I feel I might have messed up an exam so I might have to reassess my options after that. Apart from QED, got any other recommendations for some decent books?

Reply 42

When you see it...

16

Original post by Maxima

I haven't actually. I'm not really an avid reader, never really read books before, but once we started doing particles in AS I got really interested and decided to buy some books lol.

Also, those Unis are stupidly competitive I know. Might have to wait till results day as I feel I might have messed up an exam so I might have to reassess my options after that. Apart from QED, got any other recommendations for some decent books?

I'm with the worst syllabus at A level, so that certainly hasn't stimulated me to do any reading. Anyway, I'm currently looking for some books to read so I too would like some reccomendations. You could always watch some of Feynman's lectures though if you liked the style of Six Easy Pieces (he repeats a lot of stuff though).

Reply 43

Yeah, that's been quite a common one amongst people I've asked.

Well I hated Physics this year until like the last month. I had one teacher, who left after 2 months, got another replacement who was useless, left after 2 months again, got a supply teacher here and there and finally got a proper teacher whose awesome and SO knowledgeable :smile:

I also had to teach myself pretty much the whole syllabus so I think that got me a lot more interested too. I was quite shocked at the Manchester offer I saw above, A*A*A which is VERY high tbh.

Reply 44

Astronomical

Original post by Meg94

So exciting!!! :biggrin:

I'm currently looking at Oxford, Imperial, Manchester, Warwick (Maths and Physics) and possibly Durham. However, I'm in a bit of a dilemma as they all ask for A*AA :albertein:

Do eet.

I can't wait to start there in a couple of months... :daydreaming:

My Imperial Physics with Theoretical Physics MSci offer was AAA, and I also had an offer for Warwick's Maths and Physics MPhys/MP of just AA, so the offers aren't set in stone; what you get offered depends on, or is at least influenced by, how well your interview goes, I'd imagine.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 45

SpiggyTopes

I want to do Physics with/and Astrophysics (I'm a mad astronomer :smile:

) and I'm considering Lancaster, Birmingham, Nottingham, Warwick, Leicester and Liverpool & Keele as reserves. So far I've only been to an open day at Leicester and I was quite impressed, yet nobody else seems to have mentioned it!

I have a question for you fellow physics fanatics... a lot of you seem to be reading books and I have never been one to read a book. However, I do read the 'Physics World' magazine which is made by the IOP and I am a member of an astronomical society. Do you think that is an advantage or disadvantage on a personal statement compared to reading books?

Reply 46

Original post by Astronomical

Do eet.

I can't wait to start there in a couple of months... :daydreaming:

My Imperial Physics with Theoretical Physics MSci offer was AAA, and I also had an offer for Warwick's Maths and Physics MPhys/MP of just AA, so the offers aren't set in stone; what you get offered depends on, or is at least influenced by, how well your interview goes, I'd imagine.

How was the interview at Imperial? Did you prepare for it in any way?

Reply 47

IsaacJ

Original post by SpiggyTopes

I want to do Physics with/and Astrophysics (I'm a mad astronomer :smile:

) and I'm considering Lancaster, Birmingham, Nottingham, Warwick, Leicester and Liverpool & Keele as reserves. So far I've only been to an open day at Leicester and I was quite impressed, yet nobody else seems to have mentioned it!

I have a question for you fellow physics fanatics... a lot of you seem to be reading books and I have never been one to read a book. However, I do read the 'Physics World' magazine which is made by the IOP and I am a member of an astronomical society. Do you think that is an advantage or disadvantage on a personal statement compared to reading books?

I also read physics world by IOP and will likely mention it on my PS. Mention everything you do that is relevant is my motto.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my GT-I9100

Reply 48

Astronomical

Original post by Maxima

How was the interview at Imperial? Did you prepare for it in any way?

It started rough - I was asked to draw a graph and drew half of it upside down ( :giggle:

) - but after that he just asked me about some physics, most of which was A-level syllabus stuff.

I didn't really prepare, but my advice would be to practice drawing graphs involving trig functions, and just generally improve your graph drawing skills and your intuition for what a function is doing.

Have a go at this, for example, and then look in the spoiler to see how you'd be expected to go about it:

y=\dfrac{\sin x}{x}

; what happens as x changes?

Spoiler

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 49

elliot17

Original post by When you see it...

Is that even about physics?

Well not really, you get some physics bits in it but it's just about Feynman who I think is like amazing to be honest haha

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 50

Maths_Lover

Hey there - I'm applying for Maths and/with Physics but it could swing either way so I thought I'd pop in anyway. :smile:

Reply 51

elliot17

How are the personal statements going? (if started) :smile:

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 52

117r

9

Original post by elliot17

How are the personal statements going? (if started) :smile:

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Mine isn't right now lol

Reply 53

elliot17

Original post by 117r

Mine isn't right now lol

Haha started mine yesterday but I'm finding it really difficult, I think it's gonna take a few days of properly working on it just to get a first draft, ohh well :smile:

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 54

Original post by elliot17

How are the personal statements going? (if started) :smile:

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

I keep telling myself I'm going to do it but I just can't bring myself round to do it :/

Reply 55

IsaacJ

Original post by Maxima

I keep telling myself I'm going to do it but I just can't bring myself round to do it :/

I'm in this situation. Although I pretty much know what I'll write in it, I haven't got around to it yet. Still - Months left before it must be done! (As long as you're not applying to Oxbridge :P)

Reply 56

Meg94

Original post by Astronomical

Do eet.

I can't wait to start there in a couple of months... :daydreaming:

My Imperial Physics with Theoretical Physics MSci offer was AAA, and I also had an offer for Warwick's Maths and Physics MPhys/MP of just AA, so the offers aren't set in stone; what you get offered depends on, or is at least influenced by, how well your interview goes, I'd imagine.

Thanks for the advice! :biggrin:

I've pretty much made up my mind now. :cool:

Reply 57

Astronomical

Original post by Meg94

Thanks for the advice! :biggrin:

I've pretty much made up my mind now. :cool:

No problem! :tongue:

Where have you decided to apply? :biggrin:

Reply 58

Meg94

Original post by Astronomical

No problem! :tongue:

Where have you decided to apply? :biggrin:

Cambridge (NatSci - the Oxford PAT would be the death of me :stupido:

), Imperial (Physics with Theoretical), Manchester (Maths&Physics), Durham (Theoretical) and Warwick (Maths&Physics) :gthumb:

I was considering St Andrews or Edinburgh... but then, and I know its a really bad reason, I don't think I would be happy sat in lectures with people who are getting it all for free and I'm paying £9k a year. :indiff:

Reply 59

IsaacJ