How to get a Cambridge maths offer?

I'm not too sure how important GSCEs are - but my Standard Grades weren't that good and I have an offer. If you want, you could look at the Offer Holders stalking page to see what kind of GSCEs most people have.

Your A level choices are perfectly fine - many offer holders just have FM/Maths/Physics.

Don't fret about STEP at the moment. Most year 12s, let alone year 10s, who try it early find it very difficuly, but don't worry. At the time you should hopefully be able to develop the skill needed. You pretty much need to know almost all of A level to have a shot at it anyhow.

At the moment? Focusing on getting good GSCE grades would be the main thing IMO. The only other thing would be finding ways to show your interest. For this, you could read books and participate in the UKMT challenges, but this isn't essential. I could give you some book suggestions if you're into that.

Also, Cambridge really don't care about extra-cirriculars for Maths, contrary to what many of your teachers will probably tell you. Unless it's Maths related, that is.

Congrats on getting an offer! Amazing!
Can I ask what your interview was like? From what I've heard it sounds rather nervewracking :/ I suppose your offer depends on what you get in the STEP test? I'm glad to hear that many people find it difficult, I was quite worried.

Just googled the UKMT and I'm definitely going to enter the intermediate level next year. And yes, I would love if you could recommend me some books!

Every college has a different interview process, although they're not too different. At my one (Trinity), they gave us a sheet with 10 questions for an hour, and the interview revolved around my answers to them. Some colleges don't use a test, some have a 'general' interview in addition to the normal one, etc. Here's a list of different college interview procedures (page 6 onwards).

For some reason I didn't have much of a problem with nerves, and it only really hit me when I was waiting outside the interview room. I don't know why, as it wasn't like I was confident I was getting in or anything. I met quite a few other candidates afterwards, and they mostly seemed fairly nervous, but then again, maybe the old joke is true (How can you tell if a mathematician is an extrovert? They're looking at your shoes.).

Cambridge has a wonderful list of suggestons here. I particularly recommend A Mathematician's Apology and Fermat's Last Theorem : the former can be read here. (For any mods who may see this, the copyright on this book has expired so it's legal).

Ugh, but what if you couldn't do any of the questions on the paper they give you? That would be awful when they called you in! I can totally understand the other candidates being worried :P

I really want to go to Cambridge to do maths. I used to think that this would be quite simple; I could get the five Bs required at GCSE to go to my sixth form and then get great grades for my AS levels and then all I would have to do to is do well at interview.

However, since I have joined the Student Room I have heard a lot of confusing things about applying to Cambridge to do maths. So I have some questions I'd like to ask.

Are GCSEs important? On the Cambridge website it appears to only require a maths GCSE at a grade C (although obviously I assume all actual Cambridge maths undergraduates got a very high A*).

Are these acceptable A Level choices- further maths, physics, chemistry, and french? (I will hopefully have finished my maths A level by the end of next year so I won't have to take it).

Is it okay if I REALLY struggle with STEP at the moment (year ten) or is that a sign Cambridge is too tough for me??

What should I be doing to prepare?

How important are GCSE's for cambridge maths? Do u have to get like 10A*'s or just a decent ammount to get considered. Thanks

GCSEs aren't the be-all-and-end-all of a Cambridge application - they understand that people mature a lot between GCSEs and A levels and sometimes aren't even certain that they want to go to uni when they're 15 or 16, so don't prepare for GCSEs all that seriously.

Also, don't be concerned by STEP at this stage - until you've completed C4 most of it won't make any sort of sense, so concentrate on your A level grades first. The subjects you've listed are absolutely fine.

I'm a bit confused though - looking at a couple of your other posts, you mention studying for your GCSEs now, but you also say you should have completed A level maths before your other A level choices! Have you already completed GCSE maths early, or are you trying to self-study the A level at the same time as your GCSES?

Maths is my best subject so I'm placed in the A level classes for it- I've done four modules this year and I'm supposed to take the other two next January or February, or whenever it is :P Weird thing is I haven't done my GCSE yet! I'm just going to do it along with the rest of my year.

For the interview - mine was at Queens' College - it was COMPLETELY to do with maths problems.

Hey man, cheers for the helpful post.. couple of questions, do you think this completely maths based interview only applies to Queens, or to everywhere?

Also, what were your UMS scores for maths if you don't mind me asking?

Cheers in advance

Hey man, cheers for the helpful post.. couple of questions, do you think this completely maths based interview only applies to Queens, or to everywhere?

Also, what were your UMS scores for maths if you don't mind me asking?

Cheers in advance

I did not have the M2 or C3 grades by the time I applied, so they are not the best grades. While I was there however I was told by someone who deals with applications that the average Queens college (don't know for the rest of Cambridge) maths student got 94% average UMS at A level and the top 25% of Queens maths students got 99% average UMS.

So mine weren't good before applying, but it was worth a shot!

I think if you have averagely good grades (90+ UMS in all) and can't think of 5 Unis to apply to, why not try Cambridge, there's always that chance, and you have nothing to lose

Hey guys,

Im in a similar position to the person who started this thread apart from I'm in Y12, having completed my first maths A level in this year..

And My query was, should I be worrying much about not being given an interview, or are they pretty much guaranteed if your UMS scores are 90+% on average?

Cheers in advance bros x


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

Also considering that it's the top 25% who get 99%, and the average is 94%, then there must be another 25% (time for my maths to shine :P or not) with approximately 90% average! :O

I'm sure they'll give a fair few more interviews than offers, and if you're 90+% UMS then I can't see any reason why they wouldn't interview you. (I hope) And in your case if you can get an A* in your A level, then I wouldn't sweat
Though tbh - I'm in year 12 too, so haven't much of a clue either :P

I really want to go to Cambridge to do maths. I used to think that this would be quite simple; I could get the five Bs required at GCSE to go to my sixth form and then get great grades for my AS levels and then all I would have to do to is do well at interview.

However, since I have joined the Student Room I have heard a lot of confusing things about applying to Cambridge to do maths. So I have some questions I'd like to ask.

Are GCSEs important? On the Cambridge website it appears to only require a maths GCSE at a grade C (although obviously I assume all actual Cambridge maths undergraduates got a very high A*).

Are these acceptable A Level choices- further maths, physics, chemistry, and french? (I will hopefully have finished my maths A level by the end of next year so I won't have to take it).

Is it okay if I REALLY struggle with STEP at the moment (year ten) or is that a sign Cambridge is too tough for me??

What should I be doing to prepare?