The 2013 STEP Prep Thread!

Scroll to see replies

Reply 80

Maths_Lover

Original post by Rahul.S

im thinking a cambridge 2200 applicants thread is called for :colone:

I have to go out now.....I might make one later. :yes:

That would be brilliant! :lol:

Reply 81

31541

Original post by M2k13

On another note, what exam boards are you all on?
Im with WJEC.

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

CCEA

Reply 82

Conan

Original post by M2k13

On another note, what exam boards are you all on?
Im with WJEC.

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

AQA
It seems like we are all on different exam boards

Reply 83

jack.hadamard

Original post by Maths_Lover

I take it you've just finished year 13?

Yes; just completed my duty. :tongue:

The induction goes as follows.

Spoiler

The UKMT books are great; have a look at this one and this one for comparison.

Reply 84

Maths_Lover

Original post by jack.hadamard

Yes; just completed my duty. :tongue:

The induction goes as follows.

Spoiler

The UKMT books are great; have a look at this one and this one for comparison.

Very nicely done and so succinct! *.*

They are! Thank you for the links - those books look awesome... I am so broke though - I need a job to fund my mathematical interests. :lol:

Hang on a minute.... my 17th birthday is in just over a month or so - I could ask for them for my birthday! Sorted. :colone:

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 85

Conan

Original post by Maths_Lover

Very nicely done and so succinct! *.*

They are! Thank you for the links - those books look awesome... I am so broke though - I need a job to fund my mathematical interests. :lol:

Hang on a minute.... my 17th birthday is in just over a month or so - I could ask for them for my birthday! Sorted. :colone:

Don't ever get a job. Once you do, all the flexibility in your time disappears. Not to mention there would be less time for maths :emo:

Reply 86

Maths_Lover

Original post by Conan

Don't ever get a job. Once you do, all the flexibility in your time disappears. Not to mention there would be less time for maths :emo:

Yeah - that put me off for a while. However, I really would like to earn some cash of my own and get at least a small sense of financial independence. It saddens me somewhat that I would have to ask my parents for money to go and buy pens, pencils, squared paper and ice-cream. :emo:

I was thinking of a cleaning job at my school after school - I can study beforehand, it's convenient, it pays well and I'd be helping out. I can do maths before, think about maths while I clean, then walk home. C'est parfait. :tongue:

Reply 87

Umairy363

Original post by Maths_Lover

Awww. I managed to become quite unwell a couple of weeks ago so spent much of my time in bed rather than preparing for AEA. Boy am I glad that I slaved over STEP I for fun during the half term holidays or I would've been utterly screwed. :afraid:

You are welcome... THAT'S THE SPIRIT! :work:

Bring it STEP!!! :viking:

Yes, I am. :smile:

No no no no no no!!!! They don't care as much about GCSEs - it's A-levels they care more about. If you have shown an obvious improvement between GCSE and A-Level then that won't go unnoticed. I have been to quite a few of their admissions talks and they have made the point that even people with 0A*s get in. :yep:

Don't let your GCSEs stop you applying!

So do you think i should apply?? Can we PM each other?

Reply 88

Maths_Lover

Original post by Umairy363

So do you think i should apply?? Can we PM each other?

Sure you can PM me. :smile:

Reply 89

DFranklin

Re: some of the posts about 30 posts ago:

I would strongly advise anyone planning to take STEP in 2013 to "save" the last 2-3 years (2010-2012) exams to use as mocks much closer to exam time, rather than looking at them now.

Reply 90

M2k13

Original post by DFranklin

Very useful :biggrin:

. I shall keep that in mind :biggrin:

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

Reply 91

Maths_Lover

Original post by DFranklin

Will do now - thanks for the tip. :biggrin:

Reply 92

31541

What's everyone's maths-related extra curriculars like? I'm stuck in terms of that area. And any recommendations for cheap books? :redface:

Reply 93

shamika

Original post by jukebox123

I think it's about time us young'uns start worrying about the STEP exams for next summer :wink:

How many of you have started looking into these papers?

Can I suggest that you turn the first post of this thread into a repository of useful info, similar to what Xero Xenith did with the 2012 thread?

Things like putting a link to the Further Maths Network course would be really useful too.

(I would do it but you've already created the thread...)

Reply 94

jukebox123

ok

Original post by shamika

Ok I'll sort something out soon :smile:

Just wanted to ask, how long should I spend attempting a question before giving up?

Reply 95

shamika

At this point, I would suggest that you keep plugging away at a question (even if it means looking up stuff in textbooks are asking for hints here) until you get the solution. I would very strongly recommend people don't get into the habit of reaching to the solution. For a start, you'll learn perseverance. But from a practical point of view, many universities won't give you full solutions to problem sheets / past exam papers. You might as well get used to that now...

Reply 96

bananarama2

Original post by DFranklin

I wasn't thinking because I'm not planning on sitting STEP II or III. Sorry.

Reply 97

jukebox123

Original post by shamika

Thanks for the advice, do you think I can achieve SS with a lot of prep, like doing all of the questions up to 1987 over the next year?

Reply 98

bananarama2

Original post by jukebox123

ok

Ok I'll sort something out soon :smile:

Just wanted to ask, how long should I spend attempting a question before giving up?

I've spent days thinking about problems before now. But that's just me. Often I'll wake up in the night with the solution. So I'd certainly say sleep on it.

Reply 99

shamika

Original post by jukebox123

Thanks for the advice, do you think I can achieve SS with a lot of prep, like doing all of the questions up to 1987 over the next year?

Question prep is important, but I guess you need mathematical 'ability' - STEP is often unpredictable and in the heat of the exam anything can happen. Note that the style of STEP changed in 1994 quite a bit, and the syllabus for STEP changed around 1998, 2003 and 2008 (when the A-Level syllabus changed) so your mileage with old papers may vary.

Can I ask what is your motivation for getting SS? Is it to guarantee a place in Cambridge or is it to learn interesting maths and prepare adequately for a university course?

If its the first that's absolutely fine, just be honest :wink:

. However, if it is Cambridge you're after then you will need to do well in the interview and whilst STEP I is very useful for that, other things are too so you might want to cool off on STEP until you get an offer...