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Is Mathematics at Cambridge the hardest undergraduate degree in the world?

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Reply 60
Original post by Juichiro
What makes you think that (apart from the fact that you obviously love Cambridge)?


Because maths is far more complex than any undergraduate medicine course.
It depends on what your strengths and weaknesses are. A friend of mine I brilliant at maths but can't write an essay to save their life.
Reply 62
Original post by alow
Because maths is far more complex than any undergraduate medicine course.


And I assume you have done both, so you can compare, right? :rolleyes:

Or is this another case of anecdotal evidence maths snobbism, Mr. Graduate in Mathematics and Medicine?:rolleyes:
Original post by Juichiro
And I assume you have done both, so you can compare, right? :rolleyes:

Or is this another case of anecdotal evidence maths snobbism, Mr. Graduate in Mathematics and Medicine?:rolleyes:


Him having done both would be the definition of anecdotal evidence . . .
Original post by Tuya
You people are ignoring the sheer rigour some Asian unis impose in undergraduate courses. Take e IITs for example, with due respect, mathmos at Cam' (or most Ivies or Ox') do very little compared to the standard IITian.
Of course you lot in the UK are not expected to know these South Asian unis, but it would be nice if you didn't act like Research intensive unis necessarily have harder courses


Totally agree with this.


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Reply 65
Original post by Juichiro
And I assume you have done both, so you can compare, right? :rolleyes:

Or is this another case of anecdotal evidence maths snobbism, Mr. Graduate in Mathematics and Medicine?:rolleyes:


refer to:

Original post by DorianGrayism
Having done Maths and doing medicine, this basically true.

It is far harder to understand and then implement abstract concepts than to memorise vast quantities of information.
Reply 66
Original post by alow
Because maths is far more complex than any undergraduate medicine course.


That is funny given that modern medicine makes use of fluid dynamics and there is an entire field of medial statistics.

Not to mention that doing an art degree at a top institution you will most likely be exposed to many different types of art each highly complex in their own way.
Reply 68
Original post by danny111
No.

But I have an open mind, and I'm not ignorant. Are you good at maths? Does that validate your otherwise measly live?


I'm horrible at maths actually :ahee:

You having an open mind doesn't have anything to do with difficulty or abstraction.

Are you even mathematical in nature?

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Reply 69
Original post by Noble.
I swear we've been posting in the exact same threads for a good two weeks now :tongue:


We have been doing the same as well :five:

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Reply 70
Original post by Juichiro
And I assume you have done both, so you can compare, right? :rolleyes:

Or is this another case of anecdotal evidence maths snobbism, Mr. Graduate in Mathematics and Medicine?:rolleyes:


I've been to lectures, seminars, etc. for a couple of undergraduate medicine courses, including a 4th year immunology lecture which was supposed to be one of their hardest modules but it was a joke. I could understand it with just AS biology at the time. It's nothing even compared to some of the FP modules at A Level (which are obviously far more simple than undergrad maths)

Also, you might want to google what the word anecdotal means, because you actually asked for anecdotal evidence in your first paragraph.




Original post by danny111
That is funny given that modern medicine makes use of fluid dynamics and there is an entire field of medial statistics.

Not to mention that doing an art degree at a top institution you will most likely be exposed to many different types of art each highly complex in their own way.


You might want to note that I specified undergraduate medicine, what this thread relates to, I highly doubt a course which doesn't even require an A Level in maths teaches fluid dynamics.
Reply 71
Original post by Arieisit
I'm horrible at maths actually :ahee:

You having an open mind doesn't have anything to do with difficulty or abstraction.

Are you even mathematical in nature?

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I am actually and I have taken undergraduate maths courses.

But that's beside the point. What you and everyone else seem to echo is that "more abstract = harder". That's your opinion, as is the fact that you think maths is the height of abstractness.
Yes, probably. It's certainly going to be one of the hardest.

Original post by alow
I've been to lectures, seminars, etc. for a couple of undergraduate medicine courses, including a 4th year immunology lecture which was supposed to be one of their hardest modules but it was a joke. I could understand it with just AS biology at the time. It's nothing even compared to some of the FP modules at A Level (which are obviously far more simple than undergrad maths)

Also, you might want to google what the word anecdotal means, because you actually asked for anecdotal evidence in your first paragraph.

.


Why don't you come and study Medicine at Cambridge then? If you think it's likely to be no harder than AS Level Biology... Should be straightforward for someone of your vast intellect.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 73
Original post by alow
I've been to lectures, seminars, etc. for a couple of undergraduate medicine courses, including a 4th year immunology lecture which was supposed to be one of their hardest modules but it was a joke. I could understand it with just AS biology at the time. It's nothing even compared to some of the FP modules at A Level (which are obviously far more simple than undergrad maths)

Also, you might want to google what the word anecdotal means, because you actually asked for anecdotal evidence in your first paragraph.






You might want to note that I specified undergraduate medicine, what this thread relates to, I highly doubt a course which doesn't even require an A Level in maths teaches fluid dynamics.


Yea but what's harder, few tough courses or a ton of not so tough courses?

And I am sure that if you really wanted to you could learn about it.
Original post by danny111
Have you tried getting firsts in essay-based subjects at uni? The reading and writing you have to do for them? So what is hardest? In terms of "understanding", passing, getting a good grade, amount of other people who could do the former, amount of work the average student has to put in?


Actually, (only in my opinion) I bet that any undergrad doing maths at a top institute like Oxbridge would do very well. Writing is a hell of a lot easier than understanding some of the abstract topics in maths. That really makes you think.
Reply 75
Original post by Brit_Miller
Actually, (only in my opinion) I bet that any undergrad doing maths at a top institute like Oxbridge would do very well. Writing is a hell of a lot easier than understanding some of the abstract topics in maths. That really makes you think.


You'd be surprised actually. I'm an Economist at Camb and first year we're forced to do essay papers. A lot of the more Mathematical minded guys (who wouldn't look out of place doing Maths) really struggle in the essay papers. They get the high 1sts in the Maths and theoretical papers but 2.2s in the Economic History and Politics papers.

Doesn't reaaally count though, since "candidates must have completed 2 to 3 years of undergraduate studies in Science". And at a Grande Ecole (other top French institutions) you'll be expected to have done 2 years of preparation.

That's not to say that their courses aren't incredibly tough, just that it's not a like-for-like comparison.
Original post by zxh800
You'd be surprised actually. I'm an Economist at Camb and first year we're forced to do essay papers. A lot of the more Mathematical minded guys (who wouldn't look out of place doing Maths) really struggle in the essay papers. They get the high 1sts in the Maths and theoretical papers but 2.2s in the Economic History and Politics papers.


I think it might be a bit different in first year. I experienced the same in my first year (doing statistical reports) and my mark well well below my average because I wasn't sure how to write an essay. Since then I've been fine, though. Mind you, I've no idea how different it is at a top uni!
Reply 78
Original post by Brit_Miller
Actually, (only in my opinion) I bet that any undergrad doing maths at a top institute like Oxbridge would do very well. Writing is a hell of a lot easier than understanding some of the abstract topics in maths. That really makes you think.


I agree with this. You can interpret a text however you wish and back it up with subjective analysis - analysing is exactly what mathematicians learn to do. The difference being that with maths, you analyse to discover a truth, whereas with an essay based subject, you analyse to portray your version of the truth.

Obviously I'm speaking very generally here but I think that that's true most of the time.
Reply 79
Original post by danny111
I am actually and I have taken undergraduate maths courses.

But that's beside the point. What you and everyone else seem to echo is that "more abstract = harder". That's your opinion, as is the fact that you think maths is the height of abstractness.


So then what would you say is more abstract than Pure Mathematics?

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