Natsci Or Physics

which is the better(your take) out of physics at oxford and natsci at cambridge, in natsci i will mainly focus on physics so basically the physics side

Reply 1

Bezza

jolity

which is the better(your take) out of physics at oxford and natsci at cambridge, in natsci i will mainly focus on physics so basically the physics side

Well I'd say physics at Oxford as that's what I'll hopefully be studying in october! I chose physics as I don't take either other science A-level and they don't really interest me. Natsci starts off as a fairly broad course in the first year and then you specialise after that (I think), so if you want the option of covering a variety of science topics this is probably better for you. The best thing you can do is look at the modules you can take on both courses and decide which ones suit you best.

Reply 2

MadNatSci

How much do you want to do physics? If you're absolutely certain that physics is for you and you don't want to do anything else, then go for physics at Oxford.

If you're not entirely certain or you want to explore some other areas of science a bit more too, including stuff you might not have had the opportunity to study before, then I'd say natsci is great. Plus you do end up with as much in-depth physics as someone who did a straight physics degree somewhere else (this, for those who are wondering, is because they work you like sh*t! - but it's fun, honest :biggrin:

)

Just to illustrate the wndrous flexibility of natsci - I came to Cambridge wanting to be a chemist, I've discovered that I'm terrible at it and will now probably end up as a geneticist or biochemist, but it was no hassle at all to switch - I didn't actually have to do anything, just pick different options for next year than I would have done otherwise.

But yeah. If physics is for you and there's no other science you'd really want to study, I'd say go for Oxford, because there's no point studying a whole load of modules you don't like for two years (although with physics you can pretty much end up only doing physics in the second year as most physicists take double physics and maths).