Cambridge for Beginners - Advice please!

I'm only 16 and I haven't finished my GCSEs yet. However, I'd really love to study maths at Cambridge. If anyone has any advice at all on anything at all I'd love to know! At the moment I'm planning on taking Maths, Further Maths, Physics and RE/History. Should I take four or five? I'm so confused! :s-smilie:

Reply 1

Nonsmoking

12

Simple, take as many as you want to do and feel that you can cope with!

Reply 2

wanderer

2

Yes, but don't feel any pressure to take 5 if you don't want to. It isn't necessary. It'll be far more important to get the strongest grades you can in Maths, Further and Physics, and have time to work on STEP if you did get an offer, than to do an extra essay subject (which I highly doubt would make any significant difference - although it could still be worth doing if you like both subjects and really want to do it).

Reply 3

username61396

1

flickwoodie

I'm only 16 and I haven't finished my GCSEs yet. However, I'd really love to study maths at Cambridge. If anyone has any advice at all on anything at all I'd love to know! At the moment I'm planning on taking Maths, Further Maths, Physics and RE/History. Should I take four or five? I'm so confused! :s-smilie:

Well from my limited experience I would say that the subject choice you have there is great! You are on the right path already!

Get hold of a prospectus and just browse through it. I found that it helped me get a feel for the University. If you can get to an open day, then that will obviously help too.

Does the four or five question refer to the number of A/S or A Levels that you want to take?

Three related sujects shows keen interest in the subject you are applying for. I am told by my English friends that Further Maths is a must (to be competitive) for Maths at Cambridge.

Less importantly, taking History or RE will show diversity. I did RMPS (pretty much RE)!!!

My thoughts are that you should maximise your Science choices by perhaps doing Chemistry instead of History/RE. This is only a personal preference of mine though.

Have you thought about which college you want to apply to? Cambridge is made up of 31 colleges, of which 27 mainly admit undergraduates (two of these are for women only!). Of course, being at St Catharine's, I would have to say that we are the best! Try to visit a few before applying.

All in all, good luck with everything and I hope to see you in Cambridge if you get through!

And my favourite piece of advice given to me by people around me last year?

"Go for it!"

Reply 4

FadedJade

15

I would disagree with the idea of doing chemistry!!

You want to do an essay subject and they like to see that breadth, you already have plenty sciency subjects and itll be nice to have a bit of a change. Plus if its what they really want to do they will get a better mark in it anyway. Get on an open day, have days out here to get a feel for the place as well as the uni, and have a look round a few colleges (and ultimately pick Pembroke - not that we are all wanting people for our own colleges or anything) xx

Reply 5

username61396

1

-x-Nina-x-

I would disagree with the idea of doing chemistry!!

You want to do an essay subject and they like to see that breadth, you already have plenty sciency subjects and itll be nice to have a bit of a change. Plus if its what they really want to do they will get a better mark in it anyway. Get on an open day, have days out here to get a feel for the place as well as the uni, and have a look round a few colleges (and ultimately pick Pembroke - not that we are all wanting people for our own colleges or anything) xx

As I mentioned sunject diversity is about bottom in terms of importance. Nina is probably right about Chemistry. Ultimately, you can do what you like that slot. You could probably make it to Cambridge on the other three alone.

Reply 6

FadedJade

15

they may not care all that much, but itll probably be a nice change for the OP! But here's me as an Arts student anyway so i guess Im somewhat biased.

Reply 7

username61396

1

-x-Nina-x-

they may not care all that much, but itll probably be a nice change for the OP! But here's me as an Arts student anyway so i guess Im somewhat biased.

Arts...

Reply 8

Bingo Jesus

-x-Nina-x-

(and ultimately pick Pembroke - not that we are all wanting people for our own colleges or anything) xx

I don't need more Mathmos around to make me feel insecure :wink:

.

Reply 9

thefish_uk

14

To be honest I don't think they give a **** about breadth for mathmos... Cambridge is world-renowned for maths and they simply want the best mathematicians that they can get to uphold that reputation.

Subject choice looks good though. Watch out with people advising you to do Chemistry - many people I know enjoyed it at GCSE but hated A-level.

Reply 10

username61396

1

thefish_uk

To be honest I don't think they give a **** about breadth for mathmos... Cambridge is world-renowned for maths and they simply want the best mathematicians that they can get to uphold that reputation.

Subject choice looks good though. Watch out with people advising you to do Chemistry - many people I know enjoyed it at GCSE but hated A-level.

I'm only going on my experiences in Scotland, so there may be wild differences.

Reply 11

Illusionary

19

thefish_uk

To be honest I don't think they give a **** about breadth for mathmos... Cambridge is world-renowned for maths and they simply want the best mathematicians that they can get to uphold that reputation.

Subject choice looks good though. Watch out with people advising you to do Chemistry - many people I know enjoyed it at GCSE but hated A-level.

Seconded - if you're aiming for maths at Cambridge, do everything you can to concentrate on your maths. If you get the chance to diversify your subjects a little, then fine, but prioritise your maths above any other consideration. If you're really keen, you could take a glance at some of the STEP papers now (though don't look beyond STEP 1 at first, otherwise you could be put off!) A quick comment on STEP though - the papers may look ridiculously unpleasant in places, but they do get better with practice and experience!

Reply 12

wanderer

2

Umm, I would seriously suggest you don't look at STEP yet. Not unless you're an absolute genius and you've worked well beyond GCSE already. It will just look incomprehensible and terrifying.

Reply 13

username61396

1

wanderer

Umm, I would seriously suggest you don't look at STEP yet. Not unless you're an absolute genius and you've worked well beyond GCSE already. It will just look incomprehensible and terrifying.

Amen brother.

Reply 14

Cexy

Your A Level choices are fine (I got in with Maths, F Maths, Physics, History) so don't worry about that. Don't worry about STEP exams yet, either - I certainly wouldn't even begin looking at them until you're in your second year of A Levels. For now, just make sure that you're getting As in Maths, F Maths and Physics and that'll set you up on the right path.

If you were keen, I'd suggest having a look at the book A Very Short Introduction To Mathematics by Timothy Gowers. It's the best short introduction to what doing Maths beyond A Level is like.

Reply 15

dijon

Hi, I got into Maths at Cambridge with Maths, FM, Physics, Chemistry and AS Computing. So it is ok to do Chemistry and it was one of my favourite subjects. But I can see why it would be an advantage to do an essay based subject (but I wasn't that good at essays at the time!). Some advice I would give is:
- try to find out which subjects in maths you enjoy the most. I always enjoyed stats at A-Level and if I have one regret about my course, maybe I should have done Maths and Statistics (not sure if it was available at Cam though).
- Keep getting the As and A*s at GCSE. I know I worked really hard at A-Level so do that too!
- I think one of the things that helped me get in was I went on an open day to Churchill college and applied there (so it looked like I was really interested in that college). So do research about which college you think you would like (perhaps visit) and apply there.
good luck!

Reply 16

Illusionary

19

wanderer

Umm, I would seriously suggest you don't look at STEP yet. Not unless you're an absolute genius and you've worked well beyond GCSE already. It will just look incomprehensible and terrifying.

I did say only if you're really keen, and put a warning that they will look horrible to start with, so don't look too badly on my comment :redface:

But, fair point perhaps - I was just trying to point out something that is a necessary part of the Cambridge admissions process

Reply 17

coldfish

12

No, nonononono. You were obviously wise to have had one eye on your choice of university course when you chose your A levels, but please forget about it now.

You don't even have your GCSE results, and you're 16: Please don't make the next two years of your life about getting into Cambridge.

Reply 18

username61396

1

coldfish

No, nonononono. You were obviously wise to have had one eye on your choice of university course when you chose your A levels, but please forget about it now.

You don't even have your GCSE results, and you're 16: Please don't make the next two years of your life about getting into Cambridge.

To be fair this is the time that you should have a few ideas swirling around in your head. My dream was to go to Cambridge but I never thought I could make it.

Reply 19

blissy

15

coldfish

No, nonononono. You were obviously wise to have had one eye on your choice of university course when you chose your A levels, but please forget about it now.

You don't even have your GCSE results, and you're 16: Please don't make the next two years of your life about getting into Cambridge.

Agreed! I decided to apply three weeks before the deadline and that was bad enough!

Get your GCSEs, have an AMAZING summer and work hard during your AS year before you even think of anything to do with university. It'll all be upon you in no time anyway so enjoy the freedom while you still can!

Cambridge for Beginners - Advice please!

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