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Oxford chemistry applicants 2016

I have seen on Oxford's chemistry interviews webpage that one of the recommended books is 'why chemical reactions happen'.
I bought this book so that I can read it. Honestly, it's too advanced compared to AS chem. I can cope with some topics but even at the beginning it says this book is for 1st year undergraduates..

Is it the level of knowledge I'm supposed to have if I want to get into Oxford chemistry?

How much 'extra' do I really need?

What do other applicants do?

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Reply 1
Original post by lawlieto
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I applied after finishing A levels and read WCRH. I found it very useful because it meant I'd covered reasonably high-level material already but I agree that it is tough work, especially if you've not done A2 chem yet. I would encourage you to persevere with it because having exposure to some of these ideas is likely to be helpful at interview. The earlier topics, like electrostatic interactions and molecular orbital diagrams, are probably more worthwhile. The chapters focused on reaction mechanisms should help you to think about why the reactions you've come across happen as they do, which is another popular topic of discussion.

If you are able to digest and thoroughly understand WCRH, you'll be doing much better than most applicants and will probably find the interviews reasonably straightforward. But don't worry if you're struggling a little with it the concepts it covers are the kind of thing interviewers would hope to make candidates struggle with any way!
Original post by lawlieto
I have seen on Oxford's chemistry interviews webpage that one of the recommended books is 'why chemical reactions happen'.
I bought this book so that I can read it. Honestly, it's too advanced compared to AS chem. I can cope with some topics but even at the beginning it says this book is for 1st year undergraduates..

Is it the level of knowledge I'm supposed to have if I want to get into Oxford chemistry?

How much 'extra' do I really need?

What do other applicants do?


Interviews tend to test "potential" rather than knowledge, so I would not worry about fully reading this book but having an idea of the topics introduced is a really good start to honing your chemical intuition. Having said that, I did read and understand most of the book before my interview and I'm really glad I did because one of my interviews was on a topic that I wasn't meant to have seen before, but because I had read about it it made the interview much easier!
Reply 3
Hello all! I'm an American who is applying to read Chemistry at Merton.

I've taken a look at the A-Level Chemistry syllabus, and I must say, the American AP Chemistry curriculum leaves a lot to be desired for an Oxford hopeful. As such, I've decided to teach myself a great deal of chemistry over the summer. I've already purchased Why Chemical Reactions Happen and a book called Guidebook to Mechanism in Organic Chemistry, which should arrive within a week. I would appreciate any other help in finding additional resources to keep up with my British counterparts!

Thank you all for your help, and good luck to those applying!
Original post by djangosp2
Hello all! I'm an American who is applying to read Chemistry at Merton.

I've taken a look at the A-Level Chemistry syllabus, and I must say, the American AP Chemistry curriculum leaves a lot to be desired for an Oxford hopeful. As such, I've decided to teach myself a great deal of chemistry over the summer. I've already purchased Why Chemical Reactions Happen and a book called Guidebook to Mechanism in Organic Chemistry, which should arrive within a week. I would appreciate any other help in finding additional resources to keep up with my British counterparts!

Thank you all for your help, and good luck to those applying!


From memory, I think organic chemistry is most lacking for AP. Look through the organic section of www.chemguide.co.uk and you'll be pretty well prepared - the books you've got are both great but I think expect some organic chemistry knowledge already.

Make sure your maths is up to scratch too - it might be worth looking at AS level maths as that's what your British counterparts will have. Tutors know people have studied different things, though. There's no harm in saying that you haven't seen something before in an interview, but they want this as they want to see how you work it out!
Reply 5
Original post by KombatWombat
From memory, I think organic chemistry is most lacking for AP. Look through the organic section of www.chemguide.co.uk and you'll be pretty well prepared - the books you've got are both great but I think expect some organic chemistry knowledge already.

Make sure your maths is up to scratch too - it might be worth looking at AS level maths as that's what your British counterparts will have. Tutors know people have studied different things, though. There's no harm in saying that you haven't seen something before in an interview, but they want this as they want to see how you work it out!


Yea, AP Chem is utterly devoid of organic chemistry. I doubt that maths will be a problem since I've already taken Calculus BC, but I suppose there could be some non-Calculus maths that I haven't seen yet, I'll be sure to take a look.
Reply 6
Original post by djangosp2
x


I agree with KombatWombat's advice about checking out chemguide to see what British students should know. I would add that Sykes' guidebook is recommended to first year undergrads at Oxford if you can work through some or all of that, you'll be comfortably ahead of most other applicants.
Reply 7
What do you think are the best things to do this summer in order to prepare? Would it be best to just go over as topics or better to move on to more complicated stuff?
Original post by kfcisopen
What do you think are the best things to do this summer in order to prepare? Would it be best to just go over as topics or better to move on to more complicated stuff?


Hi there! I've started reading 'Why Chemical Reactions Happen' by Keeler and Wothers. It goes into detail about concepts such as entropy, molecular orbital theory and quantum mechanics. Whilst some of it seems like a challenging read having not done A2 work, if you're enthusiastic I'm sure it'd be worth having a look at. There are other good books out there but they seem to be a little too specific and opinionated instead of informative.

By the way did you go to one of the Oxford open days last week? I went on Thursday, loved the Chemistry course but don't know how good I'll be against the rest of the competition :/ it's fierce to get in ahah, not as much as other courses, but also I've been told a lot that it's the hardest degree at Oxford. Then again I've always enjoyed Chemistry and definitely want to pursue it!
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 9
Original post by Aerosmith
Hi there! I've started reading 'Why Chemical Reactions Happen' by Keeler and Wothers. It goes into detail about concepts such as entropy, molecular orbital theory and quantum mechanics. Whilst some of it seems like a challenging read having not done A2 work, if you're enthusiastic I'm sure it'd be worth having a look at. There are other good books out there but they seem to be a little too specific and opinionated instead of informative.

By the way did you go to one of the Oxford open days last week? I went on Thursday, loved the Chemistry course but don't know how good I'll be against the rest of the competition :/ it's fierce to get in ahah, not as much as other courses, but also I've been told a lot that it's the hardest degree at Oxford. Then again I've always enjoyed Chemistry and definitely want to pursue it!


I went to Oxford on Wednesday and thought it was excellent! Speaking to some Oxford students and my own teacher, it might be helpful to attempt some chemistry and maths challenge/Olympiad activities, as these are more about problem solving. also I will get a copy of 'why chemical reactions happen' and it should be challenging but fun.
Why Chemical Reactions Happen

Is so over read I feel for Chemistry

Imo it won't really help with an interview

I haven't read it yet, and my chemistry parts of NatSci interview were completely fine without and I don't think reading the book would have helped

It's more they ask you questions on what you're familiar with or explain something new and see how you adapt to it
Original post by kfcisopen
I went to Oxford on Wednesday and thought it was excellent! Speaking to some Oxford students and my own teacher, it might be helpful to attempt some chemistry and maths challenge/Olympiad activities, as these are more about problem solving. also I will get a copy of 'why chemical reactions happen' and it should be challenging but fun.


Oh nice! Yeah at my school I joined a club where the teacher briefs us and then asks us to do a set of UK Chemistry Olympiad questions for the following week ahaha. Was quite a lot of fun as he's a helpful (but also straight to the point) teacher! Do you think I should take up AS Further Maths in September because I don't want to be disadvantaged in first year by not knowing as much maths as some? I'm intending to carry on Chemistry, Maths and Biology for A2 (dropping Spanish) and am predicted AAAA at AS.
Original post by Aerosmith
Oh nice! Yeah at my school I joined a club where the teacher briefs us and then asks us to do a set of UK Chemistry Olympiad questions for the following week ahaha. Was quite a lot of fun as he's a helpful (but also straight to the point) teacher! Do you think I should take up AS Further Maths in September because I don't want to be disadvantaged in first year by not knowing as much maths as some? I'm intending to carry on Chemistry, Maths and Biology for A2 (dropping Spanish) and am predicted AAAA at AS.


I would. You won't be disadvantaged for not but would play into your hands if you did.
Original post by Aerosmith
Oh nice! Yeah at my school I joined a club where the teacher briefs us and then asks us to do a set of UK Chemistry Olympiad questions for the following week ahaha. Was quite a lot of fun as he's a helpful (but also straight to the point) teacher! Do you think I should take up AS Further Maths in September because I don't want to be disadvantaged in first year by not knowing as much maths as some? I'm intending to carry on Chemistry, Maths and Biology for A2 (dropping Spanish) and am predicted AAAA at AS.


Hi, if you picked further maths as, do the school teach it to you or do you have to do it by yourself. As in my school, we have to do four A2s and so doing further maths as would be in my own time. (I do math, chem, physics and geography btw)
Original post by L'Evil Fish
I would. You won't be disadvantaged for not but would play into your hands if you did.


Fair enough. So AS FM would generally be helpful with the first year maths you think? Not having the A2 FM wouldn't be a disadvantage?
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by kfcisopen
Hi, if you picked further maths as, do the school teach it to you or do you have to do it by yourself. As in my school, we have to do four A2s and so doing further maths as would be in my own time. (I do math, chem, physics and geography btw)


The school should teach it to you. Don't expect as much help as in the rest of your subjects, but the point of taking it in this case is for furthering your knowledge of maths as well as giving yourself a better background for the Oxford Chemistry course. So don't select it purely on the basis of an Oxford application
Original post by Aerosmith
Fair enough. So AS FM would generally be helpful with the first year maths you think? Not having the A2 FM wouldn't be a disadvantage?


Depends what modules you'll be doing I suppose.

You could always just look at the topics that would be useful separately without exams, so Simple Harmonic Motions, Second order differential equation,some stats
Original post by Aerosmith
Fair enough. So AS FM would generally be helpful with the first year maths you think? Not having the A2 FM wouldn't be a disadvantage?


If you are going to/for Oxford I would strongly advise doing as much further maths as you can. It means you've done a large chunk of the maths course and just means you can focus your efforts more on the chemistry.

I would say I was disadvantaged having not done further maths, as my coursemates had all done it and it meant they spent a lot less time on the maths. I on the other hand pick up maths pretty slowly and had to spend a large amount of time learning it when I would have preferred to use the time to understand the chemistry better.

I can't speak for other universities however.
Reply 18
Original post by L'Evil Fish
I haven't read [Why Chemical Reactions Happen] yet, and my chemistry parts of NatSci interview were completely fine without and I don't think reading the book would have helped

It's more they ask you questions on what you're familiar with or explain something new and see how you adapt to it


My interviews had a significant focus on material that I'd learnt from WCRH (as did others', who hadn't read it) and I found them much easier than I would have had I not read it. So it goes both ways. :dontknow:
Which colleges are you guys thinking of applying to?

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