This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Ask an Admissions Tutor VIII - 28 September - 2 October

Reply 20

Randall13

8

Is Cambridge better than oxford?

You have 2 sentences to persuade me to apply to Cambridge.

OP

Original post by imsoanonymous123

Hi Admissions Tutor,

I am intending to apply to study mathematics at Peterhouse and am currently studying Further Mathematics and Physics. In the lower sixth, I have studied 7 mathematics modules in addition to AS physics and economics, and therefore have an A* in standard A level mathematics already.

This year, I intend to study 8 Further Mathematics modules on top of A2 Physics, and hopefully eventually be preparing for STEP II and STEP III. I am wondering if these would be enough to constitute the A level part of the Mathematics Cambridge conditional offer.

Thanks

Hello and thanks for your question. There is an official Peterhouse representative on TSR so he can correct me if I am wrong, but it seems as if you will be doing A Level Physics, A Level Maths and Further Maths and Additional Further Maths to AS. That should satisfy the A Level criteria at every college.

Reply 22

indigo2

Regarding new computer science (75%)
AS-Grades
GCSE: 4A* 8A 1C with A being in Additional maths FSMQ(self taught), A* in GCSE Maths and GCSE Further Maths(self taught): A-Level:
Maths 93.66%
F.Maths 88.33%
Physics 84.66%
Chemistry 77.66%
A2 Currently taking:
M3/4/5 Additional Further Maths AS (self-taught)
Maths C3 C4 S2
Further Maths FP2, FP3, M2
Physics
EPQ on computing complexity
Not required but will be taking STEP and AEA papers.
"Best in year" for latest UKMT
Prediction 3 A*
Would this make a strong application?
I have been told that it is not worth considering applying with less than 90UMS average across 4 As as you will almost definitely not get an offer.

(edited 8 years ago)

OP

Original post by Randall13

Is Cambridge better than oxford?

You have 2 sentences to persuade me to apply to Cambridge.

According to every league table published both nationally and internationally yes, though one should always be careful about reading too much into these. The key thing is to look at what Oxford and Cambridge do in your subject, which of the courses you prefer and how they are rated (in the Times Good University Guide, Cambridge comes top in 35 subjects to Oxford's 8).

I know this is a third sentence but in the end you have to decide whether Oxford or Cambridge is better for you and what you want out of your university experience.

OP

Original post by indigo2

Regarding new computer science (75%)
AS-Grades
GCSE: 4A* 8A 1C with A being in Additional maths FSMQ(self taught), A* in GCSE Maths and GCSE Further Maths(self taught): A-Level:
Maths 93.66%
F.Maths 88.33%
Physics 84.66%
Chemistry 77.66%
A2 Currently taking:
M3/4/5 Additional Further Maths AS (self-taught)
Maths C3 C4 S2
Further Maths FP2, FP3, M2
Physics
EPQ on computing complexity
Not required but will be taking STEP and AEA papers.
"Best in year" for latest UKMT
Prediction 3 A*
Would this make a strong application?
I have been told that it is not worth considering applying with less than 90UMS average across 4 As as you will almost definitely not get an offer.

Thank you for your question. You have good A Level choices for Comp Sci and asd you want to do the 75% course in the First year, you lower Physics and Chemistry scores would be of less concern than if you were doing Comp Sci with Nat Sci. Your Maths results are decent but not brilliant and your Physics and Chemistry are below average. I would not say that it isn't worth applying but you will have to be realistic that you aren't going to be among the strongest applicants on paper.

Reply 25

Gilo98

14

Hi CAT, (looking to apply for maths)

Spoiler

Original post by Christ's Admissions

xxx.

Reply 26

username1162972

18

Original post by Christ's Admissions

That seems reasonable enough to me - doing some Maths tutoring is always a good way to show that you are continuing your Maths (and can earn you some money too!).

Oh yes, forgot to mention that!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 27

thecsstudent

13

Hello, thanks for making this thread again! Would an ib prediction of 44 with 776 guarantee an interview for compsci (without natural sciences) if the 6 is in physics? or is it difficult to tell since it is a predicted grade?

Reply 28

theworkkid

2

How far is Christ's college from the econ department (where I'm guessing the lectures would be)

Also are you garunteed single, ensuite rooms for the 3 years ?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 29

Confucian

1

At Christ's, do you find that the students who do exceptionally well (say, for instance, top 5%) in their Tripos tend to have had really high AS UMS averages or is it possible for someone with a more "average" score at AS (e.g.95%) to rank highly in their year?

OP

Original post by Gilo98

Hi CAT, (looking to apply for maths)

Spoiler

Hello and thanks for your question. It is very common for students to take Maths A Level early - though less common for students to have taken all of Further Maths by the end of Year 12.

As you are applying for Maths then it makes things much more straight forward. Different college at Cambridge might do different things regarding the A Level offer but the key thing would be the STEP conditions (1,1 in STEP II & III). If you meet the STEP offer then what you achieve in your remaining A2s would likely be of little concern given that you would already have 2 A*s.

Reply 31

C0balt

16

Hi thanks for this again :awesome:

Has the exact time frame for NatSci interview at Christ's been decided yet? (Not just like first three weeks of December)
I've got a school trip to CERN in December I'd like to attend but interview is more important (obviously I want to go both :frown:

)

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 32

Gilo98

14

Original post by Christ's Admissions

Hello and thanks for your question. It is very common for students to take Maths A Level early - though less common for students to have taken all of Further Maths by the end of Year 12.

As you are applying for Maths then it makes things much more straight forward. Different college at Cambridge might do different things regarding the A Level offer but the key thing would be the STEP conditions (1,1 in STEP II & III). If you meet the STEP offer then what you achieve in your remaining A2s would likely be of little concern given that you would already have 2 A*s.

Brilliant, thank you for your reply :smile:

I see, I imagine the lack of a STEP requirement for the other Unis i spoke to is what complicates it, I suppose STEP puts everything on a level playing field.

One last question, I do plan on taking STEP I at the end of this year. Although the STEP offer for me would be 1 1 in STEP II and III, would a good grade in STEP I, pre-admissions, affect the STEP grade requirements in II and III? I have seen on TSR a few users who have taken I early and been given a lower-than-normal STEP II and III but have equally seen users who have taken I early been given a harder-than-normal STEP II and III offer. Would this depend on the I grade and other things like interview performance/college?

OP

Original post by thecsstudent

Hello, thanks for making this thread again! Would an ib prediction of 44 with 776 guarantee an interview for compsci (without natural sciences) if the 6 is in physics? or is it difficult to tell since it is a predicted grade?

Predictions cannot guarantee an interview in any subject. I would be very surprised, however, were you not to receive an interview with a 44 prediction in the IB.

OP

Original post by theworkkid

How far is Christ's college from the econ department (where I'm guessing the lectures would be)

Also are you garunteed single, ensuite rooms for the 3 years ?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Hello and thanks for your questions. Depending on how fast you walk, Christ's is a 12-15 minute walk from the Economics faculty as we are in the centre of town and the Economics faculty is on the Sidgwick Site. It's probably a 5 to 7 minute cycle, again depending on how fast you cycle.

We guarantee a single room for the duration of your course but not an ensuite. About 40 per cent of our rooms are ensuite - you should be able to get one without any problem if you want one in the first year, after that it will depend where you come on the room ballot.

OP

Original post by Confucian

At Christ's, do you find that the students who do exceptionally well (say, for instance, top 5%) in their Tripos tend to have had really high AS UMS averages or is it possible for someone with a more "average" score at AS (e.g.95%) to rank highly in their year?

There is a strong correlation between really high UMS (over 96%) and high performance in tripos. Around four in ten of our students at Christ's with UMS over 96% get a First in their first year exams. I haven't looked at their exact position in tripos I am afraid but it is perfectly possible for people with 95% to finish very high in the tripos.

Reply 36

theworkkid

2

Thanks.

Also what are the advantages of studying 3 vs 4 a levels or are there none?

Also are there any advantages of studying 5 rather than 4 AS levels?

How important is doing an EPQ as I have the option to do one but don't know if it is worth it?

Posted from TSR Mobile

OP

Original post by C0balt

Hi thanks for this again :awesome:

Has the exact time frame for NatSci interview at Christ's been decided yet? (Not just like first three weeks of December)
I've got a school trip to CERN in December I'd like to attend but interview is more important (obviously I want to go both :frown:

)

Posted from TSR Mobile

Hello and it's nice to be back answering questions again! :smile:

We haven't fixed the exact dates yet but I can narrow them down a bit more than the first three weeks. They will be sometime between Monday 7 and Wednesday 16 December (excluding the weekend). There will be interviews probably on three or four of these days and you can tell us when the CERN trip is and we can try to ensure that the dates do not clash if at all possible - we try to be as flexible as we can, just email the college after you have made your application.

OP

Original post by theworkkid

Thanks.

Also what are the advantages of studying 3 vs 4 a levels or are there none?

Also are there any advantages of studying 5 rather than 4 AS levels?

How important is doing an EPQ as I have the option to do one but don't know if it is worth it?

Posted from TSR Mobile

For a non Science subject there are no particular advantages for doing 4 over 3 A2s. For Economics, it is fine to just do Maths, FM and Economics and quite a lot of applicants do, though I think it is probably more common to see four A2s as applicants often feel that this combination is a bit narrow. I don't think that there is a problem with it but students often feel they want more breadth at A2.

At AS I don't think there is an advantage in doing 5 subjects but it's fine if students want to do it and think they will do well.

EPQs are good things - we don't make offers based on them but they can be seful in giving you something to talk about on your PS and at interview and can be useful preparation for university study. If you don;t have something definite you want to do, though, then you aren't going to lose out by not doing it.

Reply 39

username1865079

14

Original post by Christ's Admissions

Hello and thanks for your questions. Depending on how fast you walk, Christ's is a 12-15 minute walk from the Economics faculty as we are in the centre of town and the Economics faculty is on the Sidgwick Site. It's probably a 5 to 7 minute cycle, again depending on how fast you cycle.

We guarantee a single room for the duration of your course but not an ensuite. About 40 per cent of our rooms are ensuite - you should be able to get one without any problem if you want one in the first year, after that it will depend where you come on the room ballot.

I think you'd have to walk very quickly to walk from Christ's to Sidgwick in 12 min, like when you overslept and getting late for a lecture, or if you're tall with long legs. :tongue:

I'm a quite fast walker but short (5ft 3in) and it usually takes about 16/18min from somewhere around Christ's gate to Sidgwick, via Corn Exchange and Silver St.
Still easily walkable distance. :smile:

Ask an Admissions Tutor VIII - 28 September - 2 October

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you