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Original post by ddhurst
I, the 24 year old, would have never done an undergraduate mathematics degree before. I would be applying as a mature student who had been working since leaving high-school at 18. Nonetheless I would be applying having achieved SSS the previous year (aged 23).


Being 24 and not having been in education for about 6-7 years does put you at a big disadvantage. but having SSS does counter the reasons for that disadvantage. Honestly just email the maths faculty and ask them what they think (or if youve got your eye on a particular college, then email them), as this is a rather unusual situation that i dont think anyone here will be able to help you with.
Original post by newblood
Being 24 and not having been in education for about 6-7 years does put you at a big disadvantage. but having SSS does counter the reasons for that disadvantage. Honestly just email the maths faculty and ask them what they think (or if youve got your eye on a particular college, then email them), as this is a rather unusual situation that i dont think anyone here will be able to help you with.


Actually, there is a thread specifically for mature applicants to Cambridge (run by Lucy Cavendish), and I'm happy to help on this kind of query!
Original post by ddhurst
I, the 24 year old, would have never done an undergraduate mathematics degree before. I would be applying as a mature student who had been working since leaving high-school at 18. Nonetheless I would be applying having achieved SSS the previous year (aged 23).


Just email maths tutors at individual colleges. Some might even give you an offer by email- who knows. SSS is very exceptional. .
I hope this is a joke
Original post by SimonM
I hope this is a joke


What am I supposed to extract from that? That you think age is irrelevant provided I have the necessary entry requirements or that you think age discrimination is possible?
Original post by ddhurst
What am I supposed to extract from that? That you think age is irrelevant provided I have the necessary entry requirements or that you think age discrimination is possible?


Oh, sorry, I was aiming that at the last user. That SSS is exception and emailing an admission might get you an offer
Original post by SimonM
Oh, sorry, I was aiming that at the last user. That SSS is exception and emailing an admission might get you an offer


Yeah, I know that would never happen.

Out of interest, what's your take on my situation? Did you ever see mature students (i.e. early twenties) as mathematics undergraduates in your time at Cambridge? Do you think I'm at a disadvantage at all?
Original post by Blutooth
Just email maths tutors at individual colleges. Some might even give you an offer by email- who knows. SSS is very exceptional. .


That would never happen. Even though a tutor might want to give you an offer on the back off SS... you still have to go through interviews and in this case being out of education for 6 years would possibly be a disadvantage at non-mature colleges. SS is very strong but not exactly a rarity for camb mathmos since about 20% of cohort get it every year
I remember there being maybe 2 obviously mature students in my year. I'd speak to the Lucy Cav poster from earlier, and speak to admissions tutors to find out their views
Original post by newblood
That would never happen. Even though a tutor might want to give you an offer on the back off SS... you still have to go through interviews and in this case being out of education for 6 years would possibly be a disadvantage at non-mature colleges. SS is very strong but not exactly a rarity for camb mathmos since about 20% of cohort get it every year


Still, asking can't hurt. I imagine a great many tutors would be very enthusiastic about him applying. Some may not want to teach an old-fogie and would be less enthusiastic in their responses. I imagine mature colleges would accept the op with open arms.

So if 20% of the cohort get it, that means roughy 1/25 applicants get it. I would say that's quite rare.On average perhaps 1 or 2 student at a college each year would get that. That could quite easily make the OP the best applicant to a college (if future step grades are taken into consideration), excepting Trinity, Johns or the very popular ones.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Blutooth
Still, asking can't hurt. I imagine a great many tutors would be very enthusiastic about him applying. Some may not want to teach an old-fogie and would be less enthusiastic in their responses. I imagine mature colleges would accept the op with open arms.

So if 20% of the cohort get it, that means roughy 1/25 applicants get it. I would say that's quite rare.On average perhaps 1 or 2 student at a college each year would get that. That could quite easily make the OP the best applicant to a college (if future step grades are taken into consideration), excepting Trinity, Johns or the very popular ones.


Trinity is most likely where I'll be applying to.

The rest of my academic background is also strong; I'm not relying solely on STEP. It was just a matter of me not knowing what I wanted to study/do with my life immediately after high-school so I decided not to apply to university straight away.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by ddhurst
Trinity is most likely where I'll be applying to.

The rest of my academic background is also strong; I'm not relying solely on STEP. It was just a matter of me not knowing what I wanted to study/do with my life immediately after high-school so I decided not to apply to university straight away.


Trinity will probably lap you up, but it's worth making a phone call to the admissions tutor before applying.
Original post by newblood
That would never happen. Even though a tutor might want to give you an offer on the back off SS... you still have to go through interviews and in this case being out of education for 6 years would possibly be a disadvantage at non-mature colleges. SS is very strong but not exactly a rarity for camb mathmos since about 20% of cohort get it every year


20% seems very high given that around half don't make their STEP offer. Have you got a source or are you guesstimating?
Original post by shamika
20% seems very high given that around half don't make their STEP offer. Have you got a source or are you guesstimating?


Think he means 20% of the people who make there offers ie 20% of the 250.seems about right since around 70 ish people get S in each paper.


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Original post by shamika
20% seems very high given that around half don't make their STEP offer. Have you got a source or are you guesstimating?


20% of cohort; that means the people doing maths at cambridge, not offerholders
Original post by newblood
20% of cohort; that means the people doing maths at cambridge, not offerholders


I meant the yearly intake in Cambridge too - 20% seems high to me. However I can't remember I got "50% of those at Cambridge didn't make their offers" either so there's a chance I'm wrong too.
You say 20% of mathematics undergraduates at Cambridge achieve SS...

How common are perfect scores in STEP II and III; i.e. 120/120 on both papers?
Reply 4417
Original post by shamika
I meant the yearly intake in Cambridge too - 20% seems high to me. However I can't remember I got "50% of those at Cambridge didn't make their offers" either so there's a chance I'm wrong too.
I would guess that it's 50% of people that get offers, not 50% of people at Cambridge.

IIRC 50% (5/10) of the people in my college in my year got SS. It was probably quite a strong year, but I don't think it was that unrepresentative.
Original post by ddhurst
You say 20% of mathematics undergraduates at Cambridge achieve SS...

How common are perfect scores in STEP II and III; i.e. 120/120 on both papers?
On individual papers, maybe a couple of people get full marks each year. Getting a perfect score on both papers is presumably much rarer.
Original post by ddhurst
You say 20% of mathematics undergraduates at Cambridge achieve SS...

How common are perfect scores in STEP II and III; i.e. 120/120 on both papers?


You achieved that? If so, Cambridge will likely bend over backwards to have you.
Original post by ClickItBack
You achieved that? If so, Cambridge will likely bend over backwards to have you.


I think he is just curious. In the past few years I dont think anyones gotten 120 in either II or III, not sure how typical that is of the past 25 years. Considering he must have sat STEP last Summer 14', and the highest were 118 and 116 II or III it seems pretty rare to get 120 in either paper , nevermind manage 240 (though someone got 120 in STEP I last year).

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