Want to do maths at uni soooo much, but worried about the intensity of it!

I absolutely HATED maths at GCSE but now I love it at AS! I had always wanted to study law at uni, but now I really want to do maths instead so I'm just worried that I won't be able to cope as I'm a bog standard B grade student!

(I also do English Literature, Chemistry, Music and Dance if it gives u some sort of idea about me!)

ANY help/advice greatly appreciated!! :smile:

Reply 1

OCC++

Maybe you can elaborate upon ur love & hatred for maths:P

Anyway in case you didn't already know, university maths is very different from A lvl maths. Whereas 99% of A lvl maths is about learning formulas and apply, university maths is about proving stuff mainly. You might have seen stuff like proving trigonometric identities or using induction. Maths Olympiads & STEP questions will give u the feel of uni maths. Also uni maths can get very abstract.
Before you make your life changing decision look at the syllabus for unis that you think you are likely to go into and think twice=).
Are you doing AEA/STEP? or maths challenges? Which unis are u looking into?

Reply 2

la la la liane...

ahh I'm not doing any of the additional awards that make u look incredibly intelligent! dang..

I've taken a look at the STEP papers.. they look err confusing?

I'm thinking about Maths with Actuarial Studies at Southampton or an applied course like Maths with Statistics at Leicester! Is it a massive jump from A level?

Reply 3

OCC++

any proper course will be a big massive jump from A lvl.
The universities you are looking at don't require you to take those extra stuff so you shouldn't worry at all.
But i still must caution you against the proving stuff thing, so you don't get a culture shock!

Reply 4

Kolya

OCC++

Maths Olympiads & STEP questions will give u the feel of uni maths.

No, they really won't.

Reply 5

Barny

There are plenty of people who go to University with only a B in A-level Maths. If you keep ontop of the work and have half a brain you can do it.

Reply 6

vp``

if you can't obtain an a grade in the alevel (i.e. 80%) then what chance in hell do you have of doing well reading mathematics at university?

Reply 7

la la la liane...

vp``

if you can't obtain an a grade in the alevel (i.e. 80%) then what chance in hell do you have of doing well reading mathematics at university?

lol.. so I take it u definitely need to be ridiculously top-of-the-class clever? ah well, I think I'm gonna wait for results on thursday and see where to go from there! :smile:

Reply 8

OCC++

Kolya

No, they really won't.

He is right.
what i meant was that they are similar in terms of the proving part and writing solutions to explain.
OP just try your best.

Reply 9

vp``

la liane...

lol.. so I take it u definitely need to be ridiculously top-of-the-class clever? ah well, I think I'm gonna wait for results on thursday and see where to go from there! :smile:

you'll find an institution that'll take you with a B, and there's probably one that'll take C grade students. there'll be a course you'll find manageable, and one you won't. you have to think rationally about what you can expect to learn, and whether it's worth the money and time at those institutions compared to those which require students with a grades, further maths, aeas, step papers etc.

that said, if you're passionate about maths, then do it anyway.

Reply 10

Kolya

vp``

if you can't obtain an a grade in the alevel (i.e. 80%) then what chance in hell do you have of doing well reading mathematics at university?

If she approaches the work sensibly then she will have a good chance of doing well.

OP: I study maths at uni and there are plenty of "normal" people on the course. If you find it enjoyable, and are willing to give it a good shot by putting the necessary time in, then I don't see why you shouldn't take it.