Choosing NatSci mini-subjects

Hia guys; lately I have been combing the internet/prospectus for all the nitty gritty of Natsci at Cambridge, and for the moment I still have two Qs that remain unanswered:

-When exactly do we have to chose our first year subjects ?
-Is it possible + advisable to take first year physics without physics A-level OR AS (I have done mechanics up to M5 in further maths)

Thnx everyone! I hope you are having fun on the course; all of last year's people from my school say it's a blast!

Reply 1

Alaric

1

Wagamuffin

Hia guys; lately I have been combing the internet/prospectus for all the nitty gritty of Natsci at Cambridge, and for the moment I still have two Qs that remain unanswered:

-When exactly do we have to chose our first year subjects ?
-Is it possible + advisable to take first year physics without physics A-level OR AS (I have done mechanics up to M5 in further maths)

Thnx everyone! I hope you are having fun on the course; all of last year's people from my school say it's a blast!

I have no idea whether they'd let you take Physics or not (there's a hell of a lot of people who regret taking physics by the time exams come around in June :wink:

) but you'd find the first term a piece of piss if you've done up to M5 :smile:

. When they go onto electro and magnetostatics in the second term and quantum and statistical in the third you might be more stuck without knowing some of the principles. I suspect they wouldn't let you take it but someone else will probably be able to tell you for sure.

A.

Reply 2

phishfood

I read in the prospectus that you can do physics without A level if you've done enough maths (something like 3 units of mech)

i don't plan on doing physics, but i hope to do the maths course for the physical NatScis cos apparently its more fun than the quantitative biology course (fun in a maths sense anyway)

edit: got a link for you

http://www.cam.ac.uk/cambuniv/ugprospectus/courses/natsci_pt1a_course6.html

Reply 3

christ's-boy

Wagamuffin

:

-When exactly do we have to chose our first year subjects ?

You'll get a form to fill in at some point before you go up to start your first term, listing your provisional choices, and these will be the ones you're automatically signed up for when you arrive. You can change your decision at any point after this, and indeed even after term has started (although I think about two weeks into term is the absolute latest it would be advisable to switch, cause you've already missed 10% of the year in the other course by that stage, and catching up on practicals is a big hassle).

Wagamuffin

:

-Is it possible + advisable to take first year physics without physics A-level OR AS (I have done mechanics up to M5 in further maths)

I would advise against it (but then again I'd probably advise against physics anyway!) It's certainly possible to do it though, you'd just need to work a lot harder since some of the theory from A-level, which is on the schedules for Physics IA, is brushed over very very quickly, and also the general concepts will be quite unfamiliar. My best advice would be to consult your DoS!

Reply 4

MadNatSci

12

christ's-boy

You'll get a form to fill in at some point before you go up to start your first term, listing your provisional choices, and these will be the ones you're automatically signed up for when you arrive. You can change your decision at any point after this, and indeed even after term has started (although I think about two weeks into term is the absolute latest it would be advisable to switch, cause you've already missed 10% of the year in the other course by that stage, and catching up on practicals is a big hassle).

Ooh - that varies from college to college as well then. I didn't have to make any choices until the first Monday (I think) of term, when I had a meeting with about four NatSci DOS's and made my decision there, which meant I could ask their advice if I didn't know which to choose...

Reply 5

synaesthesia

9

tbh, A level Physics you could probably learn in a day or two if you have a good memory, and a mathematical background which you seem to have. I don't think it's a problem, especially as the prospectus allows one to study Physical with only Maths and F Maths at A2 (I think).

Choosing NatSci mini-subjects

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