Oxford or Cambridge for mathematics?

This is going a bit off topic lol

I'm honestly not sure your UMS is good enough for Cambridge, I think the median UMS of applicants is something like 95% over your 6 maths modules. Afaik they don't interview 100% (I'm sure it's a lot, but I doubt it's everyone) and considering you don't have a test to 'redeem' yourself I wouldn't be confident of an interview if I were in your position.


Sorry to be harsh :/

A friend I know got AACD at AS and applied for maths at cambridge, then got an interview but no he didn't get an offer,

Well its worth a shot, I was never going to be confident

Yeah, but my post is entirely about MATHS UMS, 95-100% in maths and fm plus a C and a D is probably better than four low As when applying for maths. They really don't care about much else.

I'm merely pointing our that, thanks to the mat you perhaps stand a better chance at Ox

So you're saying oxford is the better option? Thanks

Only if you do better than average in it, otherwise you're in the exact same situation as you would be with Cambridge.

I'll just try some MAT instead of trying to calculating probabilities of offers lol

I think a key point here is that you still have control over the probability of getting an interview at Ox (because the amount of effort you put into the MAT is entirely up to you), whereas this is much less the case with Cam. If I were you, I'd work my arse off for the MAT and ace it, thereby maximising your chances of getting an interview. Don't just "try the MAT", get good at it (I am aware that there are not many past papers; but you can always practice on other exams of similar difficulty: the AEA, the old Oxford entrance test, STEP I papers etc. - all of these are available online, and doing them under timed conditions is excellent preparation).

Of course, in the end, both institutions are equally hard to get into. The selection processes are just different; use these differences to your advantage.

The problem is, you can't really prepare for the MAT, it's more a way of thinking - and back when I was applying to Oxford most people either 'got' the MAT or didn't. The syllabus of the MAT is literally just C1 and C2, and knowing that inside out only marginally helps, it isn't like STEP where you can fully prepare for them.

Cambridge tends to beat Oxford for Maths in most university rankings, but tbh a degree in maths from either would still be very highly considered.
However, looking at your UMS you haven't got much of a chance with Cambridge, so your best shot is to apply to Oxford and do well in the MAT.
Interestingly enough though, my friend applied to Oxford for maths (having got 'only' 88-89% in further maths, and 95%+ in normal maths (A level sat a year early), so was advised that she didn't have as much of a chance at Cambridge (and I think she was struggling with STEP practice and stuff too...)) and got asked for her maths + further maths UMS in her oxford interview (although I don't think this is a particularly standard question and they didn't ask for any proof). She got an offer at Oxford though

Well I didn't take the MAT myself, but I have done the past papers, and I'm not sure I agree with "you have it in you or you don't". It's a way of thinking indeed, but it's one that can be acquired to some extent by getting used to thinking fast & outside the box (there are loads of STEP I questions/AEA problems which are just C1-C2 as well). Also, if the OP really doesn't have it in him, then (without wanting to sound harsh) they probably wouldn't do well in the interview anyway, whether it's Ox or Cam; so let's assume the OP does a bit of mathematical flair

guys just to check do you have to declare your ums for other subjects if your applying for maths

Cambridge ask for UMS score for all modules you sit

would sub 85 ums in biology jeopardize my chances for applying for maths (95-c1, 96-m1)

When you sayI haven't got much of a chance do you mean an interview or an offer or even the STEP? I understand your point I will be trying MAT and step papers to see what I prefer, of course this can only help me in an interview If i do apply to cambridge right?

You would probably just get an interview, particularly if you went to a bad school/ had extenuating circumstances. You would be very lucky to get an offer, and remember that ~half of offerholders (most of whom will have 95%+ UMS, or at least 90%+) fail to meet their STEP offer. Also, you would have to be very confident in getting A*s in Maths and Further Maths, as this will probably also be a requirement of your offer (same for Oxford). Your current UMS scores indicate that you would struggle to achieve this. Therefore, you are unlikely to get an offer from Cambridge as they know that you have very little chance of meeting it. you would have to do exceptionally well at interview to have any chance, and even then I think they are more interested in your UMS scores.
You would struggle with Oxford though because of your low GCSE grades and probably low A2 predictions (I assume your school won't predict you many A*s with your current results). for Oxford, you would have to do really well at MAT and at interview. However, you probably have a bit more of a chance of meeting an offer from Oxford if you do well at MAT, as they will have the MAT score before they even interview you, whereas for Cambridge you are relying on doing well in STEP in the summer. You will only have to get A*A*A (with the A*s in maths + further maths, and probably the A in physics) assuming their standard offer doesn't change. If you did get an offer from Cambridge it would probably include a very hard STEP condition as they would need to be sure that you could cope with the demands of the course.

Cambridge won't see your MAT scores btw, and you don't sit STEP until the summer of your final A2 exams. Therefore, MAT and STEP scores won't help you get an offer from Cambridge.

It used examsolutions link but it was not very effective...