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The big mighty thread on FM

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Reply 20
Original post by TheIrrational
I'm not 100% sure how they analyse GCSE results, could be different for different colleges, if your AS results are good it could be worth replying. I got 6A*s, 4As GCSE and AAAABC AS and A*A*A A2, but my UMS wasn't good enough for Cambridge maths.


Nevertheless you should be proud of your acheivements, Cambridge contextualise GCSES so i can get into the top 5 of my school academically will this favour me in 2 years time ?
Reply 21
Original post by haroon77
Knowing that most public school applicants will have it- how difficult is it, how complex is it?


What do you mean by "it" - Further Maths or more than 4 AS levels?

Don't worry about what people from other schools will have. Cambridge understand that a lot of schools don't offer Further Maths, and it isn't a requirement anyway - if you really enjoy Maths, then doing Further Maths will show you some more concepts and terminology and make things a bit more familiar at Uni.

From the point of view of A levels, Cambridge make it quite clear that 3 are sufficient, and as I pointed out in my first post, when I checked my former college website a while back, English Literature was one of the subjects they included as providing good support for an Economics degree. In short, you've got a good combination of subjects already.

At A level it's all about quality of results, so I suggest once you've completed your GCSEs you get hold of a C1 book (the first module of A level Maths) and have a leisurely look through so you know what to expect!
Reply 22
Original post by davros
What do you mean by "it" - Further Maths or more than 4 AS levels?

Don't worry about what people from other schools will have. Cambridge understand that a lot of schools don't offer Further Maths, and it isn't a requirement anyway - if you really enjoy Maths, then doing Further Maths will show you some more concepts and terminology and make things a bit more familiar at Uni.

From the point of view of A levels, Cambridge make it quite clear that 3 are sufficient, and as I pointed out in my first post, when I checked my former college website a while back, English Literature was one of the subjects they included as providing good support for an Economics degree. In short, you've got a good combination of subjects already.

At A level it's all about quality of results, so I suggest once you've completed your GCSEs you get hold of a C1 book (the first module of A level Maths) and have a leisurely look through so you know what to expect!


"it" was about Further maths, how complex is it compared to the standard a level, does it require you to go out of depth to be able to study and grasp the concepts involved ?

Thanks for the advice, we have already studied a section of C1 in year 11- as we did the Gcse exams for Math early, but what i really wanted to know was not having FM as an AS a significant disadvantage, could it stop me from reaching Cambridge
Reply 23
Original post by haroon77
"it" was about Further maths, how complex is it compared to the standard a level, does it require you to go out of depth to be able to study and grasp the concepts involved ?

Thanks for the advice, we have already studied a section of C1 in year 11- as we did the Gcse exams for Math early, but what i really wanted to know was not having FM as an AS a significant disadvantage, could it stop me from reaching Cambridge


I'd say that the AS Further, content wise isn't too difficult, you just need to be able to understand what is going on and why. Content wise C3 and C4 are much more taxing.
Reply 24
Original post by haroon77
"it" was about Further maths, how complex is it compared to the standard a level, does it require you to go out of depth to be able to study and grasp the concepts involved ?

Thanks for the advice, we have already studied a section of C1 in year 11- as we did the Gcse exams for Math early, but what i really wanted to know was not having FM as an AS a significant disadvantage, could it stop me from reaching Cambridge


The general opinion is that Further Maths AS level is quite reasonable in that it introduces concepts which can be taught alongside normal maths, whereas the A2 part of the course can be much harder as it depends on parts of the A level normal maths course.

Cambridge's admissions page states that A Level Maths is essential for an Economics degree; Economics is "desirable"; and Further Maths is "useful". So not having Further Maths won't stop you from reaching Cambridge :smile:
Reply 25
Original post by joostan
I'd say that the AS Further, content wise isn't too difficult, you just need to be able to understand what is going on and why. Content wise C3 and C4 are much more taxing.


Is it suitable to have 5 AS levels and then to drop down to 3 A levels, or does that show a lack of work ethic ?
Original post by haroon77
Nevertheless you should be proud of your acheivements, Cambridge contextualise GCSES so i can get into the top 5 of my school academically will this favour me in 2 years time ?


Original post by haroon77
"it" was about Further maths, how complex is it compared to the standard a level, does it require you to go out of depth to be able to study and grasp the concepts involved ?

Thanks for the advice, we have already studied a section of C1 in year 11- as we did the Gcse exams for Math early, but what i really wanted to know was not having FM as an AS a significant disadvantage, could it stop me from reaching Cambridge


I was top in my year, didn't help me too much! My brother was also top, and it did help him. So if you get good grades from a bad school I hear they do take it into account.

I found A level further maths not much harder than normal maths, it was just more work, the modules weren't too much harder, just extra maths really, if you enjoy it and put the work in you'll be fine with further maths!
Original post by haroon77
Is it suitable to have 5 AS levels and then to drop down to 3 A levels, or does that show a lack of work ethic ?


I did 5 AS then picked up and self taught further maths AS for a 6th AS but then only did 3 A2s. 4 A2s really aren't needed if you don't want to.
Reply 28
Original post by TheIrrational
I did 5 AS then picked up and self taught further maths AS for a 6th AS but then only did 3 A2s. 4 A2s really aren't needed if you don't want to.


What was your fav Gcse subject, if you had one ?

Mine is economics, i just love the subject, the concepts and the definitions are just so enjoying to learn and then to apply this to the real world and how this impacts, especially the law of unintended consequences
Original post by haroon77
I'm not trying to sound big-headed or anything, but if you have another insightful look at my previous post, you will see that there has been capitalisations on every new line and to say otherwise, is just a massive error in judgement


I counted eight missing capitals in the post in question. You don't seem particularly keen on full stops either. Anyway, enough of this, I don't want you to think I am picking on you!
Reply 30
Original post by haroon77
Is it suitable to have 5 AS levels and then to drop down to 3 A levels, or does that show a lack of work ethic ?


You only really need 3 A-Levels, plus maybe a fourth AS. Further Maths AS is also very common just to have on its own.
I personally, do 5 A-Levels, but that's not really necessary.
Original post by haroon77
Is it suitable to have 5 AS levels and then to drop down to 3 A levels, or does that show a lack of work ethic ?


That's fine but it is not necessary to do more than 4 AS Levels. You may find that schools/colleges will be reluctant to allow students to take more than this soon due to the changes to Sixth Form funding.
Reply 32
Original post by Mr M
I counted eight missing capitals in the post in question. You don't seem particularly keen on full stops either. Anyway, enough of this, I don't want you to think I am picking on you!


I hate typing- I'm not trying to blame this on my negligence of grammar, I also hardly text either.

Another reason is that I'm an essay geek; I'm really good at essay subjects- English, History, Economics and to a certain RS, but i have to work hard for the sciences and Maths- your speciality sir
Reply 33
Original post by joostan
You only really need 3 A-Levels, plus maybe a fourth AS. Further Maths AS is also very common just to have on its own.
I personally, do 5 A-Levels, but that's not really necessary.


If I told Cambridge that I would be taking FM AS in year 13, before when I would be applying, then would this enhance my application profile or is it preferential to just study it next year- what's your view on this?

You're amazing how can you cope with 5 Alevels
Reply 34
Original post by haroon77
You're amazing how can you cope with 5 Alevels


Not really, they all feed into one another :blush:

Original post by haroon77
If I told Cambridge that I would be taking FM AS in year 13, before when I would be applying, then would this enhance my application profile or is it preferential to just study it next year- what's your view on this?

Further Maths AS is beneficial to economics, if you wanted to show them that you were a good worker then taking it prior to application is a good idea.
If on the other hand, sitting 5AS levels at once will mean that ALL your exams suffer, it may be an idea to sit it in year 13, where you say you'll have dropped a subject anyway :smile:
Original post by haroon77
What was your fav Gcse subject, if you had one ?

Mine is economics, i just love the subject, the concepts and the definitions are just so enjoying to learn and then to apply this to the real world and how this impacts, especially the law of unintended consequences


My favourite was science, but it sounds like you're putting together the beginnings of a personal statement already, and as someone else has said, I would recommend further maths AS in year 12 rather than 13 to show you can do it.
Reply 36
Original post by joostan
Not really, they all feed into one another :blush:


Further Maths AS is beneficial to economics, if you wanted to show them that you were a good worker then taking it prior to application is a good idea.
If on the other hand, sitting 5AS levels at once will mean that ALL your exams suffer, it may be an idea to sit it in year 13, where you say you'll have dropped a subject anyway :smile:


Yem thanks for the reply, I am now seriously considering Firther Maths for next year- where is MR.M- i was expecting him to reply
Original post by haroon77
Yem thanks for the reply, I am now seriously considering Firther Maths for next year- where is MR.M- i was expecting him to reply


Unblocking a drain. What are you seeking my view about?
Reply 38
Original post by haroon77
Yem thanks for the reply, I am now seriously considering Further Maths for next year


Do what you want to do, but be prepared for a big step up from GCSE in terms of intensity.
Reply 39
Original post by TheIrrational
My favourite was science, but it sounds like you're putting together the beginnings of a personal statement already, and as someone else has said, I would recommend further maths AS in year 12 rather than 13 to show you can do it.


Thanks for the advice, good joke on the PS.

I'm now considering FM, just waiting for the gcse result on the 18th hopefully an A, grade boundaries are like 120-125/ 200.

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