Year 12 work experience - maths (+extra curricular stuff)

So, we're being lectured that at some point this year we have to get work experience to help us with our university applications. Now, I'm not 100% sure what I want to do, but I'm fairly certain it'll be maths. (it MIGHT be Physics). I have no job that I'm particularly interested in though, I just love doing maths so I'd love to get to continue learning it at university because I find it fun (and I want a phd in it...).
I have no idea what kind of work experience will help me with that. Do you think asking unis if I can go to their maths departments for work experience would be a good option? My form teacher doesn't seem like much help, he seems to expect us all to have job ideas and just go to those places.

Also, I'm being told I need to do extra curricular stuff. I'm told sports and drama and stuff are what are best...well, I have the PE skills of a potato, and I haven't had any acting skills after the age of about 10, so I can't do any of them. Does anyone have any ideas? I also can't play any instruments and don't really have any hobbies, and I'd say my grades aren't impressive enough to be good by themselves.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm fussing about nothing, I just can't think of a better group of people to ask than the members of TSR, since you guys generally all do really well

So, we're being lectured that at some point this year we have to get work experience to help us with our university applications. Now, I'm not 100% sure what I want to do, but I'm fairly certain it'll be maths. (it MIGHT be Physics). I have no job that I'm particularly interested in though, I just love doing maths so I'd love to get to continue learning it at university because I find it fun (and I want a phd in it...).
I have no idea what kind of work experience will help me with that. Do you think asking unis if I can go to their maths departments for work experience would be a good option? My form teacher doesn't seem like much help, he seems to expect us all to have job ideas and just go to those places.

Also, I'm being told I need to do extra curricular stuff. I'm told sports and drama and stuff are what are best...well, I have the PE skills of a potato, and I haven't had any acting skills after the age of about 10, so I can't do any of them. Does anyone have any ideas? I also can't play any instruments and don't really have any hobbies, and I'd say my grades aren't impressive enough to be good by themselves.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm fussing about nothing, I just can't think of a better group of people to ask than the members of TSR, since you guys generally all do really well

Im brave enough to say that 0 universities will ask or expect relevant work experience if you are applying for Maths OR physics. The broad nature of those degrees, mean you can go to pretty much majority of jobs! Therefore theres no point doing work experience now, when you have no idea what you would do with such a degree.

Extra curic isn't the main factor that you will receive an offer, so i wouldnt bite your nails over it. But perhaps tutoring younger students maths? you could even see if you could 'help' out a teacher during one of your frees

Hi, Year 13 maths applicant here!

Just to comfort you - even though I did work experience at a bank in the city and learnt about some maths in finance (just because I thought it would be fun), I mentioned not a word of it on my personal statement, and I still have offers

If you really want to do something in maths/science, I know a few people that worked at the physics department at UCL - get in touch with them!

In terms of extra curriculars, for maths it is quite important that you participate in the maths challenges - this year's one is past but make sure you're entered for next year's SMC (work hard for that gold, it'll make you a lot better at maths), and see if you can get on the Team SMC aswell, though your school may be a bit more selective about who they put on there. Still worth a try though. Also, DofE is quite a common EC, and it doesn't have to be that sporty.

Thanks for the response!

That makes me feel better, although I think I should try and do as much extra stuff as I can, I didn't take FM (I was kind of neutral when I chose my subjects) but I am going to see if I can do an AS next year when I do my A2s, do you think that's enough?

That could be a good idea, doing Physics somewhere, even though I probably won't apply for Physics, do you think it could benefit a maths degree?

Ah, I feel bad now. I could've done the SMC this year but chose not to, I've done the maths challenge for the past four years, but only gotten one gold and three silvers. I'll definitely enter the SMC next year though, and I think I should try and do STEP and the AEA? Gah, I don't think I could do DofE, if you think a good result in the maths challenge is good enough then I guess that might be alright.

Thanks for the response~

So is what you're saying that I won't need any work experience because maths is such a broad subject? Unfortunately I'm kind of being forced to do it by my school, I know I can do work experience at the university of Birmingham in the medicine department (we have a friend there) but I don't know if it would be relevant enough.

Arrgh, if helping out teachers would benefit me, I could always try it. (Teaching is the one thing I said I would never ever do though XD Especially since I'm more interested in the more challenging aspects of maths as opposed to what school age kids are taught).

Thank you though, I think this has lessened some of my fears :'3

Honestly if I were you, I'd start FM now - do one module between now and, say, February (plenty of time to fit it in around your other subjects), then another between February and summer, then another over the summer. That way, when you start in september next year, you can join the A2 FM class. The drawback with this is that you'll have to sit all 6 FM exams next summer (or you could do two of them this year, depends how fast a learner you are), so you have to be very dedicated and organized.
Loads of top unis say only AS FM is required, but you'll be at quite a disadvantage to everyone who does A2 because of how much more experienced they are as mathematicians. Also, a self taught AS looks very impressive.

In reality, there is no work experience that will 'help' with a maths degree - its just what looks better on paper, and physics lab at UCL looks better than cashier at Tesco's! Though I doubt it, it could be the deciding factor in whether or not you get an offer (extremely unlikely, but stack the odds in your favour).

Don't worry about STEP/AEA yet, just work through maths challenge papers and get your basic problem solving to a good level. By september next year, you'll know whether or not STEP is for you.

I would suggest going to innovation conferences or 3D galleries and lectures. Some may be related to art but they may be relevant. I have heard a recent3D print show was on and a 3D car was made. Also I would also suggest looking for some online if you are interested. Some girls that I know want to study/ are studying engineering and they have really involved themselves in the subject. One is studying at Warwick. The other has an offer from Cambridge.


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Thanks for the response~

So is what you're saying that I won't need any work experience because maths is such a broad subject? Unfortunately I'm kind of being forced to do it by my school, I know I can do work experience at the university of Birmingham in the medicine department (we have a friend there) but I don't know if it would be relevant enough.

Arrgh, if helping out teachers would benefit me, I could always try it. (Teaching is the one thing I said I would never ever do though XD Especially since I'm more interested in the more challenging aspects of maths as opposed to what school age kids are taught).

Thank you though, I think this has lessened some of my fears :'3

So you think I should self teach the AS this year? I was planning to self teach it so that I wouldn't have to learn as much next year when I plan to do an AS at my school. Or I was thinking of doing an AS next year in FM, and then taking a gap year and self teaching the A2 and doing it at a college or something. I'm already doing an EPQ as well as my 4AS levels so I don't think I could do FM this year.
The uni that I'm aiming for (Birmingham) doesn't even mention FM, but I also want to apply for Warwick which does want FM, so I should probably try and do it...gah, I feel terrible for not taking it XD.

Yeah, I might see if I can do Physics at a university, in hopes of that helping. I know I can do work experience in medicine at the uni of birmingham because we have a friend who does it there, but would that be too different for it to count at all? (I'm doing Biology as an A level and most likely taking it to A2 with maths mech and phys).

Ah, okay, thank you! I think I'll have to do the STEP paper to have a chance at any unis, but I'll definitely work on my skills for the maths challenge, because I don't think I'm all too good with problem solving, ugh. Thanks for all your help!

Kind of yeah. Maths doesnt really have any PURE direct links to specific jobs, unlike other subjects like Law or Medicine.
The university idea may be good, perhaps look at into any possibility of snooping through the maths department? Otherwise medicine is alright i guess. Main thing at this stage is the skills you get from it. I mean in terms of relevancy, i would imagine be some places like investment banking or at an engineering site, but these would most likely be off limits to A level students i suppose

I wouldnt say teaching.... more like.... helping the less able students with Gcse maths Bit shabby and probably a last resort for extra curic if you hate it xD

If I were you, I'd take the work experience at Birmingham med school, just because you're unlikely to get much better than that (like I said, I didn't even mention mine and I was somewhat relevant ).

Getting a Warwick offer isn't a problem as long as you're predicted AAB or higher, as they have an open offer scheme. Meeting it is the real challenge - and to do STEP you'll definitely need at the very least C1-C4 and FP1 (for proof by induction). You'll also have little hope of attempting any of the mechanics questions unless you've done M1 and M2, so make sure you do those aswell next year.

Glad I could help feel free to message me if you need advice with anything else

Yeah, I'll probably go there, since I think if I had to put up with any work experience that would be a better place to go to, since I'd at least find it interesting.

Really? But the site said something like A* in maths and FM or something ridiculously high like that, are offers normally allowed that much lower? And it mentioned STEP and AEA. I do maths mechanics, so by next year I'll definitely have C1-C4 M1-2 and if I do FM AS in year 13 I'll have S1, D1 and FP1. So that should be good for the STEP?

I will, thank you!

Yeah those modules should be good for STEP, just not the stats questions. I'd highly recommend doing S2 over D1, sometimes a gift S2 question comes up and you won't want to miss it!

Well they give everyone who does A2 FM:

A*AA + 1 in any STEP, or A*A*A + 2 in any STEP (ridiculous offer I know)

I'm not sure if the offer is different if you only do AS FM, check their website

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