University of Manchester

Manchester

Physics interview at Manchester

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Reply 120

BethanSianTurner

Original post by at869

i have an interview this thursday, do they ask you stuff from your physics A2?

I've got no idea, the only advice I was given was to show of as much of what you know about physics generally as possible, but I've got no idea what the interviews going to be like. It might be best to assume so unless you hear different from someone who actually knows, let me know how it goes though, and good luck!

University of Manchester

Manchester

Reply 121

Digital97

Original post by at869

i have an interview this thursday, do they ask you stuff from your physics A2?

I had an interview there in november - I was asked about A2 content, that I hadn't studied at school yet. Suffice it to say I found it difficult to answer the questions. I was asked about this because I'd done work experience in a physics department in february 2014 (not manchester though), doing an undergraduate astrophysics experiment, and had mentioned this on my personal statement. Unfortunately my interviewer was an expert in astrophysics, and was interested in exactly how much I did...or didn't know - he went into a lot of detail. My advice would be to go through your personal statement and make sure you know as much as you can about the physics topics mentioned - I wasn't asked about anything but physics. I think they mainly stick to the personal statement - I had a friend also interviewing there on the same day, and he had talked in his personal statement about books on quantum physics that he'd read, and ended up trying to explain very complex stuff that's way beyond a level.

That said, we both got offers - seems they want to push you out of your comfort zone in the interview, so don't panic! :smile:

Reply 122

at869

Original post by Digital97

thank you so much...

Reply 123

at869

Original post by BethanSianTurner

thank you

Reply 124

Patrick2810

So it seems Brian Cox still lectures undergrad physics https://twitter.com/ProfBrianCox/status/581510574934200320

But I was wondering how often, is it every now and then or ?

Also from this thread it seems ~5 years ago you could get in with AAB and now its' A*A*A- A*AA!! wtf?

Reply 125

themancunian

Original post by Patrick2810

He does the Quantum Physics module in first year along with Jeff Forshaw.

And in reply to why the grades have shot up so high, you have answered the question yourself. Brian Cox. Some call it the Brian Cox Effect but the reason Manchester's requirements have shot up so high is because of him and the so called appeal that he has.

Reply 126

Patrick2810

Original post by themancunian

Some call it the Brian Cox Effect but the reason Manchester's requirements have shot up so high is because of him and the so called appeal that he has.

So does the course rival the top unis in the country or is it just an illusion?

Reply 127

themancunian

Original post by Patrick2810

So does the course rival the top unis in the country or is it just an illusion?

I would say it does, but some say it doesn't really - my basis that Manchester does rival other top unis is the fact that the research done there is fantastic and that does kind of 'seep down the ranks' to the undergrads

Now for a 'counter point': The requirements for Manchester (as of now) are A*A*A, that is same requirements as Cambridge and Imperial - you wouldn't really expect it from Manchester

I don't really know what I'm getting at, but it's a good uni overall and a nice enough city

Reply 128

Origami Bullets

Original post by Patrick2810

It's only one 10 credit module in first year - I'm not sure I'd suggest going to Manchester for the sake of being lectured by Brian Cox (it's almost a running joke how little he's on campus). There are, however, other good reasons to go there - including the strangely less famous Nobel Prize winners Novoselov and Geim, one of whom does lecture fourth years, and Jeff Forshaw, who co-writes a lot of Brian Cox's books and does a lot of lecturing, as well as many other brilliant lecturers who you've never heard of.

To some extent, entry requirements act as a price, supply and demand style - the more popular a course, the higher the entry requirements go (there's only so many applications a uni wants to deal with, and so they 'price' some people out of the market with higher requirements. Similarly, high entry requirements tend to increase the perception of a uni as good, so it attracts better candidates.

Manchester's physics course takes a lot of Oxbridge rejects - academic high achievers who have missed out for one reason or another. It's a tough, academically demanding course, but employment prospects at the end are very good and it is a worthwhile course.

Reply 129

jamesgates1

Hi there. I have only just applied on UCAS and received an email yesterday from Manchester for an invite to interview for October 15th. I was wondering if this is normal as this is very short notice. Do you think i could change the date?

Thanks, James.

Reply 130

Origami Bullets

Original post by jamesgates1

That is short notice! If it's a problem, ring them up and ask to rearrange.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 131

annnief

Original post by jamesgates1

I got an invite to interview on tuesday next week (20th) so i think they must do them all fairly short notice. You can ask to change if you want to though.

Reply 132

lerjj

Hi, i was just wondering if anyone knows ~ how many students they interview re how many places they have?

I've got an interview on the 29th (so not as bad as the guy on the 15th, although it's still going to make train fares interesting) and I was wondering what it's going to be like. The leaflet makes it sound like you've pretty much already got a place and they just want to make sure, is this a fair summary?

Reply 133

calcumm

Original post by lerjj

My Physics tutor's Husband is a Physics professor there so we get really good information on the Uni of Manchester. She told me that if you have an interview then you've got an offer. The interview is just for discussing what offer you will get.

Reply 134

lerjj

Original post by calcumm

Cool, thanks.

Reply 135

jamesgates1

Had my interview recently,

The interviewer spent 15 of the 25 minutes talking about their research. They did not ask me any personal questions apart from commenting on my personal statement.

I found the questions too simple. Overall i do not see how the interview can determine between an A*AA or A*A*A offer.

Reply 136

Patrick2810

Original post by jamesgates1

I feel the same, had my interview yesterday (prof michael seymour) and the only questions he really asked were "why physics" and "why manchester" and a couple things about my PS (he was also interested in why I do french) but no questions to test my physics/maths knowledge. Just hoping it means he had made up his mind ? He said my offer should come through within days so really hoping I'll get the lower offer soon !

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 137

Midgeymoo17

Original post by lerjj

Interview 500 for approximately 300 places all five hundred will receive an offer

Reply 138

Midgeymoo17

Original post by Patrick2810

I would be wary of this advice it is highly dependent who is interviewing - I got a lot of generic questions (probably between 5 and 10) on Thursday including what do you want to do after your degree and ones specific to my personal statement and about my route to higher education since I had a three years at A level. I also got a physics problem that took about 15 mins. To be honest it was not difficult it was a basic AS problem initially but she extended the problem by asking me to find a certain parabola from my solution and plot it. I found her english here a little difficult but we got there. Having finished she then noted I just quoted a SUVAT equation for finding the solution- so she asked me to derive it. Do not worry if you are asked a question you do not know the answer to in the case of the derivation she gave me a clue by asking the definition of acceleration which instantly triggered the derivation by integration in my head. She was more interested in analysing how I made links.

I would also love the lower offer- however kinda think as I am retaking A level Physics I have little chance of that one. And actually it would probably better if I got the higher one as he did explain how the interview is used on results day and later my dad asked if that applied to both offers the admissions tutor responded with it only applying to the higher offer.

Reply 139

lerjj

Original post by Midgeymoo17

Interview 500 for approximately 300 places all five hundred will receive an offer

Thanks, I got my offer ages ago though, lol :colondollar:

They literally told everyone at the interview that we all had offers, and that the interview made no difference to your offer. It's pretty much just an offer-holders day, they just want to be sure you'll come along.