Getting to Cambridge: STEP by STEP!

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No worries!

I don't think I'm clever enough to make a meaningful contribution to research or be an academic.

Hmm, tough question. Whilst I've known for a while precisely what course I want to study, I've got no clue in what profession I want to end up in just yet.

I'm not really that set on it. I'd be happy at Warwick but it's mainly because I want to learn a lot of maths and Cambridge has the best maths course in the world and I feel like I'd thrive in that sort of environment.

Hmm, yes, being challenged by your peers is one of the surest ways you continue developing in the field in question.

I learned that the hard way when I moved to the UK and landed in a ditch of a school.

So then, if you're obviously more intelligent than the vast majority of people, or at the very least have a true gift for mathematics together with the discipline and motivation (passion) to learn as much as possible about it... what could possibly make you think you are not capable of being an academic or make contributions to the field?

With an MSc you would only really build upon your knowledge. Then, you can move on to a PhD, and actually start making a difference research-wise.

At the age of (I would guess) 18 I wouldn't say it's a great idea to relegate yourself to a simple degree because you 'don't think you're intelligent enough'. But hey, you still have 3 years of study ahead of you so I'm sure you'll change your mind soon enough.

And why not try and go for economics? It's really quite fun, and can land you extremely lucrative work with your heavy emphasis on maths. I'd say that that sort of applied maths is also far easier too so it shouldn't be hard to get a masters in that.

Reply 1801

Zacken

Original post by Caius Filimon G

So then, if you're obviously more intelligent than the vast majority of people, or at the very least have a true gift for mathematics together with the discipline and motivation (passion) to learn as much as possible about it... what could possibly make you think you are not capable of being an academic or make contributions to the field?

With an MSc you would only really build upon your knowledge. Then, you can move on to a PhD, and actually start making a difference research-wise.

Aye, with Cambridge maths and Part III, the equivalent of an MsC is quite... tough.

At the age of (I would guess) 18 I wouldn't say it's a great idea to relegate yourself to a simple degree because you 'don't think you're intelligent enough'. But hey, you still have 3 years of study ahead of you so I'm sure you'll change your mind soon enough.

Oh no, that's a definite. I haven't made up my mind about anything yet and if I feel that at the end of the three years I want to go into academia, then I will. Heck, two or three years ago I detested maths and yet here I am. :lol:

And why not try and go for economics? It's really quite fun, and can land you extremely lucrative work with your heavy emphasis on maths. I'd say that that sort of applied maths is also far easier too so it shouldn't be hard to get a masters in that.

Finance/Investment Banking/Actuarial stuff is definitely an option. What about yourself? What are your plans?

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 1802

Caius Filimon G

Original post by Zacken

Aye, with Cambridge maths and Part III, the equivalent of an MsC is quite... tough.

Oh no, that's a definite. I haven't made up my mind about anything yet and if I feel that at the end of the three years I want to go into academia, then I will. Heck, two or three years ago I detested maths and yet here I am. :lol:

QUOTE]And why not try and go for economics? It's really quite fun, and can land you extremely lucrative work with your heavy emphasis on maths. I'd say that that sort of applied maths is also far easier too so it shouldn't be hard to get a masters in that.

Finance/Investment Banking/Actuarial stuff is definitely an option. What about yourself? What are your plans?

You detested maths three years ago? Huh, now that is very interesting =o

Well, I destroyed my short-term future by moving to the UK last year for my family (4As 1C at AS; refusals from UCL/LSE after ages of waiting for a reply).

I might be going to Birminghan with an easy AAB for Policy, Politics, Economics, but preferably the University of Amsterdam for Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics (yep just one degree).

I love Economics and yet ever since my Maths IGCSE I've detested academic Maths. Econ degrees contain plenty of maths, and econ masters/phds contain an immense amount of maths, so I'm in a tight spot. Might just try to go for geopolitical economic corporate advising rather than economics because of that.

But hey, I try to look at the bright side: plenty of time to study other subjects casually (psychology/philosophy) and do powerlifting. I'd say that where you do your masters counts for far more than where you do your degree.

Reply 1803

Zacken

STEP II 2008:

Time to lower my standards and goals, I think. I'm definitely performing far worse on the recent papers. Felt rushed for time unlike other mocks and mechanics of all things was my saving grace.

Total time: 3 hours
Total marks: 105/120

Q1: Started with this, easy introduction, spent about 20 minutes on it which is longer than I should have. 16 minutes it the optimal time for this sort of question. Full.

Q5: Easy integrals. Not so easy inequalities. Had to skip a teensy part of it and got something like 17 marks in 25 minutes.

Q4: Spent about twenty minutes on this and got till the (iiI) but didn't do it. Differentiating the moduli unnerved me a little. Reckon I scraped like 15 marks here.

Q6: Got the first two parts fairly easily, and then gave up for some bizzare reason, never came back to it as well... weird. 10 marks. Didn't spend much time on it either, maybe about 15 minutes.

[Stressing because I had too many partials at this moment]

Q7: Quick 18 minute DE jam and smashed out a full. Happy with this one.

[Feeling a bit better so decide to tackle a new question]

Q2: Thirty minutes doing absolutely nothing. Got about 5/6 marks here, I reckon.

[Back to panicking and stressing]

Q3: Not a bad question, managed the bulk of it with some slips in justification. Probably around 15 here.

[Spends some time polishing questions off and doing some extra work on the partials]

[Not much time left, about 25 minutes on the clock, what do I do?]

[Ooh, mechanics]

Q9: Spent the remaining 25 minutes on here and reckon I got a good 18 or so.

In total, that gives, out of the 8 attempted questions (although it's really only 7 given how disastrous Q2 was): 105/120.

Reply 1804

username1162972

Original post by Zacken

Try Q8

very nice I thought.

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Reply 1805

Zacken

Original post by physicsmaths

Try Q8

very nice I thought.

I don't think I know how to do it, but I'll give it a feeble attempt in a bit.

Reply 1806

ramie

Hey Zacken,

When you applied for the uni's did you already have your AS grades? Because I'm planning on self teaching Maths and FM but I have no proof of grades so its unlike I will get an offer from the likes of LSE, Warwick etc in the 2017 rounds of admission so might have to wait till 2018 which is two years away and long.

So was wondering how you managed to get an offer?

Thanks

Reply 1807

Zacken

Original post by ramie

So was wondering how you managed to get an offer?

I didn't have my AS grades no, I hadn't even sat my AS exams yet. I guess I just did really well in the interview and test.

Reply 1808

ramie

Original post by Zacken

I didn't have my AS grades no, I hadn't even sat my AS exams yet. I guess I just did really well in the interview and test.

And I guess you have strong GCSE's.

Reply 1809

Zacken

Original post by ramie

And I guess you have strong GCSE's.

Meh, I suppose so. They aren't that great and I don't think Cambridge care much about them.

Reply 1810

ramie

Original post by Zacken

Meh, I suppose so. They aren't that great and I don't think Cambridge care much about them.

Im in a situation where by I have

A in Econ
A in Business
B in Statistics

but during this year I want to self teach maths and I will get the required A*'s I just don't have any proof nor track record I can achieve this lol

Reply 1811

Zacken

Original post by ramie

...

Predicted grades, references?

Reply 1812

ramie

Original post by Zacken

Predicted grades, references?

I am a mature student (26) hard to get predicted grades and not sure how helpful a ref would be.

Reply 1813

Zacken

Original post by ramie

I am a mature student (26) hard to get predicted grades and not sure how helpful a ref would be.

Ref: massively useful. Have you asked the Lucy Cavendish account on this site for advice?

Reply 1814

ramie

Original post by Zacken

Ref: massively useful. Have you asked the Lucy Cavendish account on this site for advice?

Yeah I have asked her, and she said I was unlikely to get an offer in 2017 but in a strong position 2018. I will just apply regardless, do the exams, get the grades and go from there. If it takes two years so be it.

Reply 1815

EnglishMuon

Original post by Mathemagicien

I agree, I think the older papers are much easier

Funny how, as the standard of maths education in the UK dropped, the standard required for entry rose.

Yea it is, but maybe because nowadays more good international students apply like Zain who replace the previous average English/British applicants.

Reply 1816

EnglishMuon

Original post by Mathemagicien

Yes, partly, I imagine. However, I don't have statistics for the proportion of successful maths students who are from overseas, but I'd imagine that the vast majority are still from the UK, so better competition from overseas is only a small factor.

Yea probably. I must imagine Cambridge, Imperial etc. have a much higher proportion of international students than other unis. I did notice a high concentration of Americans at Kings but could just be a coincidence.

Reply 1817

Student403

Original post by Mathemagicien

I agree, I think the older papers are much easier

Funny how, as the standard of maths education in the UK dropped, the standard required for entry rose.

Idk man. I think the spec has gotten easier now that they removed M6, FP5 etc. and so to me it makes sense that more people would be scoring higher, raising the entry standards

Reply 1818

Zacken

Original post by Mathemagicien

Funny how, as the standard of maths education in the UK dropped, the standard required for entry rose.

The average standard dropped, that doesn't give us enough data to talk about the top end of the students and whether their ability dropped or not. Plus, the more years there are, the more resources there are for students, we have access to past papers, the internet, TSR, easter courses, residentials, step weekends at St Johns, facebook groups, some have teachers and school, etc... whereas back in the day you were lucky if you could score one or two papers off your school library and god knows where you're going to get any solutions for them (obvious caveat if you're private schooled and would have had access to solutions and papers far more easily).

Reply 1819

username1162972

Original post by Mathemagicien

I agree, I think the older papers are much easier

Funny how, as the standard of maths education in the UK dropped, the standard required for entry rose.

People are getting used to complex techniques I think which is a factor. But this is because of Zains point tbh. Access to resources is a big thing I think.
But yeh it is ironic.

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(edited 8 years ago)