Journey to becoming a physicist - year 11

OP

Original post by Metrododo

Good luck on your GCSE's! Out of curiosity, why the preference for Oxford over Cambridge? :smile:

Thank you!!

And my preference is based on the sole reason that Oxford offer a physics course whereas Cambridge offer a Natural Science course instead. I don't really want to do NatSci, so it is an easy choice :wink:

Reply 142

OP

Original post by natninja

Good luck! If you want to ask anything, I'm currently in my fourth and final year studying physics at Oxford. Feel free to PM me.

Thanks ! And I will do so :smile:

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 143

OP

First physics exam today! Feeling pretty confident, just got to execute now.

Reply 144

Original post by kennethdcharles

First physics exam today! Feeling pretty confident, just got to execute now.

P123- barely physics, but you gotta do what you gotta do. AS is much better than P123, no 6 markers on stupid ethical stuff.

Reply 145

OP

Original post by richpanda

P123- barely physics, but you gotta do what you gotta do. AS is much better than P123, no 6 markers on stupid ethical stuff.

Omds I ABSOLUTELY agree! The ehtical questions annoy me so much because they don't even test my physics knowledge, meaning some people who barely know physics can still get marks. But yeah, I'm looking forward to A levels a lot; as well as doing the more interesting parts (in all subjects, including maths) I'll be able to focus my time on things I actually enjoy, meaning going to school will be something to look forward to rather than a chore.

Reply 146

Original post by kennethdcharles

Omds I ABSOLUTELY agree! The ehtical questions annoy me so much because they don't even test my physics knowledge, meaning some people who barely know physics can still get marks. But yeah, I'm looking forward to A levels a lot; as well as doing the more interesting parts (in all subjects, including maths) I'll be able to focus my time on things I actually enjoy, meaning going to school will be something to look forward to rather than a chore.

I've started loving school again since sixth form- first time since I was probably 10 or so. I was never pushed academically, and just found lessons very boring. However at sixth form I'm now around people with the same interests, passions and drive to do well, and it rubs off on you. There's an actual sense of competitiveness, which will 100% be at whichever sixth form you go to (I believe you said some sort of selective place)

Reply 147

OP

Original post by richpanda

I've started loving school again since sixth form- first time since I was probably 10 or so. I was never pushed academically, and just found lessons very boring. However at sixth form I'm now around people with the same interests, passions and drive to do well, and it rubs off on you. There's an actual sense of competitiveness, which will 100% be at whichever sixth form you go to (I believe you said some sort of selective place)

Yep I can imagine. I'm deciding between Harris Westminster and King's College London mathematics school, which according to the guardian are two of hr most selective state schools in the country, so like you said, it will be competitive and I'll be with like minded students, and the content will be more interesting and challenging,which will spur me on to do well. Good luck with the rest of your exams!

Reply 148

OP

Update 26/05/16

End of the second week!

Tuesday - Geography exam went pretty well, hope I got, and should have got an A*. One more to go. Got home and did two physics past papers; specimen and June 2013 re-take, both A*s. Made notes on weak topics, and skimmed through revision guide.

Wednesday - Physics exam, although probably the most difficult out of all the past papers I've done, was pretty good, and I'm pretty confident about that. I then did some BRIEF revision for my non calculator exam, by doing one of the CGP papers and answering some A* questions that my friends wanted help with.

Thursday - I have mixed feelings about maths. I'm disappointed in the sense that I made a few stupid errors which will prevent me from getting my aim which was 100/100 (was always unlikely :biggrin:

) but I'm happy in the sense that looking at the unofficial mark scheme and some online solutions, I should have secured at least 92, a solid A*. When I came home, I did absolutely no revision, as I have no exams tomorrow, and next week is half term! So I spent some time watching football videos, as well as a documentary by Professor Brian Cox.

Tomorrow, I plan to do some R.S. revision.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 149

Original post by kennethdcharles

So I spent some time watching football videos, as well as a documentary by Professor Brian Cox.

This is what I do haha. Don't beat yourself up about GCSE maths, seriously. Best guy in my year didn't even get full marks

Reply 150

OP

Original post by richpanda

This is what I do haha. Don't beat yourself up about GCSE maths, seriously. Best guy in my year didn't even get full marks

Yeah I've noticed that :biggrin:

How did you find the England game? Yeah I know, it was really unlikely anyway 😂 it was just a target I set myself because I find GCSE maths very simple and not challenging enough.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 151

Original post by kennethdcharles

Yeah I've noticed that :biggrin:

How did you find the England game? Yeah I know, it was really unlikely anyway 😂 it was just a target I set myself because I find GCSE maths very simple and not challenging enough.

Thought it was alright, we obviously slacked off too much towards the end. Although I don't know why Roy said we wasn't going to experiment, but then played a team (apart from the defence) which I ope resembles nothing like our starting 11 against Russia?

Reply 152

OP

Original post by richpanda

Thought it was alright, we obviously slacked off too much towards the end. Although I don't know why Roy said we wasn't going to experiment, but then played a team (apart from the defence) which I ope resembles nothing like our starting 11 against Russia?

Yeah I agree. I was happy for Rashford, he just keeps rising to the occasion. Although he's 18, he's proven he's good enough to be in the 23, so let's see who is selected on the 31st.

Reply 153

Original post by kennethdcharles

Yeah I agree. I was happy for Rashford, he just keeps rising to the occasion. Although he's 18, he's proven he's good enough to be in the 23, so let's see who is selected on the 31st.

Yeah I'd take him over sturridge, even though i like sturridge. I thought the only players who really boosted their chances yesterday were Bertrand, Stones and Sterling. My team would be:

Hart
Walker, Smalling, Cahill, Bertrand
Wilshere, Dier
Rooney, Alli, Vardy
Kane

Reply 154

OP

Original post by richpanda

Yeah I'd take him over sturridge, even though i like sturridge. I thought the only players who really boosted their chances yesterday were Bertrand, Stones and Sterling. My team would be:

Hart
Walker, Smalling, Cahill, Bertrand
Wilshere, Dier
Rooney, Alli, Vardy
Kane

Although Smalling is a lot more experienced, I think Stones could give him a run for his money. However I'd still say keep him in. Bertrand played well yesterday, so the LB position between him and Rose will be tight. And, I'm not sure if Vardy can be as effective on the left, so a four diamond two could work depending on the opposition? I think it could work against Russia, not sure about teams like France, Germany etc.

Hart
Walker, Smalling, Cahill, Bertrand
Dier, Alli, Rooney, Wilshere
Kane, Vardy

Either way, the team is still pretty solid!

Reply 155

OP

Update 29/05/16

I've spent the last three days doing a lot of R.S. work for two reasons; firstly, I think I aced the first exam, so it would be really disappointing if I didn't get an A* because I mess up this one, and secondly, this unit is quite difficult, as we pretty much have to understand Mark's Gospel inside out. So I've committed myself to it by making flashcards with model answers, as well as doing exam questions in timed conditions.

Friday: Spent about 2 hours making flashcards for Discipleship, before doing some exam questions. Then had to A&E for 3 hours as my brother got hurt... Just sat there reading a book on Special Relativity.

Saturday: Made flashcards for conflict and argument. I find it to be the most difficult module in the unit. Then made some geography flashcards on Natural Hazards

Sunday: Made flashcards on Death and Resurrection. Quite an easy module, so didn't take me so long.

For the remainder of the day, I expect to finish off my natural hazards flashcards for geography, and then I hope to be able to do an additional maths paper.

Reply 156

Aamna-

13

Why have I only seen this thread now? Haha, I'm a huge maths nerd and I really want to get a Maths/Physics degree at Oxford. I'm in Year 11 too and the exams have gone well so far (: Maths was a breeze, I actually think I got 100 on the first paper, so I'm totally prepared for the next one. I really, really would like to get full marks on both, which I've done previously on mocks. But then again, I'm completely satisfied with an A*. Good luck to everyone on here! Hope you guys get the grades you want!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 157

OP

Original post by Aamna-

Why have I only seen this thread now? Haha, I'm a huge maths nerd and I really want to get a Maths/Physics degree at Oxford. I'm in Year 11 too and the exams have gone well so far (: Maths was a breeze, I actually think I got 100 on the first paper, so I'm totally prepared for the next one. I really, really would like to get full marks on both, which I've done previously on mocks. But then again, I'm completely satisfied with an A*. Good luck to everyone on here! Hope you guys get the grades you want!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Haha we share the same passions and ambitions :biggrin:

Exams have gone quite well for me too; maths was very simple, though made a minor silly mistake, putting my aim of 200/200 out of bounds :frown:

But I'm very confident of getting an A* in maths, and in the majority of my other subjects. What A levels are you doing next year?

Good luck to you too! Hopefully I will see you one day at Oxford too :biggrin:

Reply 158

OP

Update 31/05/16

Revision has been going well. I managed to revise the whole of unit 16 for R.S. thoroughly which I'm happy about because now I can just focus on past papers. I've also finished making my flashcards for Natural Hazards in geography.

Sunday - R.S. flashcards on Death and resurrection, then did some practice questions. Finished flashcards on natural hazards.

Monday - R.S. recap on other 3 modules, then flashcards on the Identity of Jesus, then did some practice questions. Additional maths specimen paper (86/100). B4 revision and B4 B5 B6 past paper June 2012 (50/60, A*).

Reply 159

OP