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PAT Preparation 2018

username2960498

How is everyone preparing? Got no idea where to start ATM.

Reply 1

Doones

Original post by radii08

How is everyone preparing? Got no idea where to start ATM.

Moved to Physics Study Help... Although I bet there's already a PAT thread in here. :wink:

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Reply 2

suhaylpatel786

Get yourself started today on A2 physics content if you haven't already, check the PAT specification, and cover the content using a textbook. You will struggle on papers if you haven't learnt what's required.

Reply 3

alevelphysicist

Start with the AS Physics challenge past papers and some senior maths challenge stuff to start getting your mind to think about more abstract problems than the A-level

Reply 4

physcamy

Isaac Physics and iwanttostudyengineering.org are great online resources with a good range of problems so I’d highly recommend those - particularly the level 5 and 6 questions on Isaac Physics as I’d say they are at/above the level of the PAT in most cases. At this point last year I was learning the syllabus content - I suggest not looking at past papers until you’re confident you’ve learned the syllabus as I made that mistake and wasted a couple of papers as a result.

Reply 5

username2960498

Original post by alevelphysicist

Start with the AS Physics challenge past papers and some senior maths challenge stuff to start getting your mind to think about more abstract problems than the A-level

You mean the BPhO AS Challenge and the UKMT Senior Challenge, right?

Reply 6

username2960498

Original post by physcamy

I'll have a look, thanks! Did you get familiar with any Year 2 Maths content when you did it? I'm planning to learn most of it for the PAT but I'm not sure if that would help me that much.

Reply 7

physcamy

Original post by radii08

I'll have a look, thanks! Did you get familiar with any Year 2 Maths content when you did it? I'm planning to learn most of it for the PAT but I'm not sure if that would help me that much.

The way that we did further maths in our school meant that we did C3 and C4 in lower 6th so I was lucky to have a good knowledge of that content for the PAT. I wouldn’t say it’s 100% necessary to have C3/C4 knowledge but you may get one or two questions where it would be a good help. I’d say the most beneficial module to look at if you haven’t already is M2 and maybe some M3 but again I wouldn’t say it’s completely necessary - just stick to the stuff that’s on the PAT syllabus and you’ll be fine!

Reply 8

alevelphysicist

Original post by radii08

You mean the BPhO AS Challenge and the UKMT Senior Challenge, right?

Yes, they were very helpful when I was preparing

Reply 9

b79de6e897

Original post by radii08

How is everyone preparing? Got no idea where to start ATM.

Have attached a screenshot of all the useful material out there that I considered using when preparing for the PAT. Think its a good idea to leave the majority of the PAT papers for the half term before the actual PAT and make sure you are up to speed with everything else.

This guide also really helped me in terms of content I needed to know, it also has tips in it (seems to be reduced on Amazon not sure why but was definitely more expensive when I bought it):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Oxford-PAT-Guide-Formulae/dp/1983234230/

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