Oxford Applicants for 2012 Entry

I'm applying for mathematics, college yet to be determined but I like the look of Merton.

A-level results were:
Maths A*
F. Maths A*
Classics A
Art and Design A*
AS:
politics A
critical thinking A

I am taking this year out for several reasons, although it is not ideal. My worry is that, particularly for mathematics, this will significantly disadvantage my application. Any advice regarding this would be very welcome! I am sitting M2, M3 and M4 next summer as I did not have the oppertunity to study these last year. I am also sitting STEP 1 and 2. Another worry is the lack of other sciences to compliment the maths? To me it seems strange that it would be a disadvantage but I'm just going on hearsay.
Finally...
Any advice on MAT preparation?

Thankyou!

Hey,

I did the exact same thing as you last year and got into Oxford for maths, so it is possible to go on a gap year! You seem to be doing all the right things, don't worry about the lack of sciences I doubt that will be much of an issue.

Do all the MAT past papers,and then there isn't much you can do beyond knowing all of C1 and C2 completely. STEP might help a little, good luck!

Hello! Another Merton maths applicant! Yay! Hopefully I'll meet you at the interview!

It might be an idea to contact the college to find out their stance on gap year applications. As long as you're doing something to keep your mathsyness going, you should be fine. Doing lots of mechanics modules is a good idea and a more than adequate alternative to having taken physics.

Make sure you do all the old MAT papers available online, and do them under timed conditions. Remember that MAT is an AS-level paper in terms of the concepts you need to know, so go over the basic trig, log rules, etc. and learn it all really thoroughly.

Hi guys Thinking of applying for physics atm

Got A's in as physics and chemistry and have an A* in a-level maths, with 5 A*'s at GCSE.

Next year I am going to be carrying on with chem and physics, and taking up a-level further maths

Does anyone know what stuff I could be doing to prepare for the pat test, other than the sample papers they provide?

Brilliant! (If I do go for Merton) What made you choose it?

I was pretty sure based on the size, prettiness on the virtual tour, number of maths students (8-10 sounds perfect), apparently decent food and cheap accommodation (central for all four years). And then I went to the open day, and absolutely loved it.

Did you know, Andrew Wiles is going to be there from this year? Obviously he won't be teaching lowly undergraduates, but you could bump into him in the corridors and stuff!

Oh, and on the subject of the MAT: I come from Scotland, and while I know roughly what "C1 and C2" covers, I don't know precisely. Does anyone know a good online resource for revising these modules?

Oh, and on the subject of the MAT: I come from Scotland, and while I know roughly what "C1 and C2" covers, I don't know precisely. Does anyone know a good online resource for revising these modules?

Oh, and on the subject of the MAT: I come from Scotland, and while I know roughly what "C1 and C2" covers, I don't know precisely. Does anyone know a good online resource for revising these modules?

I know this isn't the best place to ask this but I'm really confused about UCAS apply. My teacher told me that you only cash in AS levels that you aren't doing to A2 but ive heard that you have to cash them in now or something? how can that be so? so ive entered everything as A2 and left all the grades as pending but then how do I tell universities my AS grades? sorry my teachers haven't helped me at all really so i dont know how to use it haha

You might get better advice in the 2012 UCAS thread

It's a shame Oxford didn't appeal to me as much as Cambridge, as the applicants here seem very friendly and organised. A dedicated website, I must say, is very impressive!

Why don't we have one of these yet?

I was pretty sure based on the size, prettiness on the virtual tour, number of maths students (8-10 sounds perfect), apparently decent food and cheap accommodation (central for all four years). And then I went to the open day, and absolutely loved it.

Did you know, Andrew Wiles is going to be there from this year? Obviously he won't be teaching lowly undergraduates, but you could bump into him in the corridors and stuff!

Oh, and on the subject of the MAT: I come from Scotland, and while I know roughly what "C1 and C2" covers, I don't know precisely. Does anyone know a good online resource for revising these modules?

If you look on Edexcel's website they have past papers and the spec. Do a past paper of each, they're pretty easy compared to Highers. http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gce/gce08/maths/Pages/default.aspx

and if you have trouble there's a site specially for A level maths papers help. Think it's called examsolutions and he does all the run through and working outs on youtube.

There's an official syllabus especially for the MAT, so those are the topics to revise. Remember that the MAT tests the depth of understanding so you really need to understand those concepts/topics well.

Sounds brilliant
C1 and C2: I find the core 1 and 2 for OCR Cambridge Advanced level mathematics textbook amazing, but if it is online resources then am unsure. The Oxford website gives a 'syllabus' of sorts for MAT, so if you have enough material on those areas you should be fine.