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Oxford or Cambridge for Physics?

Just wondering, what are you views towards this course at Oxford and Cambridge?

Is a broader NatSci approach superior to the more focused Oxford approach or vice versa?

Do both universities end up covering the same material (in terms of physics and maths)?

Reply 1

alispam

12

I applied to oxford for biochemistry rather than camb for natsci. It depends if you're really set on physics or not entirely sure. If you're not sure then definitely go to for natsci. If you're def set on physics then do you want to do topics in your fist year that are totally un-physics related? This will happen in natsci as in the first year you have to do a maths module with 3 subjects from the following list:
Biology of cells
Chemistry
Evolution and behaviour
Geology
Materials and mineral science
Physics
Physiology of organisms

After the first year there is more physics, but wouldn't you prefer a pure physics course????

Reply 2

silver-rose

OP

would you learn more in the NatSci course?

I my mind is fixed definately on physics, but i don't mind Chem and another science!

I mean....camb says that at the end...you still do the same amount of physics as in other courses (if not morE). So what would be the difference in the end? Wouldn't it be better if you could get a broader as well as a more indepth approach?

Reply 3

alispam

12

The camb prospectus doesn't give specific details of what areas of physics are covered. Yes doing a broader course is going to be useful and interesting (variation is always good). But how are you going to cover the same amount of physics in the same time period when you are doing other subjects as well? You might cover the same maths but bear in mind at oxford the maths will be more physics targeted.

Really you need to speak to people doing the two courses (any1 out there???????????) If you can't decide between the two courses then look at other factors - the cities, colleges etc.

oxford

OP

im leaning towards oxford right now, for the depth of study...but does anyone know whether the detail of study is the same at both colelges?

Could it be that you learn more at camb

Reply 6

Helenia

20

alispam

The camb prospectus doesn't give specific details of what areas of physics are covered. Yes doing a broader course is going to be useful and interesting (variation is always good). But how are you going to cover the same amount of physics in the same time period when you are doing other subjects as well? You might cover the same maths but bear in mind at oxford the maths will be more physics targeted.

Because the first two years of the Natsci course have an insane amount of content.

Reply 7

xandergiles

Go Cambridge - Physics at Oxford is muc harder to get in for - though the ration's of app:acc are slightly less, the quality of the candidates is much higher at Oxford. There's no maths test at Cambridge for Physics, so if you think you have a good shot based on your grades/predictions then apply to Cambridge. You basiccly do physics for the first year then specialise. Plus Cambridge has nicer labs (The Cavendish) and (if you care) better allumni. I would VERY highly reccomend applying to Cambridge to do NatSci.

Reply 8

Robob

17

xandergiles

the quality of the candidates is much higher at Oxford

Really? I was always told it was he other way round...

Anyways go for cambridge, it will give you more flexibility, a wider knowledge base, and is generally a slightly more respected course (not that physics at oxford isn't, its just natsci is almost 'the' science course)

Reply 9

CamSPSer

xandergiles

Go Cambridge - Physics at Oxford is muc harder to get in for - though the ration's of app:acc are slightly less, the quality of the candidates is much higher at Oxford. There's no maths test at Cambridge for Physics, so if you think you have a good shot based on your grades/predictions then apply to Cambridge. You basiccly do physics for the first year then specialise. Plus Cambridge has nicer labs (The Cavendish) and (if you care) better allumni. I would VERY highly reccomend applying to Cambridge to do NatSci.

Where do you get this information from?

Reply 10

Willa

11

alispam

The camb prospectus doesn't give specific details of what areas of physics are covered. Yes doing a broader course is going to be useful and interesting (variation is always good). But how are you going to cover the same amount of physics in the same time period when you are doing other subjects as well? You might cover the same maths but bear in mind at oxford the maths will be more physics targeted.

Really you need to speak to people doing the two courses (any1 out there???????????) If you can't decide between the two courses then look at other factors - the cities, colleges etc.

I am currently sitting in my second year natsci at cambridge, doing only the physics options (physics, advanced physics and maths). I have friends at oxford doing physics, and so have a rough idea about what has been covered. I also only ever intended to study physics when going to university....this is my opinion on it all:

I feel that first year Cambridge natsci ends up teaching you a little less physics than Oxford first year, but more maths (which at that stage seems completely useless....you realise it's use in the second year). You will also develop scientific understanding in other subjects, typically physical chemistry, but you can do something else as well (I did computer science - something one of the original replies missed out - and as a result of the skills I learnt in that course, I landed myself a rather well paid job over the summer, working from home! If I had gone to Oxford, I wouldn't have had those skills, nor the opportunity for such a job - since the job was set up through people i knew in the Cambridge computer science course). The heavy content load on first year natural scientists is, I have to say, one of if not the most demanding first year subject in the country. However, this sets you up for the second year, where the pace remains quite fast, and at present from what I know of what my oxford pals have been up to, we're pretty much caught up with everything they've done. But additionally, I have that extra scientific knowledge in other areas of science - which have proved useful in many areas of physics (e.g. thermodynamics, which I learnt in chemistry first year) - at this stage I also think I have a bit more mathematical knowledge than my oxford friends, due to the seperation of maths from the sciences (although the maths is taught with physics very much in mind).

In summary: at Oxford you're probably perhaps a little way ahead of your Cambridge equivilent, but the experience and understanding you gain from the Natsci tripos make up for that.

You could always go for Maths and Physics at Cambridge if you reeeally didn't want to do anything but physics (although because it comes under the Maths Tripos, it's pretty competitive)

Reply 11

RichyP

I had a similar decision to you to make this year. I went for Oxford for a number of reasons. Talking to students I got the impression that if you went for Oxford you came out knowing more physics than cambridge, though I'm not certain of this. Also I got the impression that the students at Oxford really loved physics and so I like the atmosphere it created. Also I don't do Chem (but I do Further Maths, so I do meet the Cambridge entry requirements). In Cambridge you have to attend lecture on a Saturday.

The thing I found helped most with the decision is when I went round univercity open days I talked to the students there and the members of staff. The advice they gave is if your sure you want to physics go for Oxford, if not Cambridge. Basicly my advice is to talk to people at other good unis during open days as they would have had to make the same decision.

Reply 12

Robob

17

Just to add, Im 100% sure I want to do physics, but still applied for natsci

Reply 13

Morbo

17

Depends how hard you want to get bummed.

Reply 14

apple tree

I doubt you do both more indepth and broader for natural science than say a subject specific course, it's one or the other, unless you choose to do so in your own time (which is perfectly fine). So it's either more indepth, or broader, that's the beauty of the natural science course I guess.
Incidently, I feel that the physics course at oxford is great (if only there was more funding in science in general), I would disagree to the statement that 'the' science course is at cambridge. Cambridge have an excellent mathematics department, but in terms of concentrating on physics I prefer the single course. I don't think you can say that one science department is the best in the country in terms of being an undergraduate student.

Reply 15

kizer

15

Has anyone recommended 'the other place'?? As far as I can see Cambridge people are recommending Cambridge and Oxford are recommending Oxford.

Suggests this isn't really the right place to be making the decision...

Reply 16

Robob

17

kizer

Has anyone recommended 'the other place'?? As far as I can see Cambridge people are recommending Cambridge and Oxford are recommending Oxford.

Suggests this isn't really the right place to be making the decision...

Well tbh, they wouldnt have applied there if they preferred the other one...

Reply 17

CamSPSer

kizer

Has anyone recommended 'the other place'?? As far as I can see Cambridge people are recommending Cambridge and Oxford are recommending Oxford.

Suggests this isn't really the right place to be making the decision...

The thing is its difficult to be objective about the other course. In the thread on SPS vs. PPE you have people supporting their own courses, of course its not the only thing you should go on but student experience on the best elements of their course can be a useful decision maker - as long as its not the only criteria you use for picking the course

Reply 18

silver-rose

OP

hmm... i'm leaning towards cambridge...

you see, I live overseas, and just have my mind set for physics in the UK, so my opnion is quite swayed....

also...i'm expecting around a 44 or 43 in the IB, with 7s in econ, chem, physics and math. Do you think that chances I get an interview are quite high?

Reply 19

Alewhey

As a first-year doing the NatSci Tripos, I have no difficulty whatsoever believing that the Cambridge course is both broader and more in-depth. The course is exceptionally dense and the pace is insane. But in a good way. Sort of.

Oxford or Cambridge for Physics?

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