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Revising for the PAT. (Oxford physics aptitude test)

Hi all. I was wondering if there was anyone out there who has experience of revising for the PAT. I have just finished my A2s but am taking a gap year to reapply, this year I applied for economics so big change of direction haha. I have studied maths further maths physics and history, and was wondering what content from the maths and physics a level is on the PAT, and whether there was anything that isn't in a level physics. ( I did aqa physics a for the record). I addition are there any textbooks or other revision stuff that is useful.

Thanks for the help.

S


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Reply 1
There are past papers on the Oxford site (although there aren't any official answers available); I've covered almost all of the syllabus in either AS Maths or Physics, so I think that you should be fine. Definitely try the past papers for yourself, as the questions are a little bit different and require more lateral thinking (especially some of the long answer questions).
Reply 2
-snip-
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 3
Original post by skrail
Hi all. I was wondering if there was anyone out there who has experience of revising for the PAT. I have just finished my A2s but am taking a gap year to reapply, this year I applied for economics so big change of direction haha. I have studied maths further maths physics and history, and was wondering what content from the maths and physics a level is on the PAT, and whether there was anything that isn't in a level physics. ( I did aqa physics a for the record). I addition are there any textbooks or other revision stuff that is useful.

Thanks for the help.

S


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App


Hiya, I did the PAT last year and got quite a high mark (top 1%) and I got my Oxford offer :smile: . The colleges vary from how much they value the PAT, but generally, alot of colleges view the PAT in greater esteem than the interviews.

It would be useful for you to google Physics Challenge and Physics Olympiad. These 2 resources helped me alot in attaining a high mark. Doing alot of past papers is generally the best way to get good at doing the PAT.

Once you get into the right frame of mind and know what you can expect from the PAT, it becomes alot easier. If you need any solutions to the PAT or have any questions about the physics course, i'd be happy to help. :smile:
Reply 4
Thank you both. I wouldn't actually be applying for the BSc in Physics, but Physics and Philosophy, in any case would either of you be able to tell me how the physics aspect of the course breaks down, the website isn't really clear on how flexible your modules of study are.



Original post by Rennit
Hiya, I did the PAT last year and got quite a high mark (top 1%) and I got my Oxford offer :smile: . The colleges vary from how much they value the PAT, but generally, alot of colleges view the PAT in greater esteem than the interviews.

It would be useful for you to google Physics Challenge and Physics Olympiad. These 2 resources helped me alot in attaining a high mark. Doing alot of past papers is generally the best way to get good at doing the PAT.

Once you get into the right frame of mind and know what you can expect from the PAT, it becomes alot easier. If you need any solutions to the PAT or have any questions about the physics course, i'd be happy to help. :smile:


Thank you, those websites look very useful. Congratulations on your offer, could I ask what A Levels you did, and [roughly] what kind of grades you got? The website just says the requirement is 3As but obviously most people who get in are getting more than that. I studied history rather than another natural science, would the absence of Chemistry hold me back? Are the Nelson Thornes textbooks enough in terms of material, or did you buy other ones to supplement them?

and again, thanks for your help.
Reply 5
Original post by Xdaamno
You'll want to make good use of the syllabus and past papers.

Ration the past papers out - I would advise doing one (or two) at first, then the rest in the weeks leading up to the test. Don't forget to take the sample paper on the website too. The syllabus could contain some things you haven't done since GCSE, depending on your exam board. I would advise getting to the point where you could comfortably talk about *anything* on the list to a friend. This might seem like overkill, but for Oxford, the PAT is as important as the interviews, and you only get one shot - as opposed to the interviews, where you get two or three.

You'll notice there's a funny algebra question on each past papers, where you get several bits of information about boxes, or rubber ducks, or something. It's a good idea to prepare your method of answering these beforehand, by drawing a table or something.

Finally, the secret to doing well on the PAT that not everyone knows about is probably the British Physics Olympiad. I'd advise doing the AS Challenge past papers and taking a look at the GCSE ones. They're quite similar to the PAT - in fact, during an open day, a professor told me that the PAT was originally based on the GCSE olympiad(!) The BPhO Paper 1 is the first A2 olympiad, and may be of some use if you're daring enough to look a little further ahead. The skill of checking work is something that can score you a lot of marks, so you could also practice doing AS Olympiad papers under timed conditions.


Thanks mate, I will be sure to have a look through those papers. I want to try and learn all of the stuff that I've forgotten since GCSE and AS, are there any specific text books or material that you know of that could be useful for this? I'd prefer to know my material before I have a go at the questions, otherwise they'll probably just scare me! Thankfully there is still ages to get all this sorted.
Reply 6
Original post by skrail
Thank you both. I wouldn't actually be applying for the BSc in Physics, but Physics and Philosophy, in any case would either of you be able to tell me how the physics aspect of the course breaks down, the website isn't really clear on how flexible your modules of study are.





Thank you, those websites look very useful. Congratulations on your offer, could I ask what A Levels you did, and [roughly] what kind of grades you got? The website just says the requirement is 3As but obviously most people who get in are getting more than that. I studied history rather than another natural science, would the absence of Chemistry hold me back? Are the Nelson Thornes textbooks enough in terms of material, or did you buy other ones to supplement them?

and again, thanks for your help.


I did physics, further maths, maths, economics and general studies. I continued on the 3 relevant ones and general studies and got A*A*A*B respectively.

The philosophy course is really for physicists who also enjoy philosophy, not for philosophy students that want to specialise in physics. I didn't buy any revision materials, I just did exam papers.
Reply 7
-snip-
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 8
How is everyone dealing with not having a calculator?

Are there any specific's from GCSE that people are bringing back for it?
Reply 9
to the person who said they value the PAT in greater esteem than the interviews, this is not true. after asking the several admissions tutors PAT is used for engineering anyway as a cut off point
Original post by Rennit
Hiya, I did the PAT last year and got quite a high mark (top 1%) and I got my Oxford offer :smile: . The colleges vary from how much they value the PAT, but generally, alot of colleges view the PAT in greater esteem than the interviews.

It would be useful for you to google Physics Challenge and Physics Olympiad. These 2 resources helped me alot in attaining a high mark. Doing alot of past papers is generally the best way to get good at doing the PAT.

Once you get into the right frame of mind and know what you can expect from the PAT, it becomes alot easier. If you need any solutions to the PAT or have any questions about the physics course, i'd be happy to help. :smile:


Hiya, your advice is good - I've started going through the papers , any chance you are still able to help with any solutions to the questions if I get stuck? :smile:
Hi there,
As I am applying for engineering I am doing PAt on 5th can you please give me some tips and ideas of things to revise for?
Thanks in advance.
Hi guys,

Here are the solutions for the PAT Exams!

http://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/pat/

Hope it helps
Hello Guys,can we discuss the solutions of the 2014 PAT?????
There's already a thread in the Physics Exams forum for past Oxford PAT discussion.
I've moved this one over there.
You may want to use the other thread instead, as this one is rather old, now.
(edited 9 years ago)
is the PAT used more than AS grades in deciding whether to offer a place
Reply 16
Original post by bread4lyf
is the PAT used more than AS grades in deciding whether to offer a place

Only your PAT score will decide if you get an interview for physics, but for mat sci they do look at other bits. Opinions vary on whether the PAT is considered post interview but generally most would say interviews are much more important.
Original post by Rennit
Hiya, I did the PAT last year and got quite a high mark (top 1%) and I got my Oxford offer :smile: . The colleges vary from how much they value the PAT, but generally, alot of colleges view the PAT in greater esteem than the interviews.

It would be useful for you to google Physics Challenge and Physics Olympiad. These 2 resources helped me alot in attaining a high mark. Doing alot of past papers is generally the best way to get good at doing the PAT.

Once you get into the right frame of mind and know what you can expect from the PAT, it becomes alot easier. If you need any solutions to the PAT or have any questions about the physics course, i'd be happy to help. :smile:

I am doing Scottish Advanced Highers in Maths, Physics, Mechanics and Chemistry. Should I learn the full A Level courses for Maths and Physics, or just the AS courses? How much will learning the full A Levels help? Any general tips on getting all the knowledge required and how to sit would be really appreciated.
Original post by Rennit
Hiya, I did the PAT last year and got quite a high mark (top 1%) and I got my Oxford offer :smile: . The colleges vary from how much they value the PAT, but generally, alot of colleges view the PAT in greater esteem than the interviews.

It would be useful for you to google Physics Challenge and Physics Olympiad. These 2 resources helped me alot in attaining a high mark. Doing alot of past papers is generally the best way to get good at doing the PAT.

Once you get into the right frame of mind and know what you can expect from the PAT, it becomes alot easier. If you need any solutions to the PAT or have any questions about the physics course, i'd be happy to help. :smile:


Out of the Core AS content (Measurements and their errors, Particles and radiation, Waves, Mechanics and materials, and Electricity), the Core A-Level content (Further mechanics and thermal physics, Fields and their consequences, and Nuclear physics), and the A-Level options (Astrophysics, Medical physics, Engineering physics, Turning points in physics, and Electronics), which are relevant to the PAT?
Original post by skrail
Hi all. I was wondering if there was anyone out there who has experience of revising for the PAT. I have just finished my A2s but am taking a gap year to reapply, this year I applied for economics so big change of direction haha. I have studied maths further maths physics and history, and was wondering what content from the maths and physics a level is on the PAT, and whether there was anything that isn't in a level physics. ( I did aqa physics a for the record). I addition are there any textbooks or other revision stuff that is useful.

Thanks for the help.

S


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App


Hey, could you please tell me what you did in the gap year, before going to Oxford. THANK YOU

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