Physics 2014 Entry Hopefuls!

I don't know if this is going to affect you, but I just found it out so I'll tell you: Durham now requests UMS scores at AS level for all applicants (presume they're looking for 90%+ in everything)



I've been to Sheffield. The city's lovely, not what you expect (or not what I expected). The physics department is pretty standard and quite old fashioned, but has the usual array of expensive equipment. Having talked to some of the professors, I really like them and they seem really enthusiastic. Their union is probably the best in the country and their offer is AAB.

I'm so nervous about applying.
The other day, at a pub quiz, the question:
"What planet is closest to the sun"
came up.
I said Mars.
I was wrong.
I'm having doubts about applying to Astrophysics.

Hi guys, I'm looking to apply for Astrophysics at St. Andrews, Physics with Astrophysics at Bristol, Sheffield, and Birmingham, and Physics with Meteorology at Edinburgh.
I'm hugely interested in weather systems on other planets, and I'm writing my EPQ on the runaway greenhouse effect on Venus, and how understanding that influences environmental action on Earth.

I'm so nervous about applying.
The other day, at a pub quiz, the question:
"What planet is closest to the sun"
came up.
I said Mars.
I was wrong.
I'm having doubts about applying to Astrophysics.

Haha! We all make silly mistakes like that. Especially when we think we know a lot about a subject.
Don't have doubts about it, stick with your ambition!

You'll be fine, I run an astronomy club a my school and once spent about half an hour trying to persuade a bunch of year sevens that mars was closer to the sun than earth! Naturally, they now won't listen to a word I say

But seriously, don't doubt yourself- it was a spur of the moment mistake, and one you won't make again now!!


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Haha, literally nothing will stop me applying! I love the idea of just studying astrophysics.
What are you applying for?


That's so cool that you run an astronomy club; even if not so well
I go to a standalone sixth form college, so we don't really get the opportunity to teach students younger than us, which is kind of sucky...
What are you applying for?

It's good in a lot of ways, can be a bit of a pain though sometimes! I did do the GCSE, so I shouldn't be that bad... I'm applying to a mix of physics and physics and music probably, my intention is to take as many astro modules as possible though and at Glasgow you do three subjects in your first year so I guess I'd do physics, music and astronomy or astrophysics in that case! If I didn't already have physics and music I would definitely think about astrophysics, it sounds so cool...


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Haha, literally nothing will stop me applying! I love the idea of just studying astrophysics.
What are you applying for?

An astronomy GCSE? I've heard that existed, but I didn't think anyone actually did it. That sounds amazing! Was it good? Did you do Physics GCSE, too?
That sounds awesome, are you applying to a Physics and Music course? I know that Imperial offer Physics with Music Performance, which I think is pretty cool. I wish I could play an instrument.
Yeah, that's why I'm looking at Edinburgh and St. Andrews, I love that you choose three different courses. I know someone that started on a Politics with International Relations degree, and ended with a degree in Archaeology at Aberdeen.
Best of luck with your application! What do you play?

A few of us did it as an after school thing in year ten, it was really good! I did physics as well as we did separate sciences, did you?

Yeah, Imperial do that but they want A*AA and distinction at grade 8 on at least one instrument... Edinburgh, Glasgow and a few others do it as well though which is good And I play flute and saxophone

Do you do three in first year at Edinburgh as well? I didn't know that but I hope so! What do you think your three will be then? I love the idea that you can finish with something totally different too, and it can help if you don't do the right A levels or something as well!


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that's really cool, i wish my school offered us something like that :'(
This is true, but y'know... Imperial is right next to the Royal Albert Hall, you can see why they want the best musicians!
Ahh that's quite cool. I heard something about it being bad to play two instruments that require you to like... blow? (I'm sure there's a more apt word for it but I am completely ignorant of musical vocabulary) Because the way you form your lips is different for different instruments? I remember my friend getting a scolding from his Saxophone teacher because he'd been playing a Trombone...

Yeah, at all scottish universities, that's the thing that most attracts me to them; the huge amount of flexibility. The thing is with studying Physics, though, is that i'm pretty sure you have to do a maths subject as one of your three
By the way, you have to do three subjects for your first two years
I'm not too sure how the choice system works, but I'd prioritise Physics and Maths at both St. Andrews and Edinburgh.

I'd just like to jump in here and clear a few things up with regards to how each Scottish university works in the first 2 years. I did all this research when I was applying so I try to not make it go to waste Also, each university uses a 120 credit system so you take 120 credits worth each year.

University of Edinburgh: In 1st year all physics students study 40 credits of physics, 40 credits of maths and 40 credits of something else. They offer 2 pre-honours astro modules each of 20 credits that run in alternate years so you can do 1 in 1st year and the other in 2nd.
2nd year is a bit different. In general, you study 80 credits worth of physics (including all the extra maths you need) but direct entrants need to do a bit more. What is in the other 40 credits can be decided depending on your program so rather than list all the possibilities, I'll give you a link thats helpful: http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/13-14/dpt/drps_phy.htm

University of Glasgow: In 1st year everyone does 3 subjects; physics, maths and a 3rd subject(astronomy, chemistry, computer science, music, a language ect.) 2nd year is a little different as their is 60 credits of core physics and a minimum of 30 credits of maths but more can be taken. 2nd year astronomy is 30 credits and requires 1st year astro to have been done. Here's a link that might help: http://physci.moodle.gla.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=27

University of St Andrews: 1st year is 40 credits worth of physics courses but the amount of maths necessary is flexible. For entry into honours physics, you need to have done MT2001 which needs MT1002 to be done before hand. MT1002 needs either a B in AH maths or a B in A-level or a pass in MT1001. Both MT1002 and MT2001 run in both semesters. 1st year astro is 20 credits as are all 1st year modules. In 2nd year all modules are 30 credits in size so this means 60 credits worth of physics and 30 optional credits of astro. I think theoretical physics are encouraged to do MT2003 but I can't be certain. I haven't listed all the options in maths coz there is quite a lot so this link to the list of maths available might be helpful: http://www.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/ug/index.shtml
You can also find bits and pieces of info about physics for all the links on this page: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/physics/staff_students/index.php

If you want to know a bit about any of the other Scottish universities that offer physics, I should be able to help

EDIT: Was just rereading one of the above posts that mentioned you having to do 3 subjects in both 1st and 2nd year; this only really applies to arts and humanities subjects which is why at Glasgow for example 2nd year physics is 60 credits, not 40.

Annnd this thread suddenly makes me feel very old.

I'm a first year Durham physicist, so if you've got any questions I'm happy to answer. I applied for Durham, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and Sheffield, and considered Theoretical physics, maths and physics, and physics and philosophy, before settling on straight physics, so ask away.

After thinking about it for some days, I'm considering applying to Oxbridge instead of Imperial, but I can't really decide between Oxford or Cambridge.
I know this question has been made over a million of times, but which one do you feel is better to study physics?

I know that Cambridge only has a Natural Science course and doesn't offer a straight Physics degree, but I'm ok with that. Instead, my main concern is the admission process. I have high grades at school and I've read that Cambridge pays more attention to this than Oxford, but I don't know if this also applies to international students.

I would like to visit both universities to have a clearer idea, but I can't attend both Open Days, so I think I'll go to Cambridge. I'll travel with my mom (I come from Italy) and I was also wondering if she can come with me during the Open Day.

Set me up with some good books to read I've read a lot of Feynman so no more please!


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If anyone here's considering applying to Durham, I can tell you about the course structure, options, and in particular detail years 1 and 2.

Also anyone applying to Durham should know that they require module UMS scores on their applications. Probably looking for 90%+ which has buggered me up

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Also anyone applying to Durham should know that they require module UMS scores on their applications. Probably looking for 90%+ which has buggered me up

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta