STEP Prep Thread 2014

Original post by IceKidd

could u post your solution please

Spoiler

Reply 981

Llewellyn

14

Original post by Europa192

Just came across these specimen maths papers for the admission test for Trinity college and thought they looked good:

http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/index.php?pageid=86&subid=22

I just had a go at a probability question on paper1, question 5 but not sure I got it right -could anyone have a go for me so I could compare answers?

I'm not sure if all of those sample papers were available last year. But tests #2 and #3 are a good representation of what to expect at your Cambridge test/ interview. So if you are going for an interview it may be a good idea to look at these and get an idea.

As for the interviews/tests - much like any extended maths exam there is often a point to each question, be it something you are meant to realise, recognise or connect. The worst thing you can do is just see a question and start writing. Diagrams, complimentary graphs (even if you just think about the graph and don't draw it) and most importantly a bit of English will go a long way to demonstrate to the interviewers that you actually know and understand what you are doing.

e.g. Taking Specimen test 1 Q2 as an example: (this is not a solution it's an insight into what maybe should cross your mind.)

Spoiler

Also taking a look at Q4:

Spoiler

I chose 2 and 4 because they are both very short and simple, it would probably be better to do this with a longer question. I think the video ace linked to demonstrates what I am trying to say quite well. III 2002 Q5 is an example of how easy a question can be if you think about it properly first.
Unfortunately it looks like that youtube account is now inactive. If I can get a decent set-up in order to talk through some interesting problems and give some advice then I will consider doing something similar.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 982

Guys, what's everyone doing in this final week before interview? I have achieved my goal of doing 50% of all STEP 1 Qs, and I've completed most of the 1st and 2nd trinity tests (saving the 3rd as a mock for the night before- is this a good idea btw?). But I still feel like I should be doing more to prepare- is it worth running through the FP2 material? I haven't done anything with polar co-ords or Taylor/Maclaurin since June so I'm a bit out of touch, but I'm not sure if it's worth the time. Basically I'm just panicking and doing more maths would help to calm my nerves :biggrin:

Reply 983

Original post by Ben385

Guys, what's everyone doing in this final week before interview? I have achieved my goal of doing 50% of all STEP 1 Qs, and I've completed most of the 1st and 2nd trinity tests (saving the 3rd as a mock for the night before- is this a good idea btw?). But I still feel like I should be doing more to prepare- is it worth running through the FP2 material? I haven't done anything with polar co-ords or Taylor/Maclaurin since June so I'm a bit out of touch, but I'm not sure if it's worth the time. Basically I'm just panicking and doing more maths would help to calm my nerves :biggrin:

I personally haven't a clue what to be at - I'm just continuing with STEP II questions as I was! I had a look at the Trinity specimen papers over the weekend there and tried a few questions - basically scared the **** out of myself though as I did struggle (although I surprisingly got a few correct I think).

I'm wondering what to do RE the further maths stuff - as I'm on a gap year I'm not sure whether or not they'll ask me on it or not. I'll probably look over it all just in case. The fact that I have a separate pure and applied one is also scaring me too.

Reply 984

Original post by CD315

I personally haven't a clue what to be at - I'm just continuing with STEP II questions as I was! I had a look at the Trinity specimen papers over the weekend there and tried a few questions - basically scared the **** out of myself though as I did struggle (although I surprisingly got a few correct I think).

I'm wondering what to do RE the further maths stuff - as I'm on a gap year I'm not sure whether or not they'll ask me on it or not. I'll probably look over it all just in case. The fact that I have a separate pure and applied one is also scaring me too.

The 2nd and 3rd specimen papers are quite difficult in my opinion. I think the 1st one is more realistic for other colleges to be honest.. but then again, if you do 3/4 in the hour, they say that's pretty good :tongue:

Separate pure and applied?! that sounds nasty.. I'm hoping to keep the discussion in my interview on the pure side :wink:

Reply 985

Original post by Ben385

The 2nd and 3rd specimen papers are quite difficult in my opinion. I think the 1st one is more realistic for other colleges to be honest.. but then again, if you do 3/4 in the hour, they say that's pretty good :tongue:

Separate pure and applied?! that sounds nasty.. I'm hoping to keep the discussion in my interview on the pure side :wink:

Yeah - the 1st was slightly easier (I still struggled :lol:

). Luckily I don't have a test at interview.

Yes - separate! I'm not sure how applied it will get - a guy I spoke to on here said he got differential equations in the applied one, and the likes of modular arithmetic etc. in the pure one. I literally have no idea what to expect.

What date's yours?

Reply 986

Original post by Ben385

The 2nd and 3rd specimen papers are quite difficult in my opinion. I think the 1st one is more realistic for other colleges to be honest.. but then again, if you do 3/4 in the hour, they say that's pretty good :tongue:

Separate pure and applied?! that sounds nasty.. I'm hoping to keep the discussion in my interview on the pure side :wink:

Do you really think that we shall stand a chance if we do 3-4 questions?! I think anything below 8, at least 7 (in case of too many applied questions :biggrin:

), is not a good result, to put it mildly.

Reply 987

Original post by CD315

Yeah - the 1st was slightly easier (I still struggled :lol:

). Luckily I don't have a test at interview.

Yes - separate! I'm not sure how applied it will get - a guy I spoke to on here said he got differential equations in the applied one, and the likes of modular arithmetic etc. in the pure one. I literally have no idea what to expect.

What date's yours?

ooh, I would be happy with either of those topics. I'm actually glad to have a test- I think I work better on my own than with two great minds peering over my shoulder, but it is hard.. and it would be rather embarrassing if I couldn't finish any of the problems.

Mine's next Wednesday, the 11th, what about yours?

Reply 988

Original post by Mladenov

Do you really think that we shall stand a chance if we do 3-4 questions?! I think anything below 8, at least 7 (in case of too many applied questions :biggrin:

), is not a good result, to put it mildly.

Umm.. yeah.. Not everyone who applies is a genius :P besides, out of the people who get interviews, ~38% get an offer from Trinity, and ~25% get an offer from another college. So yes, I think doing 4 or 5 in an hour is a good result- especially if you can start explaining some more in the interview. I think your expectations of the competition are quite high, I'm sure you will get 8/9 questions, but you are the best of the best :tongue:

What day is your interview btw?

Reply 989

Original post by Ben385

Umm.. yeah.. Not everyone who applies is a genius :P besides, out of the people who get interviews, ~38% get an offer from Trinity, and ~25% get an offer from another college. So yes, I think doing 4 or 5 in an hour is a good result- especially if you can start explaining some more in the interview. I think your expectations of the competition are quite high, I'm sure you will get 8/9 questions, but you are the best of the best :tongue:

What day is your interview btw?

So, almost two thirds of the applicants get an offer, that's reassuring.

Two years ago a guy, who practically made it to our IMO team (failed the TST), did get pooled, and then fished by Clare, if I am not mistaken. That being said, I do not know how well he did on the test..

Mine is on the 11th of December, and I'll be there on the 10th.

By the way, I was just surprised, I did not intend to sound pretentious.

Reply 990

Original post by Mladenov

So, almost two thirds of the applicants get an offer, that's reassuring.

Two years ago a guy, who practically made it to our IMO team (failed the TST), did get pooled, and then fished by Clare, if I am not mistaken. That being said, I do not know how well he did on the test..

Mine is on the 11th of December, and I'll be there on the 10th.

By the way, I was just surprised, I did not intend to sound pretentious.

It is a comforting statistic. I am unsure of Trinity's position with international applicants- it does seem that many outstanding international people (IMO or Balkan or RMM team etc) don't manage to get in, but some not-so-great UK people do. It would seem they have a quota or something- but this is purely hypothetical.

I am also arriving on the 10th for an interview on the 11th, I'm sure I will see you there :smile:

Reply 991

Original post by Ben385

ooh, I would be happy with either of those topics. I'm actually glad to have a test- I think I work better on my own than with two great minds peering over my shoulder, but it is hard.. and it would be rather embarrassing if I couldn't finish any of the problems.

Mine's next Wednesday, the 11th, what about yours?

I agree with all of that actually - I just hope they like the way I think or approach problems or whatever it is they look for :biggrin:

Not until the 17th!

Reply 992

Original post by CD315

I agree with all of that actually - I just hope they like the way I think or approach problems or whatever it is they look for :biggrin:

Not until the 17th!

Yeah, I'm sure they love your 4A*s too :wink:

That's quite a long way away, wow! Lucky I didn't get one so late as I'll be visiting CERN then :tongue:

I've decided on something to do- start learning about Laplace Transforms. I do enjoy calculus and these look fun :biggrin:

Reply 993

Original post by Ben385

Yeah, I'm sure they love your 4A*s too :wink:

That's quite a long way away, wow! Lucky I didn't get one so late as I'll be visiting CERN then :tongue:

I've decided on something to do- start learning about Laplace Transforms. I do enjoy calculus and these look fun :biggrin:

Ah, I doubt grades mean an awful lot at this stage anyway! Can't say I'm not jealous - take me please :tongue:

I mentioned those on my personal statement. They are fun - they're also useful in differential equations and certain integrals. I'm expecting a question on it!

Reply 994

Original post by Ben385

It is a comforting statistic. I am unsure of Trinity's position with international applicants- it does seem that many outstanding international people (IMO or Balkan or RMM team etc) don't manage to get in, but some not-so-great UK people do. It would seem they have a quota or something- but this is purely hypothetical.

I am also arriving on the 10th for an interview on the 11th, I'm sure I will see you there :smile:

Well, I do not know their policy but there is enough mathematics to do, and not worry about it.

To prepare for the interview, I am doing 1 STEP mock a day, some Olympiad stuff (mainly combinatorics since I always choose a wrong approach (I turned BMO 1 2013 Q4 into ternary sequences... :biggrin:

)) and my favourite example sheets - this for I put too much AT on my PS.

Hah, see you there then.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 995

Original post by Mladenov

Well, I do not know their policy but there is enough mathematics to do, and not worry about it.

To prepare for the interview, I am doing 1 STEP mock a day, some Olympiad stuff (mainly combinatorics since I always choose a wrong approach (I turned BMO 1 2013 Q4 into ternary sequences... :biggrin:

)) and my favourite example sheets - this for I put too much AT on my PS.

Hah, see you there then.

Could you recommend any (free) online resources for olympiad topics such as combinatorics?

Reply 996

Europa192

Original post by Mladenov

Do you really think that we shall stand a chance if we do 3-4 questions?! I think anything below 8, at least 7 (in case of too many applied questions :biggrin:

), is not a good result, to put it mildly.

Yeah I got the idea it was more similar to a STEP paper in that they provide a range of questions and aren't expecting most people to complete more than a few. But then I guess it is Trinity. I also have my interview on the 11th and going up on the 10th :smile:

But for Kings - I avoided Trinity like the plague. Best of luck, by the sound of it you stand a good chance!

Reply 997

Original post by CD315

Could you recommend any (free) online resources for olympiad topics such as combinatorics?

Sure. For combinatorics Yufei Zhao's stuff is the right place to start; there are also nice articles on algebra and geometry. For number theory, take a look at Naoki Sato's article (the introduction is non-sense, it is accessible). This is my favourite online source for number theory (it is like Stacks Project, though much smaller and easier), it starts from the beginning but goes deep into the subject quickly, contains some nice problems.
Also look at Alexander Remorov's page.

Original post by Europa192

Yeah I got the idea it was more similar to a STEP paper in that they provide a range of questions and aren't expecting most people to complete more than a few. But then I guess it is Trinity. I also have my interview on the 11th and going up on the 10th :smile:

But for Kings - I avoided Trinity like the plague. Best of luck, by the sound of it you stand a good chance!

Why did you avoid Trinity? It's such a nice college. :tongue:

Thanks. Wish you the best of luck.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 998