How competitive are the top maths courses?

Original post by CancerousProblem

I heard from some friends that the competition of getting onto the top maths courses is about equivalent to that of medicine
to what extent is this true?

Can't compare them as they are different lol.

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Reply 5

Original post by CancerousProblem

I heard from some friends that the competition of getting onto the top maths courses is about equivalent to that of medicine
to what extent is this true?

Cambridge Math first year undergraduates have the highest average number of UCAS points per student in the UK, I believe.

Reply 6

Original post by lizard54142

Cambridge Math first year undergraduates have the highest average number of UCAS points per student in the UK, I believe.

Yh I think it like 600/700. Lol the max I can get is 500 and something!

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Reply 7

Original post by physicsmaths

Yh I think it like 600/700. Lol the max I can get is 500 and something!

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I could potentially get 620, but that's highly unlikely unfortunately, haha!

Reply 8

Original post by lizard54142

I could potentially get 620, but that's highly unlikely unfortunately, haha!

Im gna feel abit left out when i get to Cambridge in october as I will probably be the very few mathmos that do 3 A levels lol. Even then i migh still get an A in physics bringing it down even more.

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Reply 9

Original post by physicsmaths

Im gna feel abit left out when i get to Cambridge in october as I will probably be the very few mathmos that do 3 A levels lol. Even then i migh still get an A in physics bringing it down even more.

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So you're doing your A2's this exam season? :smile:

Reply 10

Original post by lizard54142

So you're doing your A2's this exam season? :smile:

Yep, wbu?

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Reply 11

Original post by physicsmaths

Yep, wbu?

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Yep... I've really screwed myself over by not doing enough maths last year, and then deciding that I want to do maths at uni. So now I've got 10 maths exams this exam season, 7 of which I have had to self study for. Great.

Reply 12

Observatory

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Original post by CancerousProblem

I heard from some friends that the competition of getting onto the top maths courses is about equivalent to that of medicine
to what extent is this true?

It's either much harder or much easier than getting in to medicine, but more exclusive. Medicine is a subject where hard work can make up for low aptitude to a large extent; of course with so many competitors offering both, hard work is still no guarantee of success. Maths is a subject where inherent aptitude dominates. Some people can effortlessly float in to Cambridge while the vast majority - including I suspect the majority of medical students - would never be admissible to a top maths degree.

Reply 13

Wahrheit

Original post by lizard54142

Yep... I've really screwed myself over by not doing enough maths last year, and then deciding that I want to do maths at uni. So now I've got 10 maths exams this exam season, 7 of which I have had to self study for. Great.

I did that! It's worth it in the end though, the achievement is so much more!

Reply 14

Original post by Wahrheit

I did that! It's worth it in the end though, the achievement is so much more!

So its not just me then! If you don't mind me asking, which modules did you do each year, and how did you go?

Reply 15

Wahrheit

Original post by lizard54142

So its not just me then! If you don't mind me asking, which modules did you do each year, and how did you go?

C1, C2, M1, S1, FP1 in year 12, C3, C4, M2, M3, D2, FP2, FP3 in year 13 and I got A*A* :smile:

I found doing STEP and FP modules alongside C3, and C4 made them really easy which was nice, only dropped 1 UMS and I didn't do much specific preparation for them because STEP makes you so comfortable with the material, just a couple of past papers to make sure.

Reply 16

Original post by lizard54142

Yep... I've really screwed myself over by not doing enough maths last year, and then deciding that I want to do maths at uni. So now I've got 10 maths exams this exam season, 7 of which I have had to self study for. Great.

Yeh I did C1-2 M1-2 S1 FP1 last year which were all taught in school but this year I have done C3/4 M3/4 FP2/3 and S2 all of which I self taught except for S2 because i needed the modules early to do STEP. Don't worry you will be fine!

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Reply 17

Blutooth

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Original post by lizard54142

Cambridge Math first year undergraduates have the highest average number of UCAS points per student in the UK, I believe.

To be fair, that's cos half of them have done triple maths and physics. Some also do AEA.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 18

Original post by Wahrheit

C1, C2, M1, S1, FP1 in year 12, C3, C4, M2, M3, D2, FP2, FP3 in year 13 and I got A*A* :smile:

I found doing STEP and FP modules alongside C3, and C4 made them really easy which was nice, only dropped 1 UMS and I didn't do much specific preparation for them because STEP makes you so comfortable with the material, just a couple of past papers to make sure.

You dropped 1 UMS overall or 1 UMS in C3/C4? I'm doing FP2, FP3, D1, M2, NM, C3, C4, M1 and STEP's 1 and 2 this year haha, personally for me M2 is the hardest (and STEP obviously).

Reply 19