The Student Room Group

Edexcel Alevel Further Maths (for oxford physics)

Ok i am doing Physics chemistry maths and AS further maths. I could not get into biology into my school cause my grade was a bit too low. But i didnt really want to do it i want to do physics in oxford or any good uk uni so i dunno if bio would help. I want to know what's the best AS maths combination to do physics at oxford? What i chose for my AS further maths was D1 S1 and Fp1

for my regular maths i am doing c1-c4 and m1 and m2
i am also doing this with the alevel reforms so all the exam after two years.
Any physics university students or anyone with a know how please comment

Scroll to see replies

I'm not a uni student but I am going to apply to Oxford this year, our school did C1C2S1 and FP1D1M1, will do M2M3 this year. The preferred choice for Oxford is at least three modules for mechanics if you're doing the full further maths AS, the D1 module is slightly frowned upon but it won't make any difference just at AS providing you also do mechanics. S1 is sort of in between.
Original post by 雷尼克
I'm not a uni student but I am going to apply to Oxford this year, our school did C1C2S1 and FP1D1M1, will do M2M3 this year. The preferred choice for Oxford is at least three modules for mechanics if you're doing the full further maths AS, the D1 module is slightly frowned upon but it won't make any difference just at AS providing you also do mechanics. S1 is sort of in between.


did your modules prepare you for the PAT fully?
Original post by NatoHeadshot
did your modules prepare you for the PAT fully?

Haven't done it yet
Original post by 雷尼克
Haven't done it yet


yeah but did those maths modules you took cover everything for the PAT
Original post by NatoHeadshot
yeah but did those maths modules you took cover everything for the PAT


Yeah except there's a bit of C3 in the PAT with inverse functions, logs, trig, etc...
Original post by 雷尼克
Yeah except there's a bit of C3 in the PAT with inverse functions, logs, trig, etc...


do they take the PAT topics from just the core units?
Original post by 雷尼克
Yeah except there's a bit of C3 in the PAT with inverse functions, logs, trig, etc...


someone told me most of the topics are from pure maths? fp1 fp2 fp2 etc..?
is this true? can i not do the pat unless i take some of these
Original post by NatoHeadshot
someone told me most of the topics are from pure maths? fp1 fp2 fp2 etc..?
is this true? can i not do the pat unless i take some of these


By pure maths they mean core maths, not further pure. The PAT topics are from C1 C2 C3 and a tiny bit of S1
Original post by 雷尼克
By pure maths they mean core maths, not further pure. The PAT topics are from C1 C2 C3 and a tiny bit of S1


what i dont understand is they reccomend mechanics. So i took mechanics in my first year we are going to do m1 c1 c2 and i assume after i finish my first year i apply to oxford and they give me a target for the second year if they are interested in me as a candidate. But like you said most of the topics look like c1-c3 so maybe i should do pure at school which would cover c1-c3 in my first year and c4 fp1 and fp2 in second. I am hoenstly just so confused with what modules to take to prepare me for the PAT
Original post by NatoHeadshot
what i dont understand is they reccomend mechanics. So i took mechanics in my first year we are going to do m1 c1 c2 and i assume after i finish my first year i apply to oxford and they give me a target for the second year if they are interested in me as a candidate. But like you said most of the topics look like c1-c3 so maybe i should do pure at school which would cover c1-c3 in my first year and c4 fp1 and fp2 in second. I am hoenstly just so confused with what modules to take to prepare me for the PAT


Core 1-3 and S1 should be enough for the PAT, they recommend you take mechanics modules because they are more challenging and useful for a physics degree
Original post by 雷尼克
Core 1-3 and S1 should be enough for the PAT, they recommend you take mechanics modules because they are more challenging and useful for a physics degree


i've followed you, please if you do remember let us know about your PAT. All the best. Is it generally difficult?
Original post by NatoHeadshot
Ok i am doing Physics chemistry maths and AS further maths. I could not get into biology into my school cause my grade was a bit too low. But i didnt really want to do it i want to do physics in oxford or any good uk uni so i dunno if bio would help. I want to know what's the best AS maths combination to do physics at oxford? What i chose for my AS further maths was D1 S1 and Fp1

for my regular maths i am doing c1-c4 and m1 and m2
i am also doing this with the alevel reforms so all the exam after two years.
Any physics university students or anyone with a know how please comment


I did the PAT this year and there was a monster mechanics question at the end, the paper is available online, so have a look through some past papers and you'll see roughly what is required.
In terms of getting an offer, I can't imagine they'd care a huge amount about the modules you do but I think mechanics would be by far the most useful for physics after C1-4.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by NatoHeadshot
i've followed you, please if you do remember let us know about your PAT. All the best. Is it generally difficult?


As I said earlier I haven't even say it yet I'm applying to uni this year..................
Original post by CreamyRoss
I did the PAT this year and there was a monster mechanics question at the end, the paper is available online, so have a look through some past papers and you'll see roughly what is required.
In terms of getting an offer, I can't imagine they'd care a huge amount about the modules you do but I think mechanics would be by far the most useful for physics after C1-4.


Posted from TSR Mobile


wait can you run me through what month you applied and what month you did the PAT? did you do it after the first year of alevels? i wont be finishing c1-c4 this year
Original post by 雷尼克
As I said earlier I haven't even say it yet I'm applying to uni this year..................


so just a quick question, so far for the PAT youve prepared : C1C2S1 and FP1D1M1?
Original post by NatoHeadshot
so just a quick question, so far for the PAT youve prepared : C1C2S1 and FP1D1M1?


No...... I haven't even prepared for it yet those modules are what my school taught us
Original post by 雷尼克
No...... I haven't even prepared for it yet those modules are what my school taught us


they thought you 6 modules in one year?
Original post by NatoHeadshot
wait can you run me through what month you applied and what month you did the PAT? did you do it after the first year of alevels? i wont be finishing c1-c4 this year


Yeah I finished a-levels this year and took the PAT in year 13 in November 2014. I'm sure you know you have to apply before October 15th for both Oxford and the PAT. I had done C1-3, M1, S1 and FP1 by the time I took the PAT although we had learnt a good deal of C4 by November.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by CreamyRoss
Yeah I finished a-levels this year and took the PAT in year 13 in November 2014. I'm sure you know you have to apply before October 15th for both Oxford and the PAT. I had done C1-3, M1, S1 and FP1 by the time I took the PAT although we had learnt a good deal of C4 by November.


Posted from TSR Mobile


did those modules prepare you for the pat well?

Quick Reply

Latest