Over ambitious with uni choices?

I got 3 A's for my AS exams, for Maths, Further Maths and Chemistry. For Maths and Further, my average UMS was 86.2. For Chemistry, I was literally on the grade boundaries for an A. I dropped Chemistry and carried on with Physics (which I got an A in the mock). I got one gold crest award with an engineering company and am hoping to get one more with the physics department of the University of Hertfordshire.

My choices so far are Cambridge (Mathematics, A*A*A + STEP), Warwick (Mathematics and Physics, A*AA), Sheffield (Theoretical Physics, AAA) and Hertfordshire (Physics, AAB). The next uni I apply to will be AAA as well (but it's undecided atm).

Am I being over ambitious with all these choices?

With the Cambridge maths course, I've put that I'm applying for the Maths and Physics first year option.

I've managed to talk about maths and physics quite well in my statement, I think. I talk about how they're interconnected and how we use them to explain reality and stuff. I also mention my engineering project, my astrophysics placement and the books I've read (two of which are maths orientated, two of which are physics orientated).

You’re fine - but I strongly advise not applying to Hertfordshire - you’re better than that.

What about Southampton, Cardiff, Loughborough as your back ups? Hertfordshire should be a no go with your grades

Why isn't Hertfordshire a good back up? I've seen that they have a decent physics department.
I haven't been to any of the others, and my only other open day is for my fifth place and is looking at Leeds.

Ah fair enough although I would still expect the maths interview (if you get on) to be focused entirely on maths although perhaps a few more mechanics questions thrown in there. If you do manage to get an offer I will warn you that to do well in step you need to have a very high ability and spend a lot of time practicing. Someone in the year above who was apparently the best mathematician my teachers have ever taught, narrowly missed his cambridge maths offer getting a 2,2 in step alongside his 4A*s in maths, further maths, physics and chemistry.

There was a long time when I wanted to apply to maths at cambridge but I eventually decided not to for a few reasons but one of them being the step exam and fears that I'm simply not good enough at maths. I've been told by maths professors at cambridge and oxford that people applying to maths generally don't find A-level maths terribly difficult at all and in terms of ums, often score in the high 90s.

However I am still applying to cambridge for the natural science course. While I mentioned that dropping chemistry might be a problem, people do get in with "just" maths, further maths and physics. While you might not be interested in the other experimental sciences that are part of the course (and your choices other than physics would be limited to 2 of earth sciences, computer science and materials science), you only have to study those other sciences for a a year then you could move onto just physics and maths options.

The entry requirements for natural science at A*A*A which is a considerably lower task than A*A*A +1,1 in step. Not that A*A*A isn't a great feat which I and I'm sure you'll be ecstatic if you achieve. Natural science might also be a bit more flexible which which A*s you could achieve whereas maths would specify that maths and further maths would need to be A*.

Other than just step being hard, I want to focus all my efforts in getting as high as I possibly can in my A-levels so doing step feels like an unnecessary distraction especially in your case as you are only applying to one straight maths course. If you are applying to maths at cambridge for it's reputation as the premier course for prospective theoretical physics then I'd like to point out that the natural science physics course has theoretical modules and if you get a first in your physics undergrad degree, you can transfer to the masters in maths and do all the theoretical physics modules.

Becoming a theoretical physicist would be pretty dope and I get the impression that you feel the same. Whatever choice you do make, wish you the best of luck for your applications

Its just not a particularly well regarded university and with straight A’s I think you can do better

When Cambridge says A*A*A, I don't think they require an A* in Further Maths. They said on their website that later on they'd make Further Maths compulsory, meaning that atm they don't require further maths (though it helps), so the A* doesn't have to be in further. I'm planning to get an A* in Maths, an A* in Physics and an A in Further Maths.
I started preparing for STEP in August and am 14 assignments through the 25 assignment Foundation Course.
Plus... there's something about Maths that allows flexibility. Like, with Physics you have to know certain facts and it's a bit more knowledge based, whereas maths is more skill based. I feel better about revising that sort of thing.

I'm applying for the Maths with Physics module, in case I want to drop down later. I think the STEP is very difficult, but the preparation will help me with other parts of maths, including that in my A levels.

I'm fairly sure that when further maths is taken (which is in the vast majority of cases for maths applicants) the specified A*s are both in maths. One thing to point out is that apparently, uni physics is actually quite similar to a-level maths in some ways. At least at in an undergraduate degree in physics, there's less of a focus on rote memorization and more of a focus on applying the maths (lots of calculus which is of course covered extensively at a-level) to physical problems. University maths on the other hand is quite different than a-level maths where in an undergraduate degree in maths, there is a greater focus on proof and mathematical argument rather than simply learning a lot of methods (which is what a-level maths basically is).
But yeah if maths is really what you want to go for then work hard and go for it. If you did get a cambridge offer I wouldn't put warrick as an insurance as if you got AAA you would be stuffed.

Ah, so if you do take Further Maths, that's what they want the other A* in?

Huh.

Because I took an A2 further module in AS, for some reason. I got 83 UMS, so to get an A* in A2 I'd have to get about 92-93 for my three other modules.
Well that's a pickle.

I got 3 A's for my AS exams, for Maths, Further Maths and Chemistry. For Maths and Further, my average UMS was 86.2. For Chemistry, I was literally on the grade boundaries for an A. I dropped Chemistry and carried on with Physics (which I got an A in the mock). I got one gold crest award with an engineering company and am hoping to get one more with the physics department of the University of Hertfordshire.

My choices so far are Cambridge (Mathematics, A*A*A + STEP), Warwick (Mathematics and Physics, A*AA), Sheffield (Theoretical Physics, AAA) and Hertfordshire (Physics, AAB). The next uni I apply to will be AAA as well (but it's undecided atm).

Am I being over ambitious with all these choices?

the A2 module was S2. the modules I'm taking this year are M2, M3 and FP2.

for normal maths, AS, I did C1,C2,M1.
for further, AS, I did S1,S2,FP1
for normal, A2, I'm doing C3,C4,D1
for further, A2, I'm doing M2,M3,FP2.

i think FP2 will make it difficult to get an A*, but I'm still going to aim for it. My teacher says it'll be difficult to get an A* in further because of that module.