Oxford PAT 2020 (for 2021 Admissions)

Am planning to sit this in November so am just leaving a comment so I get notifs.

I've just finished covering the additional A2 content that is needed and intend to start doing some of the older past papers from next week to get a feel for what it's like (obviously saving the newer ones for nearer the exam)

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 2

OliverClarke

4

Leaving comment for notification, good luck all!

Reply 3

WorwryydStudent

6

Does anyone know all the equations needed for PAT? I'm making a list/poster of them so I can memorise them, so I wanted to know if I was missing any. Or is it better if I just learn all of the A2 equations?

Reply 4

Ryan-1704

Original post by WorwryydStudent

Does anyone know all the equations needed for PAT? I'm making a list/poster of them so I can memorise them, so I wanted to know if I was missing any. Or is it better if I just learn all of the A2 equations?

You don't need the nuclear or magnetic field equations but I guess knowing the further mechanics and gravitational/electric fields/capacitors would be useful. The PAT isn't about memorising equations too much, I'd work through some past papers and if there's any equations you needed to solve a question that you haven't memorised then memorise (a lot can be derived from other simpler equations)

Reply 5

Ryan-1704

Just an update: the PAT will now be taking place on Thursday 5th November as the admissions test have been split over two days to minimise how many students are sitting a test on each day.

It is still going ahead as normal though, just a day later
https://www.admissionstesting.org/for-test-takers/pat/about-pat/

Reply 6

NemesisRider

OP

8

^ Thanks for the heads-up, edited the original post. Interesting to see they’re doing so, it’s going to be an interesting year for the PAT...

Reply 7

GCSE2019help

Just leaving a comment for notifications as well. good luck everyone 👍

Reply 8

tande33

15

Hi, I have seen quite a few people recommending practicing for the PAT by looking at the BPhO questions. I was wondering specifically which papers they were looking, at for example year 13 challenge or round 1? And also, would you suggest sitting the whole paper, or answering individual questions in exam conditions? I have looked at most of the PAT papers (mainly the more recent ones) and was wondering if it is worth looking at the older ones as they seem to be very different and easier too?
Many thanks!

Reply 9

PhysicsMathsTut

10

Hi, just to let you know that I recently solved the 2019 paper, it's on this page: https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/admissions/pat/solutions-2019/

Reply 10

PhysicsMathsTut

10

Original post by tande33

Hi, I have seen quite a few people recommending practicing for the PAT by looking at the BPhO questions. I was wondering specifically which papers they were looking, at for example year 13 challenge or round 1? And also, would you suggest sitting the whole paper, or answering individual questions in exam conditions? I have looked at most of the PAT papers (mainly the more recent ones) and was wondering if it is worth looking at the older ones as they seem to be very different and easier too?
Many thanks!

I'd say year 12 and year 13 challenges are the closest in terms of difficulty of questions. Year 13 challenge has topics that are not in the PAT syllabus, so you'd need to be aware of that. PAT has some questions at the level of round 1, but as a whole round 1 is a more difficult paper.

Reply 11

tande33

15

Original post by PhysicsMathsTut

I'd say year 12 and year 13 challenges are the closest in terms of difficulty of questions. Year 13 challenge has topics that are not in the PAT syllabus, so you'd need to be aware of that. PAT has some questions at the level of round 1, but as a whole round 1 is a more difficult paper.

Thanks that's helpful! :smile:

Reply 12

Are PAT exams usually held in the morning or afternoons?

Reply 13

asraaaaa

5

this might be a stupid question but i'm paranoid; do PAT test results only go to Oxford because thats the only uni I'm applying for that needs them, the others dont, but since I'm doing the PAT, will they get it?

Reply 14

Original post by asraaaaa

this might be a stupid question but i'm paranoid; do PAT test results only go to Oxford because thats the only uni I'm applying for that needs them, the others dont, but since I'm doing the PAT, will they get it?

I don't see why they would. The universities you apply to do not know what other unis you've applied to.

Reply 15

tande33

15

Hi, I was having a look/trying to do the PAT from 2017 (not specimen) and was a bit confused by the questions of capacitors and parametric equations... I managed to do the parametric equation one (with a bit of luck and logic I guess) but had to guess for the capacitors question. From my knowledge are these not both year 2 content? I haven't covered either yet and was wondering if its worth trying to learn the basics of some A2 topics... But that feels kinda strange tbh... Many thanks!

Edit: Just seen that capacitors are on the spec! Does anyone know of any resources that would be useful for learning about them?

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 16

I know that for the PAT exams Casio fx83GT plus and fx85GT plus are recommended, but since the GT plus range is now being discontinued and replaced with the GTX range would one of the GTX's be alright for the exam?

Reply 17

G2021

8

Original post by lege-lego

I know that for the PAT exams Casio fx83GT plus and fx85GT plus are recommended, but since the GT plus range is now being discontinued and replaced with the GTX range would one of the GTX's be alright for the exam?

I looked up the calculator specification on the Physics Dept. website, under the PAT section, it gives the GTX's as examples that meet the specifications.

Reply 18

Original post by dav2020

I looked up the calculator specification on the Physics Dept. website, under the PAT section, it gives the GTX's as examples that meet the specifications.

Thank you!

Reply 19

ollie.kirby57