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I am currently in my first year of A Levels and am doing Maths, History and English Lit. Recently I have been thinking I really want to do a Maths degree. I am thinking of doing Further Maths in a gap year in 2023. However, will my Science/humanities combinations put me at a disadvantage? Thanks
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#2
(Original post by xx_princesca_xx)
I am currently in my first year of A Levels and am doing Maths, History and English Lit. Recently I have been thinking I really want to do a Maths degree. I am thinking of doing Further Maths in a gap year in 2023. However, will my Science/humanities combinations put me at a disadvantage? Thanks
I am currently in my first year of A Levels and am doing Maths, History and English Lit. Recently I have been thinking I really want to do a Maths degree. I am thinking of doing Further Maths in a gap year in 2023. However, will my Science/humanities combinations put me at a disadvantage? Thanks
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Thanks for the reply. I've looked at some Uni websites and almost all just ask for Maths or some with Further Maths, however as many going on to do Maths degrees seem to have Physics, I was a bit worried about that.
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#4
(Original post by xx_princesca_xx)
Thanks for the reply. I've looked at some Uni websites and almost all just ask for Maths or some with Further Maths, however as many going on to do Maths degrees seem to have Physics, I was a bit worried about that.
Thanks for the reply. I've looked at some Uni websites and almost all just ask for Maths or some with Further Maths, however as many going on to do Maths degrees seem to have Physics, I was a bit worried about that.
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#7
You'll be fine. The most common "physics" content you'll have is maybe a mechanics module in the first year, which will draw more from your mechanics work at A-level than stuff you do in A-level physics.
It's a common choice just because a lot of people who like maths also like physics, doesn't give you any real advantage.
It's a common choice just because a lot of people who like maths also like physics, doesn't give you any real advantage.
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#8
No, the only disadvantage would potentially be lack of FM, which you are remedying in a gap year, so no real issue there that I can see. Just be aware that the maths done in a maths degree is very different in style and substance to the kind of maths you'll be using in A-level Maths (and FM, for the most part). Degree level maths is very abstract, and usually proof based. A-level Maths is really what would be called "mathematical methods" at degree level - more the kind of maths you find in e.g. engineering, physics, economics, CS degrees etc.
While you do usually do some "methods-y" type modules at degree level, but it's not such an extensive part of the course and usually after 2nd year there is very little in that vein. Also even the more methods-y applied maths modules tend to not be quite the same style as A-level, since the kinds of problems you are solving are usually a lot less structured and/or constrained and a bit more open ended.
So that is something to be aware of - I'd suggest seeing if you can get ahold of an introductory analysis (or sometimes called "advanced calculus" in US contexts) textbook, which should be accessible to you post A-level, to get a feel for the style of maths done at uni level. Alternately an introductory rigorous/abstract linear algebra textbook, or any introductory (modern/abstract) algebra text would also give you a similar idea of how things are, although unlike the intro analysis stuff you won't really have any specific background to relate the more abstract material to (whereas analysis is essentially the "theory" of calculus) and it is helpful to have some grounding for that more abstract pure maths content, at least initially.
While you do usually do some "methods-y" type modules at degree level, but it's not such an extensive part of the course and usually after 2nd year there is very little in that vein. Also even the more methods-y applied maths modules tend to not be quite the same style as A-level, since the kinds of problems you are solving are usually a lot less structured and/or constrained and a bit more open ended.
So that is something to be aware of - I'd suggest seeing if you can get ahold of an introductory analysis (or sometimes called "advanced calculus" in US contexts) textbook, which should be accessible to you post A-level, to get a feel for the style of maths done at uni level. Alternately an introductory rigorous/abstract linear algebra textbook, or any introductory (modern/abstract) algebra text would also give you a similar idea of how things are, although unlike the intro analysis stuff you won't really have any specific background to relate the more abstract material to (whereas analysis is essentially the "theory" of calculus) and it is helpful to have some grounding for that more abstract pure maths content, at least initially.
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(Original post by _gcx)
You'll be fine. The most common "physics" content you'll have is maybe a mechanics module in the first year, which will draw more from your mechanics work at A-level than stuff you do in A-level physics.
It's a common choice just because a lot of people who like maths also like physics, doesn't give you any real advantage.
You'll be fine. The most common "physics" content you'll have is maybe a mechanics module in the first year, which will draw more from your mechanics work at A-level than stuff you do in A-level physics.
It's a common choice just because a lot of people who like maths also like physics, doesn't give you any real advantage.
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(Original post by artful_lounger)
No, the only disadvantage would potentially be lack of FM, which you are remedying in a gap year, so no real issue there that I can see. Just be aware that the maths done in a maths degree is very different in style and substance to the kind of maths you'll be using in A-level Maths (and FM, for the most part). Degree level maths is very abstract, and usually proof based. A-level Maths is really what would be called "mathematical methods" at degree level - more the kind of maths you find in e.g. engineering, physics, economics, CS degrees etc.
While you do usually do some "methods-y" type modules at degree level, but it's not such an extensive part of the course and usually after 2nd year there is very little in that vein. Also even the more methods-y applied maths modules tend to not be quite the same style as A-level, since the kinds of problems you are solving are usually a lot less structured and/or constrained and a bit more open ended.
So that is something to be aware of - I'd suggest seeing if you can get ahold of an introductory analysis (or sometimes called "advanced calculus" in US contexts) textbook, which should be accessible to you post A-level, to get a feel for the style of maths done at uni level. Alternately an introductory rigorous/abstract linear algebra textbook, or any introductory (modern/abstract) algebra text would also give you a similar idea of how things are, although unlike the intro analysis stuff you won't really have any specific background to relate the more abstract material to (whereas analysis is essentially the "theory" of calculus) and it is helpful to have some grounding for that more abstract pure maths content, at least initially.
No, the only disadvantage would potentially be lack of FM, which you are remedying in a gap year, so no real issue there that I can see. Just be aware that the maths done in a maths degree is very different in style and substance to the kind of maths you'll be using in A-level Maths (and FM, for the most part). Degree level maths is very abstract, and usually proof based. A-level Maths is really what would be called "mathematical methods" at degree level - more the kind of maths you find in e.g. engineering, physics, economics, CS degrees etc.
While you do usually do some "methods-y" type modules at degree level, but it's not such an extensive part of the course and usually after 2nd year there is very little in that vein. Also even the more methods-y applied maths modules tend to not be quite the same style as A-level, since the kinds of problems you are solving are usually a lot less structured and/or constrained and a bit more open ended.
So that is something to be aware of - I'd suggest seeing if you can get ahold of an introductory analysis (or sometimes called "advanced calculus" in US contexts) textbook, which should be accessible to you post A-level, to get a feel for the style of maths done at uni level. Alternately an introductory rigorous/abstract linear algebra textbook, or any introductory (modern/abstract) algebra text would also give you a similar idea of how things are, although unlike the intro analysis stuff you won't really have any specific background to relate the more abstract material to (whereas analysis is essentially the "theory" of calculus) and it is helpful to have some grounding for that more abstract pure maths content, at least initially.
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#11
(Original post by xx_princesca_xx)
Thank you for the reply and the further insight into what to expect. That's really useful😊
Thank you for the reply and the further insight into what to expect. That's really useful😊
My advice would be look at content and pick a degree with options from all branches ...
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(Original post by Muttley79)
It's not completely accurte though - the content of a Maths degree varies considerably between universities. Some do a lot of options like fluid dynamics, quantum mechanics, relativity as well as OR/Stats -
My advice would be look at content and pick a degree with options from all branches ...
It's not completely accurte though - the content of a Maths degree varies considerably between universities. Some do a lot of options like fluid dynamics, quantum mechanics, relativity as well as OR/Stats -
My advice would be look at content and pick a degree with options from all branches ...
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#13
(Original post by artful_lounger)
No, the only disadvantage would potentially be lack of FM, which you are remedying in a gap year, so no real issue there that I can see. Just be aware that the maths done in a maths degree is very different in style and substance to the kind of maths you'll be using in A-level Maths (and FM, for the most part). Degree level maths is very abstract, and usually proof based. A-level Maths is really what would be called "mathematical methods" at degree level - more the kind of maths you find in e.g. engineering, physics, economics, CS degrees etc.
No, the only disadvantage would potentially be lack of FM, which you are remedying in a gap year, so no real issue there that I can see. Just be aware that the maths done in a maths degree is very different in style and substance to the kind of maths you'll be using in A-level Maths (and FM, for the most part). Degree level maths is very abstract, and usually proof based. A-level Maths is really what would be called "mathematical methods" at degree level - more the kind of maths you find in e.g. engineering, physics, economics, CS degrees etc.
The content varies enormously ...
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#14
(Original post by Muttley79)
That isn't very accurate - have you looked at the content of Maths degrees or studied one?
The content varies enormously ...
That isn't very accurate - have you looked at the content of Maths degrees or studied one?
The content varies enormously ...
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#15
(Original post by artful_lounger)
I was previously studying a maths degree and spent a lot of time looking at a lot of different degrees, and no matter what for any reputable maths department the degree will a) contain a lot of pure maths which is wholly proof based and b) even the applied maths content will be necessarily abstract to a point and not purely methodological.
I was previously studying a maths degree and spent a lot of time looking at a lot of different degrees, and no matter what for any reputable maths department the degree will a) contain a lot of pure maths which is wholly proof based and b) even the applied maths content will be necessarily abstract to a point and not purely methodological.
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#16
(Original post by Muttley79)
That just isn't true - it varies enormously ...
That just isn't true - it varies enormously ...
If OP wants to spend all day doing calculus and finding particular solutions differential equations of certain physical problems then they should do a degree in engineering, maths, economics, etc. If OP wants to learn about why calculus works and prove that from first principles, and then use that to analytically understand how different classes of differential equations etc might be solved, they should do a maths degree. The former is similar to A-level Maths, the latter is very much not similar to the general scheme of A-level Maths, with only one or two topics really being in that vein.
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#17
(Original post by artful_lounger)
If you choose
If you choose
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