applying for maths (uni)
hi, does anyone have any suggestions for supercurriculars that would be good for studying maths at uni? or basically anything that I should be doing / any advice. I would like to try apply to oxbridge too so anything that would help for that too would be really appreciated (something less usual that would stand out). thank you
UKMT competitions are not an uncommon thing for students to try, although by no means necessary. Wider reading around your subject area would be a generally anticipated - I'd suggest over the summer after year 12 looking at some degree level topics in e.g. analysis or abstract linear algebra or something to get an idea of what degree level maths is actually like (very different from A-level - much more abstract, often largely proof based). Otherwise preparing for the MAT if applying to Oxford, or for interview generally and then STEP later for Cambridge.
Note that applying to Oxbridge is not about "standing out". There is no "silver bullet" of something nobody else has done that anyone can tell you that would make them think "oh we must take this student", as firstly if there was such a thing as soon as it was posted online everyone would do it and thus would be a meaningless thing anyway, and secondly that's not how the process works anyway.
Your aim shouldn't be to "stand out" it should be to do what you have to do as well as possible - getting excellent results in your work in A-level and good predicted grades as a result, exploring your broader interests in maths beyond the school curriculum, and trying to apply the maths you have learned to unfamiliar problems (rather than just resigning yourself to learning to the exam). I suspect the students who "stand out" will be standing out for bad reasons, not good ones.
Note that applying to Oxbridge is not about "standing out". There is no "silver bullet" of something nobody else has done that anyone can tell you that would make them think "oh we must take this student", as firstly if there was such a thing as soon as it was posted online everyone would do it and thus would be a meaningless thing anyway, and secondly that's not how the process works anyway.
Your aim shouldn't be to "stand out" it should be to do what you have to do as well as possible - getting excellent results in your work in A-level and good predicted grades as a result, exploring your broader interests in maths beyond the school curriculum, and trying to apply the maths you have learned to unfamiliar problems (rather than just resigning yourself to learning to the exam). I suspect the students who "stand out" will be standing out for bad reasons, not good ones.
Original post by hazeloriana
hi, does anyone have any suggestions for supercurriculars that would be good for studying maths at uni? or basically anything that I should be doing / any advice. I would like to try apply to oxbridge too so anything that would help for that too would be really appreciated (something less usual that would stand out). thank you
For oxbridge, supercurriculum stuff is less important that passing the interviews and entrance tests. Theyd want you to show youre enthuastic about maths on your personal statement, and there are some cambridge / oxford suggestions online
https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/super-curricular_suggestions.pdf
but Id put less emphasis on making it stand out and put more time into doing stuff like the oxford livestream/maths club and step foundation (assuming youre in y12) which covers (some) basic number theory, curve sketching, ... and would be more relevant for interview/entrance exam.
Having said that, a good maths history book could be interesting, there are a wide variety of pop maths books by stewart / sautoy. There are a reasonable number of youtube channels to watch for some of the pop/highlights in maths. You could see if you could do a project/try analysing collatz/... There are a variety of competitions you could enter (the lincoln one is current at the moment) and obv the ukmt stuff, euler coding project (if youre into coding as well). The results are less important than being able to write up what you learnt etc.
(edited 4 months ago)
Original post by hazeloriana
hi, does anyone have any suggestions for supercurriculars that would be good for studying maths at uni? or basically anything that I should be doing / any advice. I would like to try apply to oxbridge too so anything that would help for that too would be really appreciated (something less usual that would stand out). thank you
What support will you get from your school? We have a selection of books we loan to students and start Oxbridge prep around Easter of Year 12 [state school].
UKMT competitions are great and reading about topics not on the A level curriculum. Some good 'starter' books would be ones by Ron Eastaway -
Dr Vicky Neale [RIP] has some good youtube videos and some sample lectures.
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