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Oxbridge math and ukmt/other math challenges

Hi, I'm currently in year 11 and I'm wondering if the scores you get in math challenges are important to applying for oxbridge

So far, I've gotten:
IMC year 9- silver
IMC year 10- gold
IMC year 11 - gold
Idk about my score for maclaurin yet

But I'm really struggling with the olympiads and harder challenges and I feel like I need to loads of work to get like a distinction in BMO and etc. But I don't know if I have enough time since I also need to prepare for my other exams like GCSE's

Reply 1

Actuallyhelp:(

Original post by yi123456

Hi, I'm currently in year 11 and I'm wondering if the scores you get in math challenges are important to applying for oxbridge
So far, I've gotten:
IMC year 9- silver
IMC year 10- gold
IMC year 11 - gold
Idk about my score for maclaurin yet
But I'm really struggling with the olympiads and harder challenges and I feel like I need to loads of work to get like a distinction in BMO and etc. But I don't know if I have enough time since I also need to prepare for my other exams like GCSE's

They're not important per se but they are good to talk about in personal statements, just the participation shows your passion for maths (+ the fact that you've done so many definitely does), and is a demonstration of how you can dedicate yourself, etc. Now, a higher mark probably gives you an opportunity to further demonstrate your ability and allows you to waffle more than if you had a lower grade but realistically you don't have much space to write in your personal statement. Getting an interview is also mostly determined by your MAT/TMUA (/general admission tests) score. This is taken in yr13.

Maybe, now that GCSEs are getting closer, focus on that. There are olympiads you can join in sixth form (if your school offers them) which probably hold more weight than lower levels due to increased difficulty and having been completed more recently.

HOWEVER, I don't know if the way personal statements are done is going to change by the time you apply to university and any information I give you may be out of date by that point anyway. Either way, don't take what I say completely at face value - try asking a teacher, or careers advisor or email Oxford or Cambridge admissions team with your question

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 2

mqb2766

Original post by yi123456

Hi, I'm currently in year 11 and I'm wondering if the scores you get in math challenges are important to applying for oxbridge
So far, I've gotten:
IMC year 9- silver
IMC year 10- gold
IMC year 11 - gold
Idk about my score for maclaurin yet
But I'm really struggling with the olympiads and harder challenges and I feel like I need to loads of work to get like a distinction in BMO and etc. But I don't know if I have enough time since I also need to prepare for my other exams like GCSE's

Its certainly worth putting a sentence or two about your actual results (maybe just the last couple of years/assuming you do well) in your personal statement, though generally oxbridge want to see some sort of passion/interest (supercurriculars) in maths coming through in your personal statement. So what learning did you do for the maclaurin (for instance), what did you find interesting, did you find more about the greek/babylonian stuff, problem solving, .... If youve done well / done the learning, its arguably more important for the interviews / entrance exams as you will have a more thorough background.

Your personal statement opens the door to the interview tests and entrance exams and people have lots of different backgrounds and this will be reflected in a variety of personal statements. Theyre unlikely to show you the door if you havent got through to bmo. So dont fixate on just one aspect (ukmt scores), though having a solid background in the elementary/historical stuff and doing harder questions helps.

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 3

yi123456

Original post by Actuallyhelp:(

They're not important per se but they are good to talk about in personal statements, just the participation shows your passion for maths (+ the fact that you've done so many definitely does), and is a demonstration of how you can dedicate yourself, etc. Now, a higher mark probably gives you an opportunity to further demonstrate your ability and allows you to waffle more than if you had a lower grade but realistically you don't have much space to write in your personal statement. Getting an interview is also mostly determined by your MAT/TMUA (/general admission tests) score. This is taken in yr13.
Maybe, now that GCSEs are getting closer, focus on that. There are olympiads you can join in sixth form (if your school offers them) which probably hold more weight than lower levels due to increased difficulty and having been completed more recently.
HOWEVER, I don't know if the way personal statements are done is going to change by the time you apply to university and any information I give you may be out of date by that point anyway. Either way, don't take what I say completely at face value - try asking a teacher, or careers advisor or email Oxford or Cambridge admissions team with your question

Thank you so much!!! :smile:

Reply 4

A Rolling Stone

Original post by yi123456

Hi, I'm currently in year 11 and I'm wondering if the scores you get in math challenges are important to applying for oxbridge
So far, I've gotten:
IMC year 9- silver
IMC year 10- gold
IMC year 11 - gold
Idk about my score for maclaurin yet
But I'm really struggling with the olympiads and harder challenges and I feel like I need to loads of work to get like a distinction in BMO and etc. But I don't know if I have enough time since I also need to prepare for my other exams like GCSE's

what country are you from?

Reply 5

yi123456

Original post by mqb2766

Its certainly worth putting a sentence or two about your actual results (maybe just the last couple of years/assuming you do well) in your personal statement, though generally oxbridge want to see some sort of passion/interest (supercurriculars) in maths coming through in your personal statement. So what learning did you do for the maclaurin (for instance), what did you find interesting, did you find more about the greek/babylonian stuff, problem solving, .... If youve done well / done the learning, its arguably more important for the interviews / entrance exams as you will have a more thorough background.
Your personal statement opens the door to the interview tests and entrance exams and people have lots of different backgrounds and this will be reflected in a variety of personal statements. Theyre unlikely to show you the door if you havent got through to bmo. So dont fixate on just one aspect (ukmt scores), though having a solid background in the elementary/historical stuff and doing harder questions helps.

Honestly, I've been rlly stressed of this bc I've seen a lot of people saying that these stuffs are like extremely important for applying. But tysm for the advice!!! I think I'm just going to focus on my GCSE's now :o:

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 6

yi123456

Original post by A Rolling Stone

what country are you from?

Im chinese but I study in europe

Reply 7

mqb2766

Original post by yi123456

Honestly, I've been rlly stressed of this bc I've seen a lot of people saying that these stuffs are like extremely important for applying. But tysm!!! I think I'm just going to study for my GCSE's now :o:

Id agree, concentrate on your gcses now.

It may seem contradictory, but its not a bad aim to go for bmo in y12 though (if it works good, if not ...). Put a bit of part time learning in over the summer to do some problem solving, smc practice, basic bmo, historical reading .... If youre thinking of applying to oxbridge, then you should enjoy/be motivated to do some?

Reply 8

melancollege

As a Cambridge Maths student, they're not that relevant. I mentioned mine on my personal statement but only as a passing remark. The structure and puzzle-like nature are very different to the Cambridge Maths course and there are enormous disparities between how much preparation and support any given candidate gets. If you do well, great; if not, you don't need to mention them. Not every school even enters students so they wouldn't penalise you.