Warwick Maths - TMUA - Will admissions allow for all the change ups this year??
So as a really worried Parent I'm so personally curious on this one. My Son has put Warwick as one of his options and Warwick is his absolute preferred choice by a country mile. I thought TMUA would be an 'ok, if difficult' exam for him to take, but it feels like it's all gone awry and now the worry is awful.
His School is not a 'Contextual considered' state School and whilst quick to put able students forward for good ranking universities, not so quick to provide any support to back those Students beyond the school syllabus. I have felt like a proxy to his School in trying to navigate all of the UCAS/University stuff and find him adequate support to back his efforts. He has A* A* A* predicted in Maths, FM and Physics. He is considered a really great Student by them.
He practiced the available past TMUA papers on the website and he felt he was doing really well on them, although we had heard this years paper was somewhat harder. But come the day, literally the night before he was sick (not nerves i must add) and on the morning still sick necessitating a pharmacy stop en route to the test centre (eek). But he appeared calm enough walking in and relatively settled.
But coming out he was seriously frustrated and upset. Said he just found the wipe board scenario awful to use, smudging on him, cramming in his writing (he scrawls) having to wipe out previous workings out that he might have liked to retain for other questions, go back to again, he was self conscious that even using the wipe board where he was balancing it was rattling the units each side of him. Said he found pen and paper far easier to use when doing the practice papers. Said he felt awful throughout paper 1 and by the time he got to paper 2 (which he said he navigated better) he'd felt like he'd blown it by this point anyway.
Afterwards, I read paper 1 has significantly changed for this year in terms of format - dont know how true that is?
He is a Student not prone to making excuses for himself ever (never had any need to before either), so in his words 'Mum everyone faced the same so it is what it is ' But I'm just so flummoxed privately.
Does this now man that 2.5 hours of his life on that day has determined against him for Warwick? I read TMUA results are considered 'alongside' other information, but how true is that really? And would that not just be for a contextual situation perhaps?
I'm gutted and my hands are tied, and i suppose some sort of insight on what is more or less likely after this point would be helpful to me as Parent?
Thanks in anticipation.
His School is not a 'Contextual considered' state School and whilst quick to put able students forward for good ranking universities, not so quick to provide any support to back those Students beyond the school syllabus. I have felt like a proxy to his School in trying to navigate all of the UCAS/University stuff and find him adequate support to back his efforts. He has A* A* A* predicted in Maths, FM and Physics. He is considered a really great Student by them.
He practiced the available past TMUA papers on the website and he felt he was doing really well on them, although we had heard this years paper was somewhat harder. But come the day, literally the night before he was sick (not nerves i must add) and on the morning still sick necessitating a pharmacy stop en route to the test centre (eek). But he appeared calm enough walking in and relatively settled.
But coming out he was seriously frustrated and upset. Said he just found the wipe board scenario awful to use, smudging on him, cramming in his writing (he scrawls) having to wipe out previous workings out that he might have liked to retain for other questions, go back to again, he was self conscious that even using the wipe board where he was balancing it was rattling the units each side of him. Said he found pen and paper far easier to use when doing the practice papers. Said he felt awful throughout paper 1 and by the time he got to paper 2 (which he said he navigated better) he'd felt like he'd blown it by this point anyway.
Afterwards, I read paper 1 has significantly changed for this year in terms of format - dont know how true that is?
He is a Student not prone to making excuses for himself ever (never had any need to before either), so in his words 'Mum everyone faced the same so it is what it is ' But I'm just so flummoxed privately.
Does this now man that 2.5 hours of his life on that day has determined against him for Warwick? I read TMUA results are considered 'alongside' other information, but how true is that really? And would that not just be for a contextual situation perhaps?
I'm gutted and my hands are tied, and i suppose some sort of insight on what is more or less likely after this point would be helpful to me as Parent?
Thanks in anticipation.
Original post by Parent2023
So as a really worried Parent I'm so personally curious on this one. My Son has put Warwick as one of his options and Warwick is his absolute preferred choice by a country mile. I thought TMUA would be an 'ok, if difficult' exam for him to take, but it feels like it's all gone awry and now the worry is awful.
His School is not a 'Contextual considered' state School and whilst quick to put able students forward for good ranking universities, not so quick to provide any support to back those Students beyond the school syllabus. I have felt like a proxy to his School in trying to navigate all of the UCAS/University stuff and find him adequate support to back his efforts. He has A* A* A* predicted in Maths, FM and Physics. He is considered a really great Student by them.
He practiced the available past TMUA papers on the website and he felt he was doing really well on them, although we had heard this years paper was somewhat harder. But come the day, literally the night before he was sick (not nerves i must add) and on the morning still sick necessitating a pharmacy stop en route to the test centre (eek). But he appeared calm enough walking in and relatively settled.
But coming out he was seriously frustrated and upset. Said he just found the wipe board scenario awful to use, smudging on him, cramming in his writing (he scrawls) having to wipe out previous workings out that he might have liked to retain for other questions, go back to again, he was self conscious that even using the wipe board where he was balancing it was rattling the units each side of him. Said he found pen and paper far easier to use when doing the practice papers. Said he felt awful throughout paper 1 and by the time he got to paper 2 (which he said he navigated better) he'd felt like he'd blown it by this point anyway.
Afterwards, I read paper 1 has significantly changed for this year in terms of format - dont know how true that is?
He is a Student not prone to making excuses for himself ever (never had any need to before either), so in his words 'Mum everyone faced the same so it is what it is ' But I'm just so flummoxed privately.
Does this now man that 2.5 hours of his life on that day has determined against him for Warwick? I read TMUA results are considered 'alongside' other information, but how true is that really? And would that not just be for a contextual situation perhaps?
I'm gutted and my hands are tied, and i suppose some sort of insight on what is more or less likely after this point would be helpful to me as Parent?
Thanks in anticipation.
His School is not a 'Contextual considered' state School and whilst quick to put able students forward for good ranking universities, not so quick to provide any support to back those Students beyond the school syllabus. I have felt like a proxy to his School in trying to navigate all of the UCAS/University stuff and find him adequate support to back his efforts. He has A* A* A* predicted in Maths, FM and Physics. He is considered a really great Student by them.
He practiced the available past TMUA papers on the website and he felt he was doing really well on them, although we had heard this years paper was somewhat harder. But come the day, literally the night before he was sick (not nerves i must add) and on the morning still sick necessitating a pharmacy stop en route to the test centre (eek). But he appeared calm enough walking in and relatively settled.
But coming out he was seriously frustrated and upset. Said he just found the wipe board scenario awful to use, smudging on him, cramming in his writing (he scrawls) having to wipe out previous workings out that he might have liked to retain for other questions, go back to again, he was self conscious that even using the wipe board where he was balancing it was rattling the units each side of him. Said he found pen and paper far easier to use when doing the practice papers. Said he felt awful throughout paper 1 and by the time he got to paper 2 (which he said he navigated better) he'd felt like he'd blown it by this point anyway.
Afterwards, I read paper 1 has significantly changed for this year in terms of format - dont know how true that is?
He is a Student not prone to making excuses for himself ever (never had any need to before either), so in his words 'Mum everyone faced the same so it is what it is ' But I'm just so flummoxed privately.
Does this now man that 2.5 hours of his life on that day has determined against him for Warwick? I read TMUA results are considered 'alongside' other information, but how true is that really? And would that not just be for a contextual situation perhaps?
I'm gutted and my hands are tied, and i suppose some sort of insight on what is more or less likely after this point would be helpful to me as Parent?
Thanks in anticipation.
You write, "I read TMUA results are considered 'alongside' other information, but how true is that really? And would that not just be for a contextual situation perhaps?" By "contextual situation" do you mean candidates eligible for a contextual offer? If so, then no. Such candidates are not even required to sit the TMUA. If you mean "borderline situation", then there is no evidence of that either.
Have you read Warwick's "Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA)" page. The "Guidance for applicants" section within "Mathematics" includes the following (with the emphasis added by me):
"Grade 2 in STEP will be a requirement of offer for applicants who have not taken or who have not achieved the required threshold in TMUA."
That would imply that strong candidates (i.e. those with predicted grades like your son's) will have a second opportunity to impress, if the TMUA didn't go to plan. Namely by achieving Grade 2 in STEP.
Is that something he's received any information about directly from Warwick?
Original post by Parent2023
So as a really worried Parent I'm so personally curious on this one. My Son has put Warwick as one of his options and Warwick is his absolute preferred choice by a country mile. I thought TMUA would be an 'ok, if difficult' exam for him to take, but it feels like it's all gone awry and now the worry is awful.
His School is not a 'Contextual considered' state School and whilst quick to put able students forward for good ranking universities, not so quick to provide any support to back those Students beyond the school syllabus. I have felt like a proxy to his School in trying to navigate all of the UCAS/University stuff and find him adequate support to back his efforts. He has A* A* A* predicted in Maths, FM and Physics. He is considered a really great Student by them.
He practiced the available past TMUA papers on the website and he felt he was doing really well on them, although we had heard this years paper was somewhat harder. But come the day, literally the night before he was sick (not nerves i must add) and on the morning still sick necessitating a pharmacy stop en route to the test centre (eek). But he appeared calm enough walking in and relatively settled.
But coming out he was seriously frustrated and upset. Said he just found the wipe board scenario awful to use, smudging on him, cramming in his writing (he scrawls) having to wipe out previous workings out that he might have liked to retain for other questions, go back to again, he was self conscious that even using the wipe board where he was balancing it was rattling the units each side of him. Said he found pen and paper far easier to use when doing the practice papers. Said he felt awful throughout paper 1 and by the time he got to paper 2 (which he said he navigated better) he'd felt like he'd blown it by this point anyway.
Afterwards, I read paper 1 has significantly changed for this year in terms of format - dont know how true that is?
He is a Student not prone to making excuses for himself ever (never had any need to before either), so in his words 'Mum everyone faced the same so it is what it is ' But I'm just so flummoxed privately.
Does this now man that 2.5 hours of his life on that day has determined against him for Warwick? I read TMUA results are considered 'alongside' other information, but how true is that really? And would that not just be for a contextual situation perhaps?
I'm gutted and my hands are tied, and i suppose some sort of insight on what is more or less likely after this point would be helpful to me as Parent?
Thanks in anticipation.
His School is not a 'Contextual considered' state School and whilst quick to put able students forward for good ranking universities, not so quick to provide any support to back those Students beyond the school syllabus. I have felt like a proxy to his School in trying to navigate all of the UCAS/University stuff and find him adequate support to back his efforts. He has A* A* A* predicted in Maths, FM and Physics. He is considered a really great Student by them.
He practiced the available past TMUA papers on the website and he felt he was doing really well on them, although we had heard this years paper was somewhat harder. But come the day, literally the night before he was sick (not nerves i must add) and on the morning still sick necessitating a pharmacy stop en route to the test centre (eek). But he appeared calm enough walking in and relatively settled.
But coming out he was seriously frustrated and upset. Said he just found the wipe board scenario awful to use, smudging on him, cramming in his writing (he scrawls) having to wipe out previous workings out that he might have liked to retain for other questions, go back to again, he was self conscious that even using the wipe board where he was balancing it was rattling the units each side of him. Said he found pen and paper far easier to use when doing the practice papers. Said he felt awful throughout paper 1 and by the time he got to paper 2 (which he said he navigated better) he'd felt like he'd blown it by this point anyway.
Afterwards, I read paper 1 has significantly changed for this year in terms of format - dont know how true that is?
He is a Student not prone to making excuses for himself ever (never had any need to before either), so in his words 'Mum everyone faced the same so it is what it is ' But I'm just so flummoxed privately.
Does this now man that 2.5 hours of his life on that day has determined against him for Warwick? I read TMUA results are considered 'alongside' other information, but how true is that really? And would that not just be for a contextual situation perhaps?
I'm gutted and my hands are tied, and i suppose some sort of insight on what is more or less likely after this point would be helpful to me as Parent?
Thanks in anticipation.
Just to add to datavenia, you typically need a grade 2 in step 2 if youve not achieved tmua. Its not easy and while your son is probably not feeling up to it, Id start sooner rather than later as its challenging and taken at the same time as a levels in june. There are the step foundation modules
https://maths.org/step/assignments
(largely the old step 1, but a bridge to step 2) to get started, if necessary. Then see the step 2 tab.
(edited 2 months ago)
Original post by DataVenia
You write, "I read TMUA results are considered 'alongside' other information, but how true is that really? And would that not just be for a contextual situation perhaps?" By "contextual situation" do you mean candidates eligible for a contextual offer? If so, then no. Such candidates are not even required to sit the TMUA. If you mean "borderline situation", then there is no evidence of that either.
Have you read Warwick's "Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA)" page. The "Guidance for applicants" section within "Mathematics" includes the following (with the emphasis added by me):
"Grade 2 in STEP will be a requirement of offer for applicants who have not taken or who have not achieved the required threshold in TMUA."
That would imply that strong candidates (i.e. those with predicted grades like your son's) will have a second opportunity to impress, if the TMUA didn't go to plan. Namely by achieving Grade 2 in STEP.
Is that something he's received any information about directly from Warwick?
Have you read Warwick's "Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA)" page. The "Guidance for applicants" section within "Mathematics" includes the following (with the emphasis added by me):
"Grade 2 in STEP will be a requirement of offer for applicants who have not taken or who have not achieved the required threshold in TMUA."
That would imply that strong candidates (i.e. those with predicted grades like your son's) will have a second opportunity to impress, if the TMUA didn't go to plan. Namely by achieving Grade 2 in STEP.
Is that something he's received any information about directly from Warwick?
Thank you for your reply, really appreciated.
No, he's not had anything yet from Warwick other than the 'hold equal consideration' email sent to him. I registered him to do TMUA as figured he would need that in most likelihood and never anticipated it would go wrong (that's not me having any rose tinted glasses at all, he's just always done so well at tests and he had really practiced the past papers on the site and was coming back with good results from them). I'm the 'emotional one' when it comes to my thoughts towards what is happening process wise, and he is the 'pragmatic' one 🙂 If he was to get a further opportunity to impress as it were, then I will hope and pray that to be the case. We discovered the AMSP website at the Warwick Open Day in October (had no idea about it before) that linked to stem support help but he can never get onto any of the courses listed. Another one declined him just today as he is technically the wrong area, but I've been trying any of them i can as his School provide no STEP support either. When I did apply for one avaible one, they could not get the information through the school firewall and wouldn't send it to his personal email address. So I'm struggling to find help for him to support this effort as well.
At this point I have to hope a second attempt to impress will be the case 🙏 I then also have to hope there is somewhere i can get some good step support for him. The school are not going to help us here at all.
Thank you
Original post by mqb2766
Just to add to datavenia, you typically need a grade 2 in step 2 if youve not achieved tmua. Its not easy and while your son is probably not feeling up to it, Id start sooner rather than later as its challenging and taken at the same time as a levels in june. There are the step foundation modules
https://maths.org/step/assignments
(largely the old step 1, but a bridge to step 2) to get started, if necessary. Then see the step 2 tab.
https://maths.org/step/assignments
(largely the old step 1, but a bridge to step 2) to get started, if necessary. Then see the step 2 tab.
Thank you fort this, any step support places I can find will be really useful in the event he gets a second chance at this. He cannot get onto any of the AMSP ones, either full, wrong area, or just wont deal with him directly (the school firewall prevents him registering). It's actually crackers in that respect - there are days I am trying so hard to find where I can get him help from and at a loss as to how I cant get it at all from his School. I do appreciate your reply so much.
Original post by Parent2023
Thank you fort this, any step support places I can find will be really useful in the event he gets a second chance at this. He cannot get onto any of the AMSP ones, either full, wrong area, or just wont deal with him directly (the school firewall prevents him registering). It's actually crackers in that respect - there are days I am trying so hard to find where I can get him help from and at a loss as to how I cant get it at all from his School. I do appreciate your reply so much.
It depends on what hes looking for / how much he needs. If he was ok to do the tmua (normally) he should be able to get started with the step foundation modules (which are on the easier side compared to the papers, but good to get going) and if you pick a random set from the step 1 stuff, you should get an idea of his ability to do the questions. Then do whichever step 1 modules you think are appropriate and a few step 1 papers before moving onto step 2 and starting properly. Step 1 is roughly a level maths and step 2 is roughly a level maths + as further, so any step 1 practice isnt really wasted but the step 1 & 2 questions are a bit different. Theres the step book by siklos which isnt bad to flick through and a step database and ....
He/you can post in f38 - maths here with whatever questions he has and whlie its not necessarily perfect, responses are usually fairly quick and plenty of people have prepared for step doing this. However, assuming he needs to do it youve got something like 1 month (step 1) so to mid feb then 2-3 months doing step 2, so early may. So those are fairly tight and hell be busy over easter with usual revision and step stuff. Getting a 2 in step 2 is something like 50% which is possible but easy to miss.
(edited 2 months ago)
Original post by mqb2766
It depends on what hes looking for / how much he needs. If he was ok to do the tmua (normally) he should be able to get started with the step foundation modules (which are on the easier side compared to the papers, but good to get going) and if you pick a random set from the step 1 stuff, you should get an idea of his ability to do the questions. Then do whichever step 1 modules you think are appropriate and a few step 1 papers before moving onto step 2 and starting properly. Step 1 is roughly a level maths and step 2 is roughly a level maths + as further, so any step 1 practice isnt really wasted but the step 1 & 2 questions are a bit different. Theres the step book by siklos which isnt bad to flick through and a step database and ....
He/you can post in f38 - maths here with whatever questions he has and whlie its not necessarily perfect, responses are usually fairly quick and plenty of people have prepared for step doing this. However, assuming he needs to do it youve got something like 1 month (step 1) so to mid feb then 2-3 months doing step 2, so early may. So those are fairly tight and hell be busy over easter with usual revision and step stuff. Getting a 2 in step 2 is something like 50% which is possible but easy to miss.
He/you can post in f38 - maths here with whatever questions he has and whlie its not necessarily perfect, responses are usually fairly quick and plenty of people have prepared for step doing this. However, assuming he needs to do it youve got something like 1 month (step 1) so to mid feb then 2-3 months doing step 2, so early may. So those are fairly tight and hell be busy over easter with usual revision and step stuff. Getting a 2 in step 2 is something like 50% which is possible but easy to miss.
Thank you once more. What is F38? He's not on Student Room himself, doesn't really do any social media but i'd happily get him signed up here if he could find some help with this on here? He's tried some Step 1 himself already which has gone ok I believe. He said to me it's building blocks and so he cant do any step 2 til he's done that first, but i think he'd be ready to now try some step 2 - just dont know where he gets some real help for it/real practice/resources. The AMSP courses looked so good as well and they were free which was amazing. Probably why I'm struggling to get him onto anything on there truth be told.
He's a really hard worker, so whatever I can find for him he will try.
Original post by Parent2023
Thank you once more. What is F38? He's not on Student Room himself, doesn't really do any social media but i'd happily get him signed up here if he could find some help with this on here? He's tried some Step 1 himself already which has gone ok I believe. He said to me it's building blocks and so he cant do any step 2 til he's done that first, but i think he'd be ready to now try some step 2 - just dont know where he gets some real help for it/real practice/resources. The AMSP courses looked so good as well and they were free which was amazing. Probably why I'm struggling to get him onto anything on there truth be told.
He's a really hard worker, so whatever I can find for him he will try.
He's a really hard worker, so whatever I can find for him he will try.
f38 - maths is
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=38
theres also the maths exam forum (46?) which has solutions to the older step papers when they were never published. Not really relevant for him as hell probalby only have time to look over the last 8 years or so.
If hes done some step 1, then certainly move onto the step 2 foundation modules (topic specific practice) and then onlo the papers. Though Id probably still hit a couple of step 1 papers (they finished ~2019, so maybe that and 2018). and see how it goes. Wbf, hes probably "past" the amsp-type courses now and if he can attempt step 1 stuff, he should have some idea about how to approach/set up questions and then its more about individual practice, with a suitable carrot/stick so he does the daily grind. The important things are
•
thinking about how you get started/work out what the question is asking
•
seeing how a question leads you through the answer, with one part leading you onto the next
•
being a bit more rigorous, so harder algebra, ....
(edited 2 months ago)
Original post by mqb2766
f38 - maths is
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=38
theres also the maths exam forum (46?) which has solutions to the older step papers when they were never published. Not really relevant for him as hell probalby only have time to look over the last 8 years or so.
If hes done some step 1, then certainly move onto the step 2 foundation modules (topic specific practice) and then onlo the papers. Though Id probably still hit a couple of step 1 papers (they finished ~2019, so maybe that and 2018). and see how it goes. Wbf, hes probably "past" the amsp-type courses now and if he can attempt step 1 stuff, he should have some idea about how to approach/set up questions and then its more about individual practice, with a suitable carrot/stick so he does the daily grind. The important things are
Its hard to do this on a course/more about practice/reflection, hence the previous about trying and posting attempts/asking for advice.
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=38
theres also the maths exam forum (46?) which has solutions to the older step papers when they were never published. Not really relevant for him as hell probalby only have time to look over the last 8 years or so.
If hes done some step 1, then certainly move onto the step 2 foundation modules (topic specific practice) and then onlo the papers. Though Id probably still hit a couple of step 1 papers (they finished ~2019, so maybe that and 2018). and see how it goes. Wbf, hes probably "past" the amsp-type courses now and if he can attempt step 1 stuff, he should have some idea about how to approach/set up questions and then its more about individual practice, with a suitable carrot/stick so he does the daily grind. The important things are
•
thinking about how you get started/work out what the question is asking
•
seeing how a question leads you through the answer, with one part leading you onto the next
•
being a bit more rigorous, so harder algebra, ....
oh my thank you so very much for this helpful and detailed reply, I'll put him in this right direction.
REally appreciate the time you have taken to explain this out to me. Trying to maintain morale in the house
I'm sorry to read that your son had problems with the TMUA, I want you to know that what you described happened to my YP as well. I made a complaint but UK-AT dismissed it by saying that if they had asked for another booklet it would have been given. In the exam they did try to get the attention of the invigilator but the invigilator wasn't paying attention, so they didn't get it. My YP is very unassuming so would find making a fuss very difficult.
I hope that the issues with the administration of the exams is brought to the attention of the universities who are relying on the outcomes of the TMUA's to decide on offers. My YP is predicted 4A*, it's infuriating that such a badly implemented exam will have any influence on their opportunities. It's really not good enough to say that the solution is to take the STEP, when lots of state schools don't help with that. I do hope your son gets his first choice.
I hope that the issues with the administration of the exams is brought to the attention of the universities who are relying on the outcomes of the TMUA's to decide on offers. My YP is predicted 4A*, it's infuriating that such a badly implemented exam will have any influence on their opportunities. It's really not good enough to say that the solution is to take the STEP, when lots of state schools don't help with that. I do hope your son gets his first choice.
Original post by Anonymous
I'm sorry to read that your son had problems with the TMUA, I want you to know that what you described happened to my YP as well. I made a complaint but UK-AT dismissed it by saying that if they had asked for another booklet it would have been given. In the exam they did try to get the attention of the invigilator but the invigilator wasn't paying attention, so they didn't get it. My YP is very unassuming so would find making a fuss very difficult.
I hope that the issues with the administration of the exams is brought to the attention of the universities who are relying on the outcomes of the TMUA's to decide on offers. My YP is predicted 4A*, it's infuriating that such a badly implemented exam will have any influence on their opportunities. It's really not good enough to say that the solution is to take the STEP, when lots of state schools don't help with that. I do hope your son gets his first choice.
I hope that the issues with the administration of the exams is brought to the attention of the universities who are relying on the outcomes of the TMUA's to decide on offers. My YP is predicted 4A*, it's infuriating that such a badly implemented exam will have any influence on their opportunities. It's really not good enough to say that the solution is to take the STEP, when lots of state schools don't help with that. I do hope your son gets his first choice.
Thank you for your post, it is comforting to me to know (but awful for you too) that this happened to others as well. It does really suck from my own pov. I hope and pray for an offer from them now and if that offer should mean him requiring a step 2 result that he does at least get that opportunity to 'go again' rather than no offer at all. Though i'd have much preferred TMUA went well last week and he could concentrate on A levels now, rather than a potential of Step alongside it, and then Step with literally no School support.
I have never regretted a decision not to move him at sixth form more than I have these last couple of years. Nothing has been forthcoming by way of support to help him try for this. I'm literally just a Mum wanting her best for him, but I feel they should be positioning themselves to help these students who want to attain, are clearly attaining and aiming high. At work my colleagues all tell me differently about their experiences with their Childrens school and the support they receive. It's really mind boggling that he is cut adrift here when it matters most. He seems to be suffering from some sort of 'you are our best student so we just wont worry about you...'. Whilst I'm pleased they think highly of him, want I really want/wanted was practical help for him to do these tests 💁*♀️
He also applied to Bath (not heard anything from them either) and Bath was one of the first uni days we went to and he was really impressed with their open day and loved Bath. Then we went to Warwick first in the summer on a random open day they held for students with late offers etc... as i thought we would not be able to make the October Open day. However, we then did make the October date to Warwick and he was so impressed by it but it was only then we realised about TMUA being required. It was a really informative open day. I too really do hope he gets his first choice, you get a 'feel' for a place and it felt right for him
Original post by Anonymous
I'm sorry to read that your son had problems with the TMUA, I want you to know that what you described happened to my YP as well. I made a complaint but UK-AT dismissed it by saying that if they had asked for another booklet it would have been given. In the exam they did try to get the attention of the invigilator but the invigilator wasn't paying attention, so they didn't get it. My YP is very unassuming so would find making a fuss very difficult.
I hope that the issues with the administration of the exams is brought to the attention of the universities who are relying on the outcomes of the TMUA's to decide on offers. My YP is predicted 4A*, it's infuriating that such a badly implemented exam will have any influence on their opportunities. It's really not good enough to say that the solution is to take the STEP, when lots of state schools don't help with that. I do hope your son gets his first choice.
I hope that the issues with the administration of the exams is brought to the attention of the universities who are relying on the outcomes of the TMUA's to decide on offers. My YP is predicted 4A*, it's infuriating that such a badly implemented exam will have any influence on their opportunities. It's really not good enough to say that the solution is to take the STEP, when lots of state schools don't help with that. I do hope your son gets his first choice.
Probably helps neither of you, but last year(s) the tmua/step were not required for warwick, but if you did them you we allowed roughly a grade compensation in a level results. So you could get in with A*/A*/A/A (or something like that) and no entrance exam. Probably out of step a bit with oxbridge/imperial, so I guess theyve tightened up the entry requirements this year.
Original post by Parent2023
oh my thank you so very much for this helpful and detailed reply, I'll put him in this right direction.
REally appreciate the time you have taken to explain this out to me. Trying to maintain morale in the house
REally appreciate the time you have taken to explain this out to me. Trying to maintain morale in the house
Hope things are ok. One thing I forgot to mention last night is that if he goes ahead with it (bath is good as well) Id probably do some step a day (untimed) rather than trying to do timed exams at the moment. So try putting ~1 hr in each day and try and complete 2 full questions open book and any reflection, rather than sitting down at the weekend and doing a 3 hr exam. For fairly obvious reasons, though everyone is different.
A 2 at step 2 is more about skilling up/practice, rather than worrying about timing.
Original post by Parent2023
Thank you fort this, any step support places I can find will be really useful in the event he gets a second chance at this. He cannot get onto any of the AMSP ones, either full, wrong area, or just wont deal with him directly (the school firewall prevents him registering). It's actually crackers in that respect - there are days I am trying so hard to find where I can get him help from and at a loss as to how I cant get it at all from his School. I do appreciate your reply so much.
https://maths.org/step/welcome
Can't he access the internet at home?
Original post by Muttley79
https://maths.org/step/welcome
Can't he access the internet at home?
Can't he access the internet at home?
Ironically at home? literally right now no - my house was flooded last weekend 😭 so much joy for me everywhere right now 🤣
But he does access the internet at the Library and he does like it in there too, says it's peaceful 🤣 👍️ (there are days I think I brought the wrong child home with me) So there is no hardship there for him in that sense thankfully 🙏
I hope I dont make him seem inept at accessing information online? he's really not 'albeit he doesn't really do social media stuff to be fair' and he had been accessing and working through what we thought were the 'correct' avenues for TMUA via the Pearson site. But then paper 1 felt so different on the day of the test to the papers he'd been practicing and he couldn't get to grips with the wipe boards and the shaky cubicle on the day on the testing centre. Ateotd, it just didn't go anything at all like he'd practiced ahead - so there is disappointment there which he is shouldering well. It's me who isn't 🤪
But given that, should an offer with condition of Step come his way at any point I want to arm myself as fully as possible. He has been on that link above and has been working through Step 1 with some good success 👍️ But I had hoped it wouldn't come down to a Step situation given it sits at same time as A Levels, had really hoped he would just do well enough in TMUA. His cousin read Maths at Warwick and didn't have to do any of this at all when he applied, but he did say that his School Sixth form provided real Step support for those applying to Cambridge and Durham at the time. Others say this too. I think it would be really useful to have someone outside of your own self to work through this style of Maths with. His own Maths teachers just said 'yeah, Step is hard' and have left it at that 😱
Unfortunately I do think you need people at some point to champion you and your efforts to attain well - and if it's not forthcoming from the avenues you'd expect at that point I hope there's always someone like a Parent to give it a good try too 🤣❤️
My hat is off to everyone going through this process.
Original post by mqb2766
Hope things are ok. One thing I forgot to mention last night is that if he goes ahead with it (bath is good as well) Id probably do some step a day (untimed) rather than trying to do timed exams at the moment. So try putting ~1 hr in each day and try and complete 2 full questions open book and any reflection, rather than sitting down at the weekend and doing a 3 hr exam. For fairly obvious reasons, though everyone is different.
A 2 at step 2 is more about skilling up/practice, rather than worrying about timing.
A 2 at step 2 is more about skilling up/practice, rather than worrying about timing.
thank you so much, really good to know Bath regarded well too.
This seems like a sound approach to me as a lay person - appreciate that thought process. I'm thankful I dont have to be a 'nag' at least... I dont have to have any battles with him, he's willing and eager. I honestly just wish I knew sooner what was happening, but it is what it is. My current most over used expression. Thank you, really appreciate it.🙂
Original post by Parent2023
thank you so much, really good to know Bath regarded well too.
This seems like a sound approach to me as a lay person - appreciate that thought process. I'm thankful I dont have to be a 'nag' at least... I dont have to have any battles with him, he's willing and eager. I honestly just wish I knew sooner what was happening, but it is what it is. My current most over used expression. Thank you, really appreciate it.🙂
This seems like a sound approach to me as a lay person - appreciate that thought process. I'm thankful I dont have to be a 'nag' at least... I dont have to have any battles with him, he's willing and eager. I honestly just wish I knew sooner what was happening, but it is what it is. My current most over used expression. Thank you, really appreciate it.🙂
NP. To summarise, Id guess the key things are to do something like a solid couple of questions a day, so ~1 hr daily practice (so roughly a paper a week), and ask for help / advice about his approach / work as necessary. The markers reports give an idea of what the questions were looking for / what kids found difficult, so look over those at the end of the week and remember the grade 2 boundary is ~50%, so he doesnt need perfection across all questions, but he needs to be confident in doing 3 well say and picking up some marks in 3 others.
(edited 2 months ago)
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