University Applications...

[DevilMayCry42]

So, the October 15th deadline fast approaches, I was wondering, who else is applying to Universities this year? What kind of courses?

I'm looking at doing a Physics/Maths and Physics/Natural Sciences courses, at Cambridge, Imperial, Warwick, St Andrews and Southampton... I've also been considering Nottingham, and Birmingham to possible tag-team with Southampton and maybe swap in instead....

Anyone else stuck pondering??

[Salazaar]

So, the October 15th deadline fast approaches, I was wondering, who else is applying to Universities this year? What kind of courses?

I'm looking at doing a Physics/Maths and Physics/Natural Sciences courses, at Cambridge, Imperial, Warwick, St Andrews and Southampton... I've also been considering Nottingham, and Birmingham to possible tag-team with Southampton and maybe swap in instead....

Anyone else stuck pondering??

Just remember when you're applying for a top flight uni which demands 17 As and a team captainsy in Rugby, Football and Rowing as well as spending all your social time working for a local charity, that you're well advised to have a back up which is achievable by a mere mortal (just in case...).

[DevilMayCry42]

Just remember when you're applying for a top flight uni which demands 17 As and a team captainsy in Rugby, Football and Rowing as well as spending all your social time working for a local charity, that you're well advised to have a back up which is achievable by a mere mortal (just in case...).

I'm only doing 3 A2's and 2 AS's!!! I can't play rugby or row, and i'm hopeless at football!!!

Nah, from what I hear, all the stereotypes of Cambridge people are kinda misguided...Anyway, that one's a dream Uni, my expectations of an offer are quite low tbh....

I'm hoping more for Warwick and St Andrews...

So does that mean no-one else is applying???

[Mblaster]

The deadline for most places is in Janurary (at least was when I did it a few years back), it's only Oxford and Cambridge, and Medicine courses that have the earlier deadline IIRC.

[Lanky123]

Nah, from what I hear, all the stereotypes of Cambridge people are kinda misguided...Anyway, that one's a dream Uni, my expectations of an offer are quite low tbh....

That's probably the best way to approach it, but you should still have confidence in your ability to get to/pass an interview. Most people who apply to Oxbridge do so 'on the off-chance', and some people have to get in.

And don't knock Southampton on the head, it's fantastic. I recommend you at least visit the campus since it is really nice, but then again I would say that. I have to admit I haven't visited Birmingham or Nottingham so I can't really compare.

[RoBe]

Thanks goodness i'm not applying for oxbridge. I've still not got my personal statement all sorted out.

I'm thinking of applying for Imperial and Southampton too, as well as Edinburgh and Strathclyde up here in scotland. But to do an MEng in Electrical + Electronic Engineering. Not really sure if it's the type i want to do tbh, but i'll see what comes out of the first/second year of general stuff. (MEng is 5 years in scotland)

[Cozwin]

im applying to uni s in sheffield as dont want to leave and dealine is june but im going to do my personal statment this week and try and have mine off by end of october.

[Salazaar]

The problem with Oxbridge (and a few other of the top unis) is that since pretty much all their applicants are loaded with top grades they have to look for something else to differentiate their candidates; sports, culture or whatever.

[RavenNight]

I highly recommend Warwick, great results but a lot more laid back than Oxbridge, you've got more time to be a student! Plus by the time you get here it'll have the flashest SU in the country!

The most important thing is to visit as many as possible, look round the campus, find out about what goes on at the Union, what clubs and societies are available (and how much they cost!) and what the departments are like!

[Salazaar]

I highly recommend Warwick, great results but a lot more laid back than Oxbridge, you've got more time to be a student! Plus by the time you get here it'll have the flashest SU in the country!

The most important thing is to visit as many as possible, look round the campus, find out about what goes on at the Union, what clubs and societies are available (and how much they cost!) and what the departments are like!

A friend of mine went to Warwick after flunking his Oxford interview, he loved it.

[Lanky123]

The problem with Oxbridge (and a few other of the top unis) is that since pretty much all their applicants are loaded with top grades they have to look for something else to differentiate their candidates; sports, culture or whatever.

In my experience they just used interviews and a test to differentiate between candidates. I'm pretty sure the days of being thrown a rugby ball as you walked into the interview are over.

[Salazaar]

In my experience they just used interviews and a test to differentiate between candidates. I'm pretty sure the days of being thrown a rugby ball as you walked into the interview are over.

I'm sure it is a little more in depth than that but the point is that they are looking for something in your life above and beyond just your academic qualifications.

[DevilMayCry42]

I'm sure it is a little more in depth than that but the point is that they are looking for something in your life above and beyond just your academic qualifications.

Well, I'm hoping that a Duke of Edinburgh Gold, Taekwondo, debating and Model United Nations will be enough to get me through....
If not, one of the other uni's HAS to make me an offer, right?

The most important thing is to visit as many as possible, look round the campus, find out about what goes on at the Union, what clubs and societies are available (and how much they cost!) and what the departments are like!

I wish I could visit...The problem is I live overseas (think --> other side of the world), so its kinda difficult to do that...I got to see UCL and Imperial last summer because I have cousins who used to study there, but I didn't see any other unis because I had no clue what I wanted to do/where I wanted to apply...

[Whiternoise]

Physics at Warwick started this year

It's awesome!

Applied to: Oxford, Imperial, Exeter, Warwick and Edinburgh

Cocked up the oxford entrance test, so that was out. Imperial never actually replied until they declined so.. whether they lost my application or what Exeter was really nice, Edinburgh was too far and Warwick was a little bit nicer.

Pick where you feel most comfortable. Warwick has a very nice campus, all the physics students here i've spoken too are friendly, the tutors are generally good and it's a nice atmosphere. It's also very well respected by employers - especially with a Physics degree. Don't be put off by people saying "oh that's in coventry isn't it", employers know who they are.

Oxbridge is a mixed bag, some people fit in well, some people hate it. Getting rejected was a bit annoying, but i don't think i would have enjoyed it nearly as much. Obviously the teaching quality is excellent, and you will probably have a great time there if you get in. On the flipside, you might get a more "real world" experience if you go to a slightly more standard university. You'll also have a higher workload in a shorter amount of time - and from what i hear a good number of people arrive in the 0th week and end in the 9th, so they don't really have shorter terms.

Imperial - my gran is friends with the ex-director of Physics there. His view about it is that it's a good university, but it's better for postgraduates. They also have a fairly "sink or swim" attitude towards students so if you have problems they're not fantastic about sorting it out.

Imperial, as well as Warwick, is very popular with international students, so you'd fit in well with either.

Here's an example of my week:

Monday - Maths for Scientists, Physics Foundations, Relativity
Tuesday - Maths, Foundations, Tutorial, Relativity
Wednesday - Foundations, Relativity, afternoon off
Thursday - Seminars (read: problems classes)
Friday - Labs 10-4pm
Weekend off.

Workload is a problem sheet + some web work for every lecture per week. Really not that much. There's not a great deal of reading (yet) so you can get it all done in a night and not have to bother doing any extra work for the rest of the week if you want (so long as you're comfortable with the information).

Warwick's MathPhysics course is VERY competitive i believe - i think there are maybe 10 people doing it. It's a very heavy workload as you have to do the physics core as well as the maths core. However, it's an impressive degree to do!

Any questions about Warwick Physics just give me a shout

SiM did MORSE here if i recall right. RavenNight, are you still here?

[DevilMayCry42]

Physics at Warwick started this year

I read somewhere that Warwick was well known for its Science and Technology!!

Warwick's MathPhysics course is VERY competitive i believe - i think there are maybe 10 people doing it. It's a very heavy workload as you have to do the physics core as well as the maths core. However, it's an impressive degree to do!

Warwick was my main (realistic) hope, but methinks [judging by its competitivness] my hope of that is out the window...! I applied to Maths and Physics at Warwick!!!


Oh, and I'm going for home student, BTW, British passport, born and raised there etc. so I'd better get that status!

[shadowmaster]

What about UCL? I don't know how good we are at Physics, but its a really good uni, people are really nice and friendly, and it does not have the sink or swim attitude of Imperial. Adding to that we have a large variety of good looking girls

Definitely worth putting them on your ucas form as third option after Warrick (if thats your second choice). The only things is that its quite expensive as its London.

The best advice I can give you is to go to a uni that you feel you will enjoy the most