astrophysics/physics help

Dh has joined one, and it has rekindled his inner geek. He loves it.

However, he is 43, and is one of the younger members of his group. His society have just made the brave decision to let over 14's join, and the oldies are in uproar. They think that youths in hoodies are going to descend. They have one junior member...

Dh did maths and astrophysics at university many years ago. He had maths, physics and history A' Levels. However, I think that Chemistry could be a useful A' Level to do.

Perhaps your son would like to join an astronomical society. Not all of them accept under 18's, and those that do often require a parent to accompany them (child protection rules). However, they often have great visiting lecturers, and it could look good on a uni application.

Maths, further maths and physics preferably, but further maths can be substituted with another science.

A love of science and the ability to talk about it is the most important thing. Reading New Scientist/Scientific American will really help.

I went to Cardiff, and all their physics degrees had the same first year so you could choose your stream after that - I did medical physics, but had friends who did physics & astronomy or astrophysics which Cardiff does v well

Isaac Asimov's non-fiction did it for me as a teenager. Some of his stuff is now scientifically dated, but it's all superbly written.

Definitely maths, further maths and physics A level. DS is the same (Y10) and is currently thinking he will also do chemistry. I think this is probably the most common 4th choice.

He would like to go to Cambridge, where the Tripos system means that you choose 3 science subjects the first year, three (I think) the second year, and one in the final year, which allows scope for changing interests.

I would take out a subscription to New Scientist - or the school library may get it, so he can read round the science subjects. Record all those science programs by Brian Cox and Jim Al Khalili on TV - actually they are quite a good place to start if he is going beyond the school syllabus, as they introduce complex topics in layman's terms. Then books like E=MC squared, A Brief History of Time, and The Search of Schrodingers Cat are good.

I'm not sure extra-curricular activities matter that much, although obviosuly it's good to have some. A science nerd is a science nerd, (I am one myself) and I would expect unis to be familiar with the type, and be looking for a passion for the subject anyway.

I don't know about A levels (though I'd assume maths and physics, obviously!) and extra-curricular things, but to find out which unis are best, try looking at the Times or Guardian league tables. You can look at a table specifically for 1 subject, and then maybe you could have a look at a few of the top ones websites to see what they say about A levels. He's got a few years to go though so I wouldn't worry too much about it, GCSEs need dealing with first!