whistl Re maths at Warwick, it’s seen as a fallback option for Cambridge, many of DS1’s friends at Warwick took STEP. For DS1 it was his first choice, though. It really doesn’t matter once you are there. Its offer is pretty much the next highest after Oxbridge. It does vary year to year a little but DS got the standard offer of A maths, A FM, A in 3rd subject, or A maths, A FM, A in 3rd subject with a grade 1 in any STEP paper. There were other options to include Oxford uni maths paper as well. DS has said getting the A in FM was easier than the grade 1 in STEP, but that was with the AS/A2 modular system.
Their accommodation is varied, all self catering but ranges from big expensive en-suite rooms with 4 to a kitchen to really quite cheap, small rooms with shared bathrooms and 12-14 to a kitchen and lots in between. You get to rank quite a few choices of accommodation but it’s not decided until September which means no advantage for firm over insurance. DS got his first choice but he ranked on price, low to high and the more expensive options seemed more popular.
DS1 made his friends more from his accommodation than his course, though being in a big shared kitchen meant that there were lots of people to make friends with. 5 from his kitchen were doing either maths, MORSE (some sort of business maths) or joint maths and physics. So friends both on his course and accommodation. Some of his acquaintances who were in nicer accommodation but with only 4 to a flat/kitchen didn’t gel with their flat mates and got quite lonely. 2 left due to this. In balance, 2 left from his corridor of 24 or so due to not coping with the communal living. You need to think hard what will actually best suit your DC, more privacy and peace and quiet but potentially fewer friends over a more sociable time but with the stresses of sharing with many types of people and their idiosyncrasies.
He had to choose housemates for 2nd year before Christmas which is a bit soon, tbh. Warwick accommodation manages lots of private rentals in Coventry, (Earlsdon and Canley mainly) and Leamington. Which means you won’t be ripped off by a private landlord but once in you do deal with the landlord to fix problems etc. You pay rent termly which if you choose direct debit coincides nicely with student loan payments from Student Loan Company (SLC.) You have to arrange your own utilities and internet. (Student halls in first year are also paid termly but bills and internet included.)
DS chose Earlsdon in Coventry, again on price, but his kitchen mates were all at the poorer end of the spectrum so that suited them. It’s advantages are being much closer to campus than Leam, and it’s full of students, but Leam is nicer and also full of students. He’s got friends in both locations and will socialise in Leam sometimes. DS bought a bike and cycles mostly, in fair weather! He’s on a uni bus route as well. 4 mikes from campus. Leam is more than twice as far, but there are uni buses.
There are around 300 in a year doing some sort of maths. There are lots and lots of options in 2nd and 3rd year. Relatively few compulsory courses compared to some of the other universities DS1 looked at. Many lectures are on lecture capture video available to Warwick students which is useful for timetable clashes. You may get timetable clashes due to the many options on offer.
Each year you take subjects worth at least 120 credits. If you take more, only your top scoring courses are counted. Eg, last year DS1 took subjects worth 132 credits in total, each subject worth maybe 6 or 12 credits. His lowest scoring course, worth 12 credits, wasn’t included in his 2nd year total. He can take some options from other depts, eg physics or computing for instance and has done well in some computing courses.
First year is worth 10% of the total for a BSc hons 3 year course. Second year worth 40%, 3rd year 50%. (Actually that might be 30% and 60%.) Most unis don’t count first year results. Was an advantage for DS as he’d done really well in first year and was glad it counted for something.
You can apply for BSc hons and swap up to a 4 year MMath if you are doing well and still get the funding from SLC) Not sure of exact marks required to swap up. I can ask DS if you want. Or you can apply for an MMath initially. DS1 has decided he’s had enough of studying and will finish this year. He’s on course for a first and thinks getting the MMath wouldn’t help his job prospects significantly enough to be worth the extra debt and slog. Just his personal opinion. About 1/4 to 1/3 of his friends are planning on doing a Masters. Some are doing a 4 year BSc with a year abroad, including some maths students. One is in Amsterdam this year being taught in English. Not sure how SLC funding works for that.
He’s loved the whole uni experience and can’t believe it’s nearly over. He’s always been very self motivated, since Y11 pretty much and it’s been great for him. He’s found the maths harder and harder as he’s gone on, but it’s all relative. He doesn’t love the maths as much as he used to.
That’s rather a lot! Hope it’s useful.