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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Maths at Oxford or Cambridge

97 replies

AChickenCalledKorma · 05/04/2019 08:55

DD1 is in year 12 and planning to apply to Oxford or Cambridge to study Maths in 2020. She is a highly gifted mathematician and this is a realistic proposition for her.

Obviously she can only apply to one of them. I wondered if there is anyone on here who can comment on differences between the Oxford and Cambridge Maths courses and what they are looking for? She's doing her own research, including Maths-specific open days. But if there are people on here who are familiar with the courses, it would be great to hear any insights.

(And yes, we all know that she may not get in, and it's not the be-all and end-all, so I'm not inviting for a debate about any of that!)

OP posts:
DadDadDad · 05/04/2019 13:12

I know this is not quite the question you've asked, but I think Cambridge does have the edge in terms of a world-class reputation for Maths.

I studied Maths at Cambridge 30 years ago, so I can't offer much on the current syllabuses - I would imagine they would have a lot of similarities, but it may be the later options that might sway her if she has particular interests. I was interested in Theoretical Physics when I applied and the university of Newton and Hawking (and many other great theoreticians in between!) was an attraction. When I got there, I ended up becoming more interested in Pure Maths, but again the department for Pure Maths is very strong.

I think the best people she can talk to are undergrads on either course: why did they choose it? what do the enjoy about it?

At the end of the day, if having visited both and done her own research, she has a gut feeling that one appeals more than the other, that's what I would go for - she's going to come out with a quality degree either way.

adrinkofwater · 05/04/2019 14:49

I'm interested in this too as DS is planning to apply for 2020 and sounds similar!

BSJohnson · 05/04/2019 14:57

For cutting edge Maths, she may well be better off at Warwick. Not much to choose between Oxford and Cambridge Maths, I believe, though I know more mathematicians who have stayed in the field from Oxford.

TeenTimesTwo · 05/04/2019 15:06

I did maths at Cambridge. This is also not what you asked, but I had a conversation with a close friend recently who, as amazing coincidences would have it , also studied maths at Cambridge.

She mooted that a number of our common friends would have done a different degree if we had our time again. I certainly should probably have switched to Comp Sci after the first year (at the time CS was only a 2 year course).

I was ace at Maths at school. By far the best in my year. At Cambridge I was distinctly mediocre (and understood very little of the second year at all).

I guess what I'm saying is anything she can do to do any 'tasters' would really help her know what she is getting in to.

Maths is a great degree for training the brain and friends on the course went into Computing, Law, Meteorology, Accountancy, Electronics, Teaching, Academia to name a few.

Obviously though, Cambridge over Oxford. Based on no knowledge at all of the Oxford course, and Cambridge info 30 years out of date. Smile

pqgh04 · 05/04/2019 15:09

Cambridge does have the edge in terms of a world-class reputation for Maths.

I don't think this is true any more. Oxford has invested a lot into hiring stars (particularly those who will shine in the research assessment of UK universities, the REF). Oxford Maths outperforms Cambridge Maths on a number of measures.

For a prospective UG, both are fantastic places and both offer a wide choice of areas in Maths to study and specialise in. The main reason for choosing one over the other is usually the entrance procedures. Oxford Maths uses MAT pre-interview plus interview to select, but their offers are relatively straightforward to achieve. Cambridge Maths interviews almost all applicants but over-offers and uses STEP (taken with A levels) to select i.e. the Cambridge offers are not easy to achieve, and many with Cambridge offers will end up at insurances such as Warwick, Imperial, Durham.

pqgh04 · 05/04/2019 15:10

For cutting edge Maths, she may well be better off at Warwick.

Not true.

shockthemonkey · 05/04/2019 15:25

Yes, the STEP can be a shocker when you have an offer, think you're going, then miss the STEP requirements.

If you look at the Cambridge stats for offers versus admissions in maths, the difference is explained by STEP. In most courses, the number of admissions is very close to the number of offers, as Cambridge tends to be a student's number one choice. In the case of maths though, as pp has said Cambridge over-offers and then uses STEP to take the cream.

It's a heavy heavy blow because STEP exams take place very late in the cycle, in June.

DeRigueurMortis · 05/04/2019 15:28

@TeenTimesTwo

I have a question if you don't mind.

You said you were a maths ace at school but mediocre at Cambridge.

DS is brilliant at maths and already (yr11) has his heart set in Cambridge.

He and his friend are the best in the school at maths (not my judgement but that of the Head of Maths at school) and they get great results (doing mocks now and both getting 9's on every paper, mainly only getting 1/2 questions not "perfect" hence dropping a few marks).

So my question, why the difference for you?

What it the type of maths you were studying at degree level?

Is there any way to predict how DS might fair?

He's also a whizz at Physics and Computer Science if that helps.

Thanks in advance for any response.

DeRigueurMortis · 05/04/2019 15:30

Sorry - what's STEP?

DeRigueurMortis · 05/04/2019 15:32

And apologies I'm new to this - looks like I'm going to have to do a lot of research given DS's aspirations Blush

colehawlins · 05/04/2019 15:35

@DeRigueurMortis

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SixthTermmExaminationPaper

ThanksForYourHelp · 05/04/2019 15:36

Take a look at actuarial science. Maths galore--and with a real paycheque.

DeRigueurMortis · 05/04/2019 15:37

Thank you Cole

Much appreciated.

colehawlins · 05/04/2019 15:39

Is there any way to predict how DS might fair?

My DS went through a similar decision process, and that's my only real insight into the maths aspect of this.

I think Further Maths A-level is a big part of the answer.

DS did scrape an A* in FM, but had switched his aspirations to Economics long before, partly because of the rigours of FM, partly because he learnt more about the various possibilities during Y 11 &12.

Ethelswith · 05/04/2019 15:39

Further to that Wiki article, Imperial uses STEP as well

colehawlins · 05/04/2019 15:40

And this is the equivalent for Oxford;

www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/tests/mat

pqgh04 · 05/04/2019 15:40

Take a look at actuarial science. Maths galore--and with a real paycheque.

If money is what you are after, then a maths degree from Oxford or Cambridge will take you into many highly paid jobs in finance, business etc.

Many people who like maths actually don't like actuarial science (statistics).

EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/04/2019 15:41

Dh was brilliant at .maths at school. He went to cambridge to do Chemistry and had to maths in the first year and really struggled. He eventually scraped a pass on maths and then dropped it. Years ago though.

Our friends son had an offer for Maths at Cambridge, got 4 A* but missed the STEP offer. He was devastated but took a gap year, applied to Oxford and went there instead. He really enjoyed it there.

SummerLightning · 05/04/2019 15:49

Oh you have reminded me of the trauma of my friends going to Glastonbury while I stayed behind to do my step papers! On the mediocre thing - I was also best in my year at maths and found it hard (maths at Cambridge), just doing maths all day makes your head hurt. Also they don't give pause in the lectures, in my day you had to write it all out by hand, so the lectures were very dull unless you could understand immediately, once you got lost you were just copying then had to understand later. It's probably different now with the internet. And derig wait and see how he finds a level, what he thinks of step papers, etc. He could also do any of the online courses on more advanced stuff than GCSE that you can do on khan academy, Coursera etc. If anyone wants some maths uni interview questions pm me, I collected a load for my friend who was helping with mock maths interviews.

Justanothermile · 05/04/2019 15:49

Further Maths at A Level is tough but a good indication of how students may fare at more complex maths, DS enjoyed the subject, but it was challenging at times too.

colehawlins · 05/04/2019 15:52

DS enjoyed the subject, but it was challenging at times too.

It's a balance isn't it? It's better if you can enjoy whichever slog you go for.

Justanothermile · 05/04/2019 15:52

And scraping an A* in FM is no small feat Cole 😁

Justanothermile · 05/04/2019 15:53

We've cross posted!

Justanothermile · 05/04/2019 15:54

He's now studying Maths at university, but not oxbridge btw.

colehawlins · 05/04/2019 15:54

I know. I was trying to give him credit, while I'm talking about him behind his back but also give a flavour of how hard it is.