Natural Sciences (not just Cambridge)

[PhotoDad]

DS has just finished Y12. He does double maths, physics, and chemistry. He really wants to pursue all of those subjects at university, with the option to narrow down once he's seen what they are like at uni level. Predicted 4 x A-star.

So, Natural Sciences is the obvious degree. We've looked together, and put down an initial list of Cambridge, Durham, Leeds, Bath, Nottingham, and Lancaster (which would mean he only has to eliminate one). He's ruled out Warwick and Exeter (too biological) and Loughborough (not enough flexibility in choices). He doesn't want London, because of cost and a dislike of large cities.

Is there anywhere obvious that we've overlooked, or that the UCAS search isn't showing us? Does anyone have DC doing Natural Sciences at any of these places with experiences to share? He's planning a gap-year and will apply to a Cambridge college which says that's OK; would that be a factor for anywhere else?

Congratulations!

It was his college's standard offer for STEM subjects, which is the rather alarming 3 x A-star and 1 x A.

TBH I would have been more surprised had he not got an offer but you are probably tired of people saying that to you. Deferred is even more impressive. As discussed above, the time intensive first year of the Cambridge course will cover the necessary foundations for both physical sciences.

One of my students has been pooled from his chosen college for BioNatSci but received an offer. His offer is 3 A stars plus an A with A stars being specified in FM, Chemistry and Biology. When my DD applied in 2016-17 for PhysNatSci, her offer was 2 A stars and 2 As but no subjects were specified for particular grades. She was the 1st year of reformed A levels in Physics and Chemistry but not Maths/FM. I hadn't realised that the grades had gone up. Due to the way the school operated back then, she already had AS levels in Maths and Critical Thinking plus a full A level in General Studies so perhaps that had a bearing on it.

Anyway, congratulations to those with offer-holding DC and for those who will be going elsewhere, the DD of mine who was redirected is loving life as a QC Scientist in her job - she has a Masters in BioNatSci. Her degree gave her the chance to study abroad which C did not, so embrace the opportunities!

Congratulations to your DS @PhotoDad . I discovered this helpful thread late and lurked as my DS was also applying for NatSci at C and seems similar to your DS in terms of the mathematical bent.

May I ask if your DS was offered MSci or BA - my DS applied for MSci courses but the C offer says BA. The offers from other universities don’t specify, they just use the course code he applied to.

As far as I know it's the same course code at C! Students can decide halfway through the course.

Yes, exactly this. You get a BA if you decide to finish after your 3rd year, or you can carry on to the 4th year. I think you may have to get a 2i for 4th year but not certain (as I didn't bother with one).

Correct! You need to achieve a decent result to be able to progress onto Masters study.

However, 6 years after Matriculation, as long as you haven't committed any crime or got divorced, your degree is upgraded to MA. DD1 has a BA and MSci from her first graduation after 4 years and now an MA from the "upgrade" last year. Hoping she completes her thesis and actually gets the PhD but who knows?

I'm just updating old threads, for anyone interested. DS made his (deferred) offer and now has his gap-year all planned. He is very keen to narrow in on Materials Science, which the Cambridge course structure will allow.

Congratulations to him, hope he has a fab time both there and on his gap year. I know someone who specialised in Materials Science doing NatSci at Cambridge.