Any britbongs studying physics or maths here?
I'm applying later this year, and it would be really helpful if i could read someone's personal statement (with identifying bits censored out obviously) as I write mine. Does anyone still have their personal statement saved?
>>7963528
if you cant tell me why YOU want to study physics/math, you ought to not study it.
>>7963538
Heres my PS. I'm just not sure how mine stacks up against the average.
>>7963538
this desu, it's not like you will be rejected because of the personal statement, unless you fuck up royally. Say why you like it, and what parts fascinate you the most that you want to research further. No bullshit like 'since I was born I had a fascination with... blabla'. It's literally that simple.
>>7963528
why the fuck would a uni want statements from you ?.
i just applied online and did my whole undergrad degree basically without once speaking or interacting with any uni official until my last semester .
they did demand high as fuck grades tho .
>>7963545
This is a Joke. Right?
>>7963624
um... elaborate?
>>7963545
Damn anon, this almost makes me feel inadequate. Can I ask which Uni's you've applied to?
>>7963692
Oxford as my main, backups are McGill (canada), Machester and Warwick.
Im not applying to UCL or Imperial because I already live in london and dont want to spend 23 consecutive years in the exact same place
>>7963545
>Mathematical Methods in the physical sciences
In the off chance this is not bait,
Either you're the lord fucking savoir of physics who has mastered vector analysis and all of calculus before the age of 20 and is one of the smartest people alive today, or you're a liar and will promptly be called out as such in your interview.
>>7963730
I'm only up to chapter 7 after about 6 months of on/off work. Its a tough book, but my physics teacher at school recommended it to me last year.
>>7963545
Imagine having to read hundreds of these
>>7963733
Just to clarify, you understand all of vector algebra along with most of the calculus in that book. Or did you skim over it?
If you don't understand everything contained within the books you listed, the interviewers will have every right to string you up by those loose threads. If you want to cover your arse say you tried reading book x but found the text challenging or whatever works best for you.
I'm not saying this to mess with you anon, just warning you of how things may go down if you word that paragraph the way you did
>>7963757
I understood it all well enough at the time to attenpt the questions at the end of each chapter, but to be honest I am not sure how many of the questions I could do right now without looking things up again.
Do you think its important to go back and commit everything to memory? I still have a few months, I could probably manage it...
>>7963704
>Oxford
Dunno which college you're applying to but a tutor at my (Wadham) college said he didn't read personal statements or references at all. It's all in the aptitude test and interview.
>>7963822
I mean, surely he at least skims them? How else would he know what to ask in-interview?
>>7963829
No, I don't think he read them at all, on the principle that there's no proof you actually wrote it. He will ask you physics and maths problems.
During my interviews I was only asked one PS-based question, about why dark matter was hypothesized.
>>7963837
What the fuck, thats really annoying.
So I can't talk about all the stuff I've been spending my time on for the last few years? That is some bullshit.
>>7963848
The point is that you enjoyed doing it, isn't it?
They just want people they think will be good physicists. They care about your intererest, obviously, but it's aptitude they test.
>>7963878
Do you know if every college is like that, or is Wadham an exception?
>>7963733
Read as well about history of physics, philosophy of physics, since you choose to believe in scientific realism.
Feyman is a nice meme, but he equally knew that he was not good outside of what he taught but turned it into a resentment. You can mention Dirac who did not dare to comment out of his work. Also, read his book on QM and black holes, it is not difficult and very clear.
Learn also formal logics if you can, it does not take long to see what goes on in this field.
>applying later this year
You're not hoping on starting this September, are you? it's a bit late.
I'll just leave this here
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Category:Oxford_Personal_Statements
if you want to feel inadequate read the ones for medicine.
>tfw rejected
bump. is it really the case that nobody here has their personal statement to hand?
>>7965292
Not everybody goes for Maths/Physics and most people who have gotten to universities have already deleted or obscurely filed their personal statements (including me).
>>7963545
>respectable total of 340kg
if you compete in 56kg maybe
>>7965300
>tfw 66kg
im hoping the guy reading it doesnt know anything about powerlifting desu
>>7963624
Nah, every britbongs personal statement reads like this. It's part of being a 16/17 year old naive kid.
OP I study physics at manchester, but had offers from UCL and Durham. Basically, your personal statement only matters insofar as to detail your extra curricular - all you need to do is tell the truth and please, please make sure it's well written. That's the most important thing.
>>7965301
>66kg
340kg is pretty decent for that weight and cat (u18 & unequipped I assume), I was mainly memeing, any triple digit value would impress someone with no knowledge of the sport.
what're your A2 predictions & subjects? I'd say that's what they care about most, alongside the interview and the test too. my mate this year didn't get a place based on his gsce results too, got a B in one or something. I failed on the interview myself.
>>7965312
I mean, it's not respectable at all.
>>7963545
This is so cringeworthy. I can't believe I'm going to have to write something equally cringeworthy to get into uni.
>>7965331
it qualifies for nationals in op's age group (he's probably 16 or 17) and weight category, so I would say it's enough for him to put on his personal statement without being total bullshit. it's enough to compete if he really is as light as he says he is, and that's enough I'd say. everyone exaggerates on their personal statement, he probably hasn't read the books he says he has either, that's pretty common. pick obscure ones so the interviewer hasn't read them either etc etc
>>7965346
>Further Maths A
don't bother.
>>7965348
I am applying for Physics rather than Maths. The usual offer is an A*AA, and that A* is likely going to be in Physics rather than further maths.
Plus I know I am going to get an A* in the actual exam, its just that predicted grades are deliberately harsh
>>7965350
desu desu a-level physics is a cakewalk, if you don't get an A* in it you should throw yourself off a bridge
>>7965350
don't bother with oxford, you aren't even reaching the bare minimum.
>predicted grades are deliberately harsh
no, they're not.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35492915
>>7965331
Powerlifting isn't respectable at all. So get off your high horse. It's literally a fake sport that's not taken seriously by anyone other than a small clique.
>>7965356
>standard offer is one A* grade and 2 As or 3 As
Did you link the wrong article by mistake?
>>7965356
>>7965348
lol
What are you doing?
>>7965361
he said his first choice was oxford, I'm telling him don't bother
UCL is not oxford, it's a joke
>>7965356
Interesting you say that, because I am 100% confident that you are full of shit
>>7965368
he's not about the predicted grades thing, i remember when i did a-levels i had ABB at AS and my teacher still predicted me A*AA
>got A*A*A
>>7965367
I have a University advisor who specialises in Oxford. I know my grades are completely appropriate for an Oxbridge admission - A*AA or A*A*A are completely normal offers.
Stop stirring shit, dummy.
>>7965371
That depends on school, and the university knows this.
The admissions guy will look at your school and use that to evaluate how trustworthy your predicted grades are. I know my school isnt inflationary, and so does Oxford. So its true, but it doesnt affect me.
>>7965374
>use that to evaluate how trustworthy your predicted grades are
how desu, i was the only person in my school to apply to a russel group
>>7965378
They keep records I guess, or maybe it only applies to Oxbridge feeder schools who send dozens of applicants every year.
Since I am privileged af and go to a feeder school, I know it applies to me
>>7965380
Check your privilege, lad. I know plenty of your kind at uni who all got 4 A*'s being spoonfed at their privileged schools - they're all useless.
>>7965392
Its entirely possible. I have like zero experience with the real world. But all I can do is just try my best and hope I do alright, I suppose.
>>7963763
I really doubt you will be asked about anything specifically on the books you mentioned, but, judging from my cambridge interview, you will be asked challenging problems on the maths you have done and you may be asked to think out of the box (for which doing further material is quite helpful). Also, know all your derivations for the physics equations in your course, etc (I was asked to derive the pendulum oscillation period equation even though calculus isn't even in the physics A-levels and i never got to see it before)
>>7965623
And did you do it?
>>7965628
I knew how to do it but then he asked me to solve the differential equation for the motion and he really threw me off when he asked 'what function do you differentiate twice and get the same function?' and I couldn't think of anything else other than e^x, even though I knew how to solve the diff eq with sinx
>>7965640
So what happened?
>>7965623
Oh god I despise that derivation. Doing it via complex numbers is a lot simpler imo, albeit a little unrigorous
>>7965690
>not studying for it at all
Fell for the ''studying is for brainlets meme''?
>>7965720
I went through some period where i couldnt be bothered to do shit but play vidya, unluckily just during that period of time.
However, I did end up going to a different uni where I was able to change my course to maths, as I found out physics (the unrigorous, meme-tier taught at undergrad) wasn't for me.
>>7965772
>tfw i had that period during my undergrad year
im lucky it was after i got accepted, phew
>>7963545
>340 KG total
>respectable and have testicles
Pick one, lad.
>>7965697
>despising a simple derivation
>>7965697
Are you thinking of the damped oscillation derivation? Because the SHM one doesnt involve complex numbers at all IIRC
>>7963736
You think someone actually reads them? It's random draft.
>>7963545
>Reading Boas
>not reading Riley and Hobbs
Fucking brainlet
>>7966225
I dont know what they are. Should I read them? I have 30 minutes of free time a day I could probably spend on another textbook if I really squeeze it in.
>>7966231
Nah man I'm messing, Riley and Hobbs is on the cusp between 3rd year and Post Grad
>>7966236
Are you talking about Riley, Hobson and Bence?
We did that for 1st/2nd year undergrad in EEE lol I'm pretty sure it's not postgrad or even 3rd year material.
>>7966242
I'm sure you covered tensors and complex variables in 1st year ya memer, I have no doubt you can use it for prelim calc
>>7966253
>I'm sure you covered tensors
we didn't do tensors, group/rep theory, special functions, quantum ops or calc of variations but seeing as we're in EEE they hardly seem relevant. I see no reason why we couldn't have done them as well.
>complex variables in 1st year
we did them in our second year mate.
>>7963889
No idea. I'd imagine they're somewhat uniform, but that's a guess.
>>7965720
I did and I still got in to oxford, lel. In fact I am still somewhat under that illusion, but what can you do eh
