Oxford/Cambridge applications for Physics/Materials Science/Engineering/Natural

Sciences

You will all sit a pre-interview test at the beginning of November (just after half term). The format
of the test and what they do with the results differs significantly between Oxford and Cambridge
though.

Oxford

Anyone applying to Oxford for Physics/Materials Science/Engineering will sit the Physics
Aptitude Test. See http://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/study-
here/undergraduates/applications/physics-aptitude-test-pat for info including specification and
past papers. Oxford do not publish answers but you can find them elsewhere online or you can
ask Dr Goodson.

Oxford are quite open about using the PAT as a deselection tool: the bottom half(ish) of
applicants are not invited to interview. Typically this means a cut-off score of somewhere
between 50% and 60%. A good score in the PAT will also count in your favour in the final
reckoning when it comes to offers being made.

Cambridge

Cambridge has two Pre-Interview Assessments:

Natural Sciences: http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/natural-sciences#entry-

requirements

Engineering: http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/engineering#entry-
requirements

NB: If you are applying for Chemical Engineering then you will apply via either Natural Sciences
or via Engineering and sit the appropriate pre-interview assessment.

There are far fewer past papers here as they only started in 2016. Cambridge are also less clear
about how they use the tests. So far, the indication is that it is not being used as a deselection
tool (like the Oxford PAT is) but is being used to give them some more numerical evidence of
your ability that they can look at alongside all the other data they have on you.

What can I do over the summer to prepare?

Obviously you can practise past papers. But this is not the only thing you should do. You should
be absolutely fluent in all the maths and physics (and chemistry or biology where appropriate)
that you have done over the last year (or more). You should make sure you understand the
fundamentals of what is going on, and not just look at how to answer exam questions. You can
practise your problem-solving with any or all of the following sites:

Physics Olympiad: http://www.bpho.org.uk

Chemistry Olympiad: http://www.rsc.org/education/events-and-competitions/olympiad/
Maths Olympiad: http://www.bmoc.maths.org/
C3L6: http://www.c3l6.org
STEP http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/our-services/subject-specific/step/about-step/
IsaacPhysics https://www.isaacphysics.org
I Want To Study Engineering http://i-want-to-study-engineering.org/

All this should look interesting and entertaining, not a chore. If you feel that you would rather not
be doing this, then think again about whether you really want to apply to Oxford or Cambridge!