Sixth Term Examination Paper
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Sixth Term Examination Papers in Mathematics, often referred to as STEP (or redundantly as STEP papers), are examinations set in the United Kingdom by the University of Cambridge to assess applicants for its undergraduate mathematics course. The University of Warwick also uses STEP in its admissions process, but their STEP exams are overseen by Cambridge. Students are entered for STEP through the OCR exam board.
Results from STEP papers are used to supplement candidates' existing exam results, which are often claimed to be insufficient to distinguish between the very brightest applicants. Each year, roughly 400 people in the UK may take STEP to attempt entry to Cambridge University; many more may enter for the purpose of entering Warwick.
All of the Cambridge colleges require candidates to achieve good STEP grades before accepting them onto the maths course. Mathematics applicants who compete in the International Mathematical Olympiad are often excused from taking STEP.
Before 2003, STEP papers were available for a wide range of subjects, including, for example, chemistry and biology, but the mathematics STEP paper is the only one now in use. Three STEP Maths papers are set each year. Candidates may take a maximum of 2 of these, usually STEP I and II if they are taking one mathematics A Level, and STEP II and III if they are also taking Further Mathematics. STEP Maths grades are also occasionally required for other courses, such as computer science and engineering.
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[edit] Grading
There are five possible grades awarded on STEP. From best to least, these are 'S' (Outstanding), '1', '2', '3', and U (Ungraded). The 'rule of thumb' is that four good answers (to a reasonable level of completion) will gain a grade 1; more may gain an S, and fewer will gain a correspondingly lower grade. However, the grade boundaries shift dramatically from year to year - and the boundaries for Mathematics III are generally a small but appreciable margin lower. Questions are marked out of 20, and are classified as 'alpha' or 'beta' type answers, dependent on the level of completion. Only the best six answers provided by the examinee will be marked, and hence students are advised to allow 45 minutes to complete a single question. Little to no credit is given for fragments of answers.
[edit] Subjects of Examination
- Biology (before 2003)
- Chemistry (before 2003)
- Economics (before 2003)
- English Literature (before 2003)
- French (before 2003)
- General Studies (before 2003)
- German (before 2003)
- History (before 2003)
- Mathematics I
- Mathematics II
- Mathematics III
- Physics (before 2003)
Mathematics I is sat at the same time as Mathematics III, making it physically impossible to sit both examinations. Traditionally, Mathematics I was for students applying to read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, while Mathematics II and III were for those applying to read Mathematics. People who have done Futher Mathematics A-Levels would take Mathematics II and III where as those who have done only the Core Mathematics A-level would take Mathematics I and II.
[edit] Statistics
Numbers taking the exams (across all subjects before 2003):
- 2005 – 1350 entrants
- 2004 – 1273 entrants
- 2003 – 1183 entrants
- 2002 – 1607 entrants
- 2001 – 2160 entrants
[edit] Results
Typically (based on all subjects; i.e. before 2003),[citation needed]
- 12% achieve grade S
- 37% achieve grade 1 or above
- 63% achieve grade 2 or above
- 83% achieve grade 3 or above
- 17% fail to achieve a grade
Cumulative percentage of candidates achieving the following grades in 2006[1]:
| S | 1 | 2 | 3 | U | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics I | 7.7 | 21.3 | 44.2 | 68.1 | 100.0 |
| Mathematics II | 12.9 | 41.4 | 57.2 | 82.4 | 100.0 |
| Mathematics III | 12.2 | 38.6 | 59.2 | 78.7 | 100.0 |
