Sixth Term Examination Paper
Sixth Term Examination Papers in Mathematics, often referred to as STEP (or as STEP papers through RAS syndrome), are examinations set in the United Kingdom by the University of Cambridge to assess applicants for undergraduate mathematics courses. Other universities may require STEP, including the University of Warwick. Students used to be entered for STEP through the OCR exam board, but as of 2008 are administered by its parent group, Cambridge Assessment.
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, over 1,500 students take at least one STEP paper. The overall candidature is made up of: those applying for mathematics at the University of Cambridge or the University of Warwick; the University of Bristol, the University of Oxford, Imperial College London and the University of Bath may also encourage mathematics applicants to take STEP papers. In fact anyone, with or without the aim of seeking admission to an institution, may take STEP, making them public examinations.
All of the Cambridge colleges require candidates to achieve good STEP grades before accepting them onto the maths course. Mathematics applicants for some Cambridge colleges 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. The university the candidate is applying to may specify which of the papers need to be taken: for example, for applicants to the University of Cambridge, it is usually STEP I (necessary for single maths candidates) and/or II (depends on which college, some do and some don't) if they are taking 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 at the University of Cambridge, such as computer science and engineering. These offers are usually STEP II (instead of STEP I or STEP III).
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