Hi folks! Does anyone else hold an offer for this programme? Have you sorted out accommodation yet? I’ve been looking at the syllabus for each module attempting to get a head start, but I’m sad they haven’t provided reading lists for them. It’s mostly A Level & GCSE Content to be frank.
I’m on the Physics pathway - Extending Foundation Mathematics but I understand Chemistry is Essential Foundation Mathematics.
I’ve read the examination policy and it apparently to progress to a degree at Bristol we have to pass the foundation year first time; I think that means that if we are not successful at Bristol we could possibly transfer somewhere else?
I’m soooo excited to start in September and we will have a lot of resources and support like personal tutor, peer mentoring…
I would also like to know peoples undergraduate degree progression choices (optional)… I’m personally interested in doing Joint Honours: Physics and Mathematics but I know there are many interesting choices for Chemistry and Physics pathways!
I look forward to hearing your responses and engaging with you in September ☺️!

This is a bit of a random question but I am genuinely curious.

Am I the only person who had to do the Maths Test for an offer for this FY 26/27 more than once (twice in my case)?

And did anyone else get more than one slightly shady message explaining how rigorous it is and recommend you a book?

Hi everyone, here is the context to this title!

I am a Female Mature Student: 25 > Age < 30 based in London.

I have completed an 18 month L4 Software Developer Apprenticeship at Distinction Grade 2 years ago, but they didn't keep me on due to numbers and haven't been able to find work since.

I spent 2024 & 2025 applying to a lot DA's in Software & Data and Junior Tech roles unsuccessfully, but I have had some constructive feedback from companies.

I didn't get the best grades at A Level - Highest was C in Maths, making applications to DA's harder, since I am essentially competing with School Leaver's who generally meet the Grade Entry Requirements.

Personally, the prestige of an institution matters a lot to me. I wanted to do the Data Science L6 Apprenticeship with University of Nottingham or Digital and Technology Solutions L6 Apprenticeship with the University of Exeter, which accept a Merit or Distinction grade in a related L4 apprenticeship but I was rejected from a few of their programs.

Some people have pointed out that there are some training providers that don't necessarily require high grades - which I should consider like UWE, OU and UEL - but my previous employer for the L4 apprenticeship said that the teaching of the training provider at the time didn't closely align with what the company was doing and some colleagues stated that I am collaborating with people in the company who have CS degrees, so I tried to put an emphasis on getting good teaching.

I have even considered RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) / APL (Accreditation of Prior Learning) recognising previous learning / experience which I could use as credit transfer as my L4 Software Developer Apprenticeship is equivalent to the 1st year of undergrad, fast tracking into 2nd year. However, none of the Uni's I have raised this with have recognised the qualification or accounted my experience so I have also been unsuccessful in this domain.

Although SWE is in high demand right now, with a lot of investments into AI, Agentic AI and Crypto... I don't have a real enthusiasm for it. I would prefer to improve my mathematical skills even though in a lot of STEM degrees there is a fair constituency of coding.

However, with Physics I can branch into many things like Quantum Computing, Nanotechnology, Photonics, Condensed Matter Physics and Patent Law, which I find more intriguing and give me more enjoyment than traditional tech does.

Personally, I would like to branch out in Quantum Computing as my technology qualification comes in handy, combined with the skills, rigour and knowledge acquired from a Physics degree.

Currently, I have applied to RG Universities and I have 3 offers for Physics with a Foundation Year whilst awaiting another decision from another RG Uni, as Uni's show more leniency towards Mature Students.

I would also like to know if doing an Access to HE course would be worth it compared to a Foundation Year - would it give me more options in this case?

Finally, I wanted to gain some insight and advice from Redditors, who may be able to suggest options to me that I have overlooked or I am not aware about.

Thank You!

Hi everyone! I know the job market today is SEVERELY COOKED and it's not as easy as it used to be to get a job, even for heavily experienced people with 10+ experience in their field!

Despite this, I wanted some advice from Redditors about ways to make my degree useful and stand out in this competitive job market. I haven't started University yet but I have received offers. I am trying to pinpoint SUBJECTIVELY why many graduates struggle with employment after University. I have asked ChatGPT to share some pointers that I have prompted it with here, that can apply to any undergrad degree not just Physics:

1. The real UK picture (2025–2026 reality)

Even in a tough market:

• Physics graduates still have above-average access to graduate-level work
• They go into many sectors, not just physics jobs
• A large proportion move into tech, finance, engineering, data

For example:

• ~18% go into IT/software roles
• ~13–19% into business/finance
• ~13% into science/engineering roles

  

And around:

• ~85%+ of employed physics grads are in high-skilled jobs

  

So the degree is not the problem.

2. Why it  feels harder now (this is what’s changed)

You’re also correct that it’s not simple. The job market is tighter because:

(A) Fewer entry-level roles relative to applicants

Graduate vacancies in the UK have dropped significantly recently, while applications have increased sharply    

So you get:

more competition per job, especially for “prestige” roles

(B) Employers now expect “pre-prepared graduates”

Instead of:

“We will train you”

They increasingly expect:

• internship experience
• project portfolio
• coding ability
• interview readiness

(C) AI + automation is raising the baseline

Not replacing grads entirely, but:

• fewer junior “easy entry” tasks
• more expectation of immediate productivity

(D) Experience stacking effect

This is the biggest one:

graduates are competing with other graduates who already did internships, placements, or multiple projects

So “no experience” now hurts more than it used to.

3. Lack of experience —  the biggest factor (but nuanced)

Yes, but not just “job experience”.

Employers usually mean:

• internships / placements
• project experience that looks real (not coursework-only)
• evidence you’ve worked in a “professional-style” environment

In fields like CS, AI, quant, engineering:

No internship = significantly harder entry, even with a strong degree.

This is why students with weaker degrees but strong internships sometimes outperform stronger students with no experience.

4. Lack of knowledge about degree → careers —  very common

This is underestimated.

Many students:

• know their subject academically
• don’t know what jobs actually exist beyond obvious ones
• don’t understand entry routes (e.g. patent law exams, quant pipelines, grad schemes)

So they:

• apply too broadly OR too narrowly
• miss niche but high-fit roles
• fail to tailor CVs properly

This is especially relevant for Physics, where career pathways are not linear.

5. Lack of degree alignment with goals —  real, but often misunderstood

This matters less than people think.

It only becomes a major issue when:

• someone chooses a degree unrelated to the field they want (e.g. pure humanities → quant with no bridging)
• or they don’t build the missing skills alongside their degree

In your case (Physics + CS background), alignment is actually very flexible, not restrictive.

Modern hiring is increasingly skill-based:

“Can you do the job?” > “What is your exact degree title?”

6. Lack of interview preparation / guidance —  huge factor

This is one of the most underestimated reasons.

Even strong candidates fail because they:

• can’t explain projects clearly
• don’t structure answers (STAR method etc.)
• freeze under technical questioning
• don’t practice coding/technical interviews

Especially in:

• software engineering
• quant
• data science
• consulting
• patent/IP interviews

A lot of rejection is actually “performance gap”, not “ability gap”.

7. Lack of enthusiasm / signalling —  very real

Employers are trying to predict:

“Will this person stick around and perform consistently?”

So they look for signals like:

• projects beyond coursework
• internships
• societies (AI, physics clubs, robotics, etc.)
• genuine interest in field-specific topics

If someone looks “passive” (degree only, no extra activity), they often lose out to candidates who show curiosity.

This is where your thinking about projects and societies is actually very correct.

8. Not distinctive in a competitive market —  increasingly important

Yes — but not in the “be unique for uniqueness sake” way.

You become distinctive through:

• combination of skills (e.g. Physics + CS + finance interest)
• evidence of depth in one area (projects/internships)
• clear narrative (“I build simulation systems for X problem domain”)

The real issue isn’t lack of uniqueness — it’s lack of coherent signal.

Many CVs look like:

“studied X, did some Y, interested in Z”

Instead of:

“developed deep interest + proof in a specific direction”

9. Important correction to your fear (“even senior professionals struggle with 20+ years of experience”)

Yes — but that’s a different phenomenon.

Senior professionals struggling is usually due to:

• restructuring / layoffs
• sector shifts (tech, finance cycles)
• AI disruption in specific roles
• cost-cutting cycles

But importantly:

they still have a massive advantage over graduates

So it’s not “everyone is equally struggling” — it’s “competition is harder at every level”.

10. What this means for YOU (this is the key part)

Your thinking is actually aligned with how you avoid these problems.

Because you are already planning to:

• do projects
• apply for internships
• explore multiple domains
• build CS + Physics skills
• network
• use university careers support
• research company / job roles - find something you are enthusiastic about

That directly attacks the biggest failure points.

Hi everyone, here is the context to this title!

I am a Female Mature Student: 25 > Age < 30 based in London.

I have completed a L4 Software Developer Apprenticeship at Distinction Grade 2 years ago, but they didn't keep me on due to numbers and haven't been able to find work since.

I spent 2024 & 2025 applying to a lot DA's in Software & Data and Junior Tech roles unsuccessfully, but I have had some constructive feedback from companies.

I didn't get the best grades at A Level - Highest was C in Maths, making applications to DA's harder, since I am essentially competing with School Leaver's who generally meet the Grade Entry Requirements.

Personally, the prestige of an institution matters a lot to me. I wanted to do the Data Science L6 Apprenticeship with University of Nottingham or Digital and Technology Solutions L6 Apprenticeship with the University of Exeter, which accept a Merit or Distinction grade in a related L4 apprenticeship but I was rejected from a few of their programs.

Some people have pointed out that there are some training providers that don't necessarily require high grades - which I should consider like UWE, OU and UEL - but my previous employer for the L4 apprenticeship said that the teaching of the training provider at the time didn't closely align with what the company was doing and some colleagues stated that I am collaborating with people in the company who have CS degrees, so I tried to put an emphasis on getting good teaching.

I have even considered RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) / APL (Accreditation of Prior Learning) recognising previous learning / experience which I could use as credit transfer as my L4 Software Developer Apprenticeship is equivalent to the 1st year of undergrad, fast tracking into 2nd year. However, none of the Uni's I have raised this with have recognised the qualification or accounted my experience so I have also been unsuccessful in this domain.

Although SWE is in high demand right now, with a lot of investments into AI, Agentic AI and Crypto... I don't have a real enthusiasm for it. I would prefer to improve my mathematical skills even though in a lot of STEM degrees there is a fair constituency of coding.

However, with Physics I can branch into many things like Quantum Computing, Nanotechnology, Photonics, Condensed Matter Physics and Patent Law, which I find more intriguing and give me more enjoyment than traditional tech does.

Personally, I would like to branch out in Quantum Computing as my technology qualification comes in handy, combined with the skills, rigour and knowledge acquired from a Physics degree.

Currently, I have applied to RG Universities and I have 3 offers for Physics with a Foundation Year whilst awaiting another decision from an RG Uni, as Uni's show more leniency towards Mature Students.

I would also like to know if doing an Access to HE course would be worth it compared to a Foundation Year - would it give me more options in this case?

Finally, I wanted to gain some insight and advice from Redditors, who may be able to suggest options to me that I have overlooked or I am not aware about.

Thank You!