My grades/application

Hey there!

This is my first post on the website, so here goes....

I didn't work at GCSEs (3A* 2A 6B), my grandfather (with whom I was very close) died not long before they began and I became very depressed and effectively gave up on work/life altogether (I'm not going to mention this on my form), however I fell in love with both Cambridge and their English Literature course in the summer of 2015 and decided to change that.

I should mention that I attend a state (Academy-status) comprehensive, which very rarely produces any Oxbridge level applicants at all.

Anyway...

I worked really hard and got the best grades in my school in every subject ; Eng Literature-A (94%), Government Politics-A (96%), History-A (90%) and Economics-A (85%); with an average UMS of over 93% (highest in the school) across my three best subjects (the average successful English Applicant at Cambridge has an average of 92%). I am now predicted three A*s at A Level.

I have produced a good personal statement (loads of super-curricular work including a MOOC on Robert Burns and adventurous wider reading-Russian Literature and a critical work by Nabokov). I also attended the Royal Drawing school and have sold paintings at exhibitions to private buyers, I am a trained actor (through Judy Dench's Mountview Academy), and have gone to a number of subject-related lectures at the British Library. I have had my personal statement read by a fellow at Cambridge University (a family friend and professor there) who has described it as 'brilliant' (although English isn't her subject). Assuming I do well in the new Admissions Test and at the interview (I'm applying to Girton College), I should have a reasonable chance, right? I'm also applying to Durham, St Andrews, York and Edinburgh.

The point of this long-winded post is, essentially, does anyone have any ideas to make my application more competitive, or am I ready to apply?

Any help would be appreciated beyond words. I'm really quite nervous in putting myself out like this on here!

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1

Vodka

I am no expert, but everything looks pretty good to me. You'll stand a good chance if you ace your test and the interview. Out of curiosity, of all the colleges of Cambridge, why Girton?

Reply 2

Oh the Byrony!

Original post by Vodka

I am no expert, but everything looks pretty good to me. You'll stand a good chance if you ace your test and the interview. Out of curiosity, of all the colleges of Cambridge, why Girton?

Well, it's quite simple really. I loved Girton when I visited it. I'm rather a quiet chap, and was unsuprisingly drawn to a serene and college in a quieter area. Although I essentially liked all of the colleges! Queens or Pembroke would have been my other choices.

Reply 3

Doones

Original post by Oh the Byrony!

I worked really hard and got the best grades in my school in every subject ; Eng Literature-A (94%), Government Politics-A (96%), History-A (90%) and Economics-A (85%); with an average UMS of over 93% (highest in the school) across my three best subjects (the average successful English Applicant at Cambridge has an average of 92%). I am now predicted three A*s at A Level.

You will have a competitive application, which you can add to with your ELAT and then you are likely to have an interview.

Don't stress too much :wink: