Cambridge English Students and Applicants

dorababy1995

I have work experience at the National Archives and Cambridge Homerton College Summer School at the end of July so I think I'll only have August to do stuff really!
Preparation for me only includes reading and past papers so I'm not really sure...
Plus I have my EPQ research bit to do as well as a few essay competitions so I think it'll be a pretty hectic summer!

What are you doing as preparation?

Well, the A-level course itself (I'm preparing for it privately), a lot! of wider reading and unseen analysis.

Reply 1161

AnnaElvey

Well, there's the crying...
Seriously though I'm doing an essay comp and my EPQ over the summer plus some stress reading. In the past, I've done lectures, master class days, the Peterhouse essay prize, some work experience in public and private libraries and a bit of acting, just for good measure.

It all depends so heavily on results!

Reply 1162

username2369377

15

Hey! I've been doing some wider reading across different genres/eras but I'm going to find one particular genre that I'm passionate about and read very widely around that. I also hope to enter the Gould essay prize and I've been to an English Masterclass. I haven't really thought about colleges yet but I'm going to an open day today which is at Pembroke College so I'll let you guys know how that goes ☺️

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Reply 1163

dorababy1995

14

Hey all,

Is there anyone on here who originally applied for a different course but then switched to English? How easy/difficult was it? What

Reply 1164

GracePoole

Hi, does anyone know which colleges specify that the A* in the standard A*AA offer for Cambridge has to be in English? I'm predicted three A*s but not sure whether to try for the 'safer' AAA offer from Oxford. I'm well on course for an A* in one of my unreformed A levels after the AS results so if that counted as the A* I'd feel much more confident about applying for Cambridge. (Btw, I realise that you could apply for a college that doesn't specify the A* then end up in the pool and a college that does!) Despite my predictions, there's always the worry with the new linear English Lit A level that it could all go horribly wrong on the day. Surely marks will be down with the new linear exams...

Reply 1165

Doones

21

Original post by GracePoole

Hi, does anyone know which colleges specify that the A* in the standard A*AA offer for Cambridge has to be in English? I'm predicted three A*s but not sure whether to try for the 'safer' AAA offer from Oxford. I'm well on course for an A* in one of my unreformed A levels after the AS results so if that counted as the A* I'd feel much more confident about applying for Cambridge. (Btw, I realise that you could apply for a college that doesn't specify the A* then end up in the pool and a college that does!) Despite my predictions, there's always the worry with the new linear English Lit A level that it could all go horribly wrong on the day. Surely marks will be down with the new linear exams...

You best bet is to contact the admissions teams in a few colleges and simply ask them. But you will probably find it varies by applicant as much as by college.

Reply 1166

username1865079

14

Original post by GracePoole

Hi, does anyone know which colleges specify that the A* in the standard A*AA offer for Cambridge has to be in English? I'm predicted three A*s but not sure whether to try for the 'safer' AAA offer from Oxford. I'm well on course for an A* in one of my unreformed A levels after the AS results so if that counted as the A* I'd feel much more confident about applying for Cambridge. (Btw, I realise that you could apply for a college that doesn't specify the A* then end up in the pool and a college that does!) Despite my predictions, there's always the worry with the new linear English Lit A level that it could all go horribly wrong on the day. Surely marks will be down with the new linear exams...

There aren't any specific college/s who specify a certain grade in a certain subject. It's case by case, usually they don't specify anything if they're confident enough the candidate is academically able more or less overall. Most of them only specify a certain grade in a subject when they have some doubt in th candidate's ability in The subject and want to assurance he/she is up to their standard.
Even in a same college for a same course, candidates get different offers, some with a specific condition, some without.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1167

dorababy1995

14

So, who else is applying? Has anyone decided on a college yet?

Reply 1168

Gymnast7

9

Original post by studying_me

I have work experience at the National Archives and Cambridge Homerton College Summer School at the end of July so I think I'll only have August to do stuff really!
Preparation for me only includes reading and past papers so I'm not really sure...
Plus I have my EPQ research bit to do as well as a few essay competitions so I think it'll be a pretty hectic summer!

What are you doing as preparation?

2018 applicant here. May I ask what you're doing your EPQ on? Is it something English related?

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Reply 1169

mythicalsophie

8

can anyone here give me advice on whether or not it's worth applying -
predicted A*A*AC
predicted A*/A in epq
v good personal statement + references
AS results - A (100%), A (86%), B (75%), E (46%) ( will be retaken ) and i am continuing all four.
GCSES - A*A*A*ABBBBB + C one mark off a B in AS gov't and politics which i did two years early

thank u v much

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1170

username1084917

16

Original post by mythicalsophie

can anyone here give me advice on whether or not it's worth applying -
predicted A*A*AC
predicted A*/A in epq
v good personal statement + references
AS results - A (100%), A (86%), B (75%), E (46%) ( will be retaken ) and i am continuing all four.
GCSES - A*A*A*ABBBBB + C one mark off a B in AS gov't and politics which i did two years early

thank u v much

what AS levels did you do (give them in the order of the percentages you gave above)

Reply 1171

mythicalsophie

8

Original post by Kira Yagami

what AS levels did you do (give them in the order of the percentages you gave above)

English literature 100%
History 86%
Religious Studies 75%
Philosophy 46%

it's a bit all over but i have extenuating circumstances due to health and bereavement

Reply 1172

username1084917

16

Original post by mythicalsophie

English literature 100%
History 86%
Religious Studies 75%
Philosophy 46%

it's a bit all over but i have extenuating circumstances due to health and bereavement

oh ok. Yeah give it a shot.

What exam board did you do for Lit? 100% is excellent lol

Reply 1173

mythicalsophie

8

Original post by Kira Yagami

oh ok. Yeah give it a shot.

What exam board did you do for Lit? 100% is excellent lol

thanks so much for getting back to me :~)
i did edexcel - frankenstein, the handmaid's tale, waiting for godot and the forward words of poetry!
what about you?

Reply 1174

username1084917

16

Original post by mythicalsophie

thanks so much for getting back to me :~)
i did edexcel - frankenstein, the handmaid's tale, waiting for godot and the forward words of poetry!
what about you?

I got an A 2 years ago at AS. I did AQA and read The Great Gatsby, The rime of the ancient mariner and some Rosseti poems.

Yeah your grades are good and if you put emphasis on the fact that you got 100% for lit then I'm sure you should have a chance. Just be sure to fully explain the situations you were in (as you said you had some issues). It's worth a shot! Good luck!

Reply 1175

gfarrah

Hey! I'm a mature applicant (from the US!)--wondering if there are any others?

Reply 1176

dorababy1995

14

Well, I've ended up applying to Wolfson.

What are your other choices? Mine are Durham, UCL and Exeter.

Reply 1177

dorababy1995

14

Original post by gfarrah

Hey! I'm a mature applicant (from the US!)--wondering if there are any others?

Meeee! I'm from Europe, though.

Reply 1178

gfarrah

Right now, Cambridge is the only UK school I'm applying to. I can't decide between Wolfson and Lucy Cavendish... I also really love the look of Newnham, but I'll be 22 at the start of my first year so applying, so it might be a better fit to apply to a Mature college. I've heard of 'auto-pooling' https://www.quora.com/Is-it-better-to-apply-to-mature-colleges-in-Cambridge-for-undergraduate-studies which means it might be silly to apply to a standard-age college in the first place...

Reply 1179

Doones

21

Original post by gfarrah

Right now, Cambridge is the only UK school I'm applying to. I can't decide between Wolfson and Lucy Cavendish... I also really love the look of Newnham, but I'll be 22 at the start of my first year so applying, so it might be a better fit to apply to a Mature college. I've heard of 'auto-pooling' https://www.quora.com/Is-it-better-to-apply-to-mature-colleges-in-Cambridge-for-undergraduate-studies which means it might be silly to apply to a standard-age college in the first place...

Each of the standard age colleges are partnered with a mature college so they can assess your application almost as well as a mature college. If you particularly prefer a standard age college then there's no problem applying to one.

And there *will* be "mature" students at a standard college. Not least because they also have postgrads too.

And I think you are misunderstanding autopooling vs "normal" pooling...

Are you a post-qualification applicant? With IB or A-levels?

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(edited 7 years ago)

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