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Studying in halls, University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
Cambridge

Cambridge PGCE Students and Applicants

Who's applied and who's terrified?

Good luck to all.

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Reply 1
Avatar for holstenator
holstenator
I applied for PGCE Primary and I am terrified!!
Studying in halls, University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
Cambridge
Reply 2
Avatar for dobbs
dobbs
17
I'm currently doing my MEd at Cambridge so working a lot in the Faculty of Education and also at Homerton College where most PGCE students end up going, so if you have any questions about that I may be able to help :smile:

However I did not do my PGCE at Cambridge, so can't help with anything too specific!
Reply 3
Avatar for khalbert
khalbert
I have also applied for Primary PGCE and am nervously waiting for some sort of response :redface:. Has anybody actually heard anything yet about an interview? I'm scared! x
Reply 4
Avatar for bionic07
bionic07
OP
3
I have a question about college preferences... is it better to apply to Homerton as a PGCE/Faculty of Education student or does it not really make any difference to your overall experience at Cambridge?

I have an interview but am not sure how to feel about that - do most people get offered an interview or is that a promising achievement in itself?
Reply 5
Avatar for holstenator
holstenator
What is your interview for?

I have also applied for Primary and haven't heard anything! Glad to hear someone else is in the same boat! It's been 3 weeks tomorrow as well! x
Reply 6
Avatar for khalbert
khalbert
Original post by bionic07
I have an interview but am not sure how to feel about that - do most people get offered an interview or is that a promising achievement in itself?


I assumed that not all candidates are offered an interview because that would take foreeevveerrr, so congratulations! I noticed on another thread that you are applying for a secondary PGCE - perhaps they are sorting these before the primary (or maybe that is just my wishful thinking :tongue:)
Reply 7
Avatar for holstenator
holstenator
We can only hope!!!
Original post by bionic07
I have a question about college preferences... is it better to apply to Homerton as a PGCE/Faculty of Education student or does it not really make any difference to your overall experience at Cambridge?

I have an interview but am not sure how to feel about that - do most people get offered an interview or is that a promising achievement in itself?


It does make a difference. Homerton and Hughes Hall are the two colleges that take the most PGCE students. However, they don't offer a true "Cambridge Experience", as it were, and it can also be very claustrophobic, being out at one end of town all the time. Many of the PGCE students I know at Homerton, who are living out, don't see the centre of town which is a pity.

I'm at Downing, which takes a couple of PGCE students per year. I chose it because it's much closer to the centre of town, is rather attractive, and I'm living out so don't need accomodation. It is nice to have a 24 hour library (the library at Homerton is specialised and open 24 hours too, but I;ve got access to both so have more choice) and the company of other "normal" postgrad students who I can share ideas with, sit around and drink tea with, and generally escape the PGCE bubble. There's formal halls pretty much every day, which you wear a gown for- Homerton don't- and it's much more of a traditional Cambridge college.

On the flip-side, they don't understand the PGCE course as well as Homerton do. The PGCE starts and ends outside of the normal term, and there's things like a matriculation ceremony which was during one of my placements, so I managed to go only to the dinner in the evening and missed most of the fun stuff that happenned during the day. I had to collect my new university card especially early to make it work, which caused some administrative faff, and various other things- but they are trivial.

Both have pros and cons. Queens takes a fair few PGCE students but is much more like a "normal" Cambridge college compared to Homerton and Hughes Hall.

It's up to you, really, how much you want to experience life in a "normal" Cambridge college, but have a few niggles to work out, then go elsewhere; Homerton, though, is tailored to the PGCE course but isn't a "normal" college. It's your choice whether that's a good or bad thing!
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 9
Avatar for bethia31
bethia31
Don't worry - I used to work in a PGCE office (and no, I'm not going to say which one!) and we never started looking at Primary applications until the beginning of November, mainly because all applications received by the GTTR deadline of 1 Dec had to be considered equally and it was easier to make judgements once the bulk of them had come in. And trust me, by bulk I mean BULK!!
Reply 10
Avatar for sallytink
sallytink
Hey all,
I haven't been on this site in years - since applying into uni the first time around. I received my email today inviting me to a pgce primary interview on the 1st December!! Very nervous already! Has anybody else got interviews on that day? It seems there's quite a bit to prepare, eek.
Original post by bionic07
I have a question about college preferences... is it better to apply to Homerton as a PGCE/Faculty of Education student or does it not really make any difference to your overall experience at Cambridge?

I have an interview but am not sure how to feel about that - do most people get offered an interview or is that a promising achievement in itself?


I have an interview too! on 18th for Secondary English! I'm hopeful but nervous!
Reply 12
Avatar for bionic07
bionic07
OP
3
Original post by annaloobylou
I have an interview too! on 18th for Secondary English! I'm hopeful but nervous!



Me too, on the 15th!
My coursematehas been invited to interview for the primary course :smile:
I have an interview for the Science (Biology) PGCE on the 25th! :smile: Has anyone received a letter from them yet? I've only track telling me I have an interview. Wanted something a bit more official...
Reply 15
Avatar for cej
cej
3
My boyfriend's got an interview for the Music PGCE on 12th December :smile:
Reply 16
Avatar for slucas
slucas
I applied on the 1st of November for early years PGCE but still haven't heard anything :s-smilie:. I find myself constantly checking my emails!!
Interview went ok, nothing awful happened! Now checking GTTR every 5 minutes to find out what they thought!
Goood luck! Glad it went OK!

Any Primary Interviewee's out there? xx
Reply 19
Avatar for bionic07
bionic07
OP
3
Success! :smile:

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