What do you want to know about Cambridge?
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What do you want to know about Cambridge?Congratulations to all those that received offers and commiserations to those that got rejected. For those of you in the pool, stay afloat and I hope that you get fished!
Anyway, after I got my offer last year there were around a million things that I wanted to know about Cambridge. Sadly, there wasn't any one place where I could ask questions so I had to resort to the Cambridge Current Students Chat Thread. Considering that the scummy O****d lot currently have a thread like this, I thought it would be a good idea to start one. Offer-holders can post questions and current students can attempt to answer them and dispel any misconceptions.
I'll start off with a few common questions and then people can start asking some of their own.
Is the workload really as tough as everyone says?
There is indeed a hell of a lot of work and you're expected to do a lot for supervisions, but it's certainly manageable and you can still manage to do a lot of social activities. The way I see it, people get given offers because they're thought to be capable to handle the heavy workload.
Will I be able to enjoy myself what with all the work?
This is kind of an extension of the previous question but in short, yes. People often find themselves fitting their work around their social lives rather than the other way round. Obviously, being Cambridge, some people do work ridiculously hard and you never see them but those people are in the minority.
Are people as stuck up as everyone says?
Not at all. The vast majority of people are incredibly normal and you don't even know whether or not people are from a private school or a state school. There are, of course, ridiculously posh, pompous gits but they tend to stick their own 'type' of people.
Those are just a few that I've come up with from the top of my head but feel free to ask anything! -
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?PERFECT!! I was looking for one of these threads like 2 minutes ago. Right, I have quite the list... any questions answered would be great =D (just got an offer for maths at Sidney btw)
The terms are quite short, can you come early/stay later? I mean this always seemed like a mega negative for me... how does everyone find it?
What is the LGBT side of things like? (just generally =])
Do people often socialise with people from other colleges or do they stay within their own college?
You pretty much answered my question about social life. I mean sure I want to study and I love my subject but I want the 'experience' so it is nice to hear that most people do manage to go out etc.
Oh and societies, are they a university or college thing. I mean are they university societies or college ones? if you get what I'm saying.
If I think of any more I will post them =p -
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?Which colleges have cats?(Original post by Doughnuts!!)
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Which colleges have the most cats?
Of the colleges that have cats, which are the cutest?
Of the colleges that have cats, which are the friendliest?
How prominent a role do the college cats play in the lives of Cambridge undergraduates?
To what extent would you argue that the college cats are the single most important influence in the personal support of the Cambridge undergraduates?
(Edit: I should add this disclaimer, for any miserable TSR cat-haters, that I do not expect these questions to be answered...)Last edited by Arialaxe; 06-01-2012 at 18:38. -
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?Is there anywhere I can get specifics about rent?
My letter said approximate costs of £7500-8500 a year, whereas I'd been hoping to stay pretty close to the £5500 of the loan. What would you estimate for a year's living costs?
Are there an phone providers that are difficult to get a signal with? (I stayed at The Other Place for a summer school, and O2 coverage was atrocious)
[My offer is for King's, if anybody wants to give a very specific answer. If somebody is miraculously able to be very very specific, I'd like to know who my DoS is likely to be for the Prelim year of the 4 year Classics course, but the chances of that being answered are very slim
]
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?You can indeed come a bit earlier and stay later. The amount of rent you pay is for a couple of weeks after term actually ends (this varies from college to college) but most people don't stay too long. Before I came, I was a bit worried about the length of the terms but they're so intense that anything longer than 8 weeks would probably cause everybody to commit suicide!(Original post by maths134)
PERFECT!! I was looking for one of these threads like 2 minutes ago. Right, I have quite the list... any questions answered would be great =D (just got an offer for maths at Sidney btw)
The terms are quite short, can you come early/stay later? I mean this always seemed like a mega negative for me... how does everyone find it?
Don't really know but I know that there are loads of events put on and that in addition to the uni-wide LGBT society, each college has one. All the LGBT people in my college seem really tight-knit and nobody even cares about their sexuality.What is the LGBT side of things like? (just generally =])
Stuff is quite college centric but it's not that hard to make friends from other colleges via societies, swaps and being outgoing (amongst other things).Do people often socialise with people from other colleges or do they stay within their own college?
.You pretty much answered my question about social life. I mean sure I want to study and I love my subject but I want the 'experience' so it is nice to hear that most people do manage to go out etc
Yeah, I was incredibly worried about this before I came. On average, people frequent the three main clubs (Cindies, Life and Lola Lo's) around twice a week. I do Law and we have one the heaviest workloads but I manage to be out without fail at least twice a week! I've even had two crazy weeks when I went out 5 days in a week*
*I advise you to not do this! It's not a very good idea!
They're both. There are uni wide societies AND college societies.Oh and societies, are they a university or college thing. I mean are they university societies or college ones? if you get what I'm saying.
If I think of any more I will post them =p
Catz(Original post by Arialaxe)
Which colleges have cats?
Which colleges have the most cats?
Of the colleges that have cats, which are the cutest?
Of the colleges that have cats, which are the friendliest?
How prominent a role do the college cats play in the lives of Cambridge undergraduates?
To what extent would you argue that the college cats are the single most important influence in the personal support of the Cambridge undergraduates?Last edited by Doughnuts!!; 06-01-2012 at 18:52. -
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?I'm not at Cambridge, but Ive been inside Kings to visit my friend... there was NO reception at all in her dorm! lool so peak >.< you might get one bar if you're lucky on o2(Original post by Aesc)
Is there anywhere I can get specifics about rent?
My letter said approximate costs of £7500-8500 a year, whereas I'd been hoping to stay pretty close to the £5500 of the loan. What would you estimate for a year's living costs?
Are there an phone providers that are difficult to get a signal with? (I stayed at The Other Place for a summer school, and O2 coverage was atrocious)
[My offer is for King's, if anybody wants to give a very specific answer. If somebody is miraculously able to be very very specific, I'd like to know who my DoS is likely to be for the Prelim year of the 4 year Classics course, but the chances of that being answered are very slim]
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?Really really wish it would let me rep you for that(Original post by Doughnuts!!)
Catz
Looks like I'll be changing my contract after all(Original post by jamib0y)
I'm not at Cambridge, but Ive been inside Kings to visit my friend... there was NO reception at all in her dorm! lool so peak >.< you might get one bar if you're lucky on o2
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?although my phones not great(Original post by Aesc)
Really really wish it would let me rep you for that
Looks like I'll be changing my contract after all
some sony ericcson thats got 3g and is about5 years old... >@ -
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?Holy crap.(Original post by Aesc)
Is there anywhere I can get specifics about rent?
My letter said approximate costs of £7500-8500 a year, whereas I'd been hoping to stay pretty close to the £5500 of the loan. What would you estimate for a year's living costs?
Are there an phone providers that are difficult to get a signal with? (I stayed at The Other Place for a summer school, and O2 coverage was atrocious)
[My offer is for King's, if anybody wants to give a very specific answer. If somebody is miraculously able to be very very specific, I'd like to know who my DoS is likely to be for the Prelim year of the 4 year Classics course, but the chances of that being answered are very slim]
I'm glad I'm not at Cambridge. My costs at Durham are £5500, anything more and I wouldn't be able to afford it. omg. -
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?Sadly, there's far too much variation between colleges (even within colleges) for me to give you a definitive answer. I could ask a friend at King's for you, though?(Original post by Aesc)
Is there anywhere I can get specifics about rent?
My letter said approximate costs of £7500-8500 a year, whereas I'd been hoping to stay pretty close to the £5500 of the loan. What would you estimate for a year's living costs?
Avoid 3 completely. Orange is one that is sometimes dodgy, sometimes alright.Are there an phone providers that are difficult to get a signal with? (I stayed at The Other Place for a summer school, and O2 coverage was atrocious)
I think it's not allowed (I could be making this up) but nobody actually cares about Internet usage. At least, that's what it seems like from my personal experience.(Original post by a.byrnie)
I know this is probably specific to each college but what is the university's policy on Internet use (torrents in particular)?
Myself personally? I'm not really indicative of the average Cambridge applicant as I had below average grades. I had 5.5 A*s and 5 As at GCSE and a 84% UMS at AS Level with one being 93% and the rest being 80/81.(Original post by weirdnessandcoffee)
What grades did you get to get in from GCSE's to A-levels? -
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?Without a doubt.(Original post by amirlad)
is it better than oxford for law?
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?
someone finally made a thread for cambridge
What's the philosophy course like? (or work for your course i you don't take philosophy)
What is your college like? Can you walk visit other colleges and stuff?
can you change courses after your first year?
for some reason i've forgotten the others
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?1) Can you go inside other colleges? As in, can you be at college x but use the library at y or something.
2) Can you have friends stay overnight at your college? Me and my friends have a thing where we've decided to visit each other at uni, so I'd like to know if I could have someone stay overnight in my room.
Thanks! (offer-holder for PPS) -
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?You can go into any college, most libraries have keycard locks on and the like, and to be honest there isn't much reason that you'd need to go to another college library. Most of the time you'll get your books from your library, or the UL or subject-specific libraries. You can use other college bars and the like very easily though.(Original post by alexsasg)
1) Can you go inside other colleges? As in, can you be at college x but use the library at y or something.
Yup - most colleges (?all) say you need to sign them in, but otherwise no problem. My college even gives you big camp beds for them to use for free.2) Can you have friends stay overnight at your college? Me and my friends have a thing where we've decided to visit each other at uni, so I'd like to know if I could have someone stay overnight in my room.
Weekends are always hectic, particularly saturdays - it's pretty busy all year round, but worst in half terms/summer/hot days.(Original post by MrMorris)
What are the tourists like? On the university open day it was absolutely swamped with tourists, but does it settle down during most of the year? -
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?Thank you!, this has really helped. What do you do for the half of the year you are not at Cambridge? Thanks for the LGBT bit etc(Original post by Doughnuts!!)
You can indeed come a bit earlier and stay later. The amount of rent you pay is for a couple of weeks after term actually ends (this varies from college to college) but most people don't stay too long. Before I came, I was a bit worried about the length of the terms but they're so intense that anything longer than 8 weeks would probably cause everybody to commit suicide!
Don't really know but I know that there are loads of events put on and that in addition to the uni-wide LGBT society, each college has one. All the LGBT people in my college seem really tight-knit and nobody even cares about their sexuality.
Stuff is quite college centric but it's not that hard to make friends from other colleges via societies, swaps and being outgoing (amongst other things).
.
Yeah, I was incredibly worried about this before I came. On average, people frequent the three main clubs (Cindies, Life and Lola Lo's) around twice a week. I do Law and we have one the heaviest workloads but I manage to be out without fail at least twice a week! I've even had two crazy weeks when I went out 5 days in a week*
*I advise you to not do this! It's not a very good idea!
They're both. There are uni wide societies AND college societies.
Catz
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Re: What do you want to know about Cambridge?Thank you for this thread! This is so incredibly helpful
I have just one question for now, how to terms and exams work? I know there are "full terms" which are 8 weeks long, and then there's the "term" that longer than that. Do we only stay for full term? When are exams?
Sorry if it's kind of confusing; I'm an international, and one of the government student loans I'm looking at gives a certain amount of money per "study week" so I'm trying to see how many such weeks there are 
