Ask an Admissions Tutor - 8-12 July

I think TSR really needs threads like this, so thank you for giving up your time to answer people's questions.
I visited Cambridge University a number of times now but still have many questions:

1. Does getting a bad grade (below B) in a subject that is completely irrelevant to our chosen course put you at a major disadvantage? I'm talking about subjects such as general studies.

2. How do colleges decide who they want to place in the pool?

3. People who apply for very competitive subjects like Veterinary Medicine are expected to get lots of A*'s and A's at GCSE and brilliant AS result, but the Cambridge University website says the entry requirements for this particular subject are:

People who meet just these entry requirement don't have a chance to get in, so why are the requirements so low?

4. Do you give any extra credit to people who attended a taster course at Cambridge?

5. If you studied at a really bad secondary schools, is it okay to get a little less A*'s and A's? Will that be taken into consideration?

I know that's quite a lot of questions, so I appreciate your time spent on answering them

Why does Cambridge still have 8-week terms - forcing students to cram rather than absorb information - compared with the norm of 10?

Good question. To some extent it is a relic of the past but it does provide significant advantages in a number of areas. It suits our style of supervision teaching very well - 10 weeks of supervisions would be too much. It provides longer vacations during which students can absorb the information they have learned over the past term (as they are expected to work during the vacations). Finally, Cambridge is a research university and shorter terms provides more time for research for lecturers which, in turn, helps students.

I accept the influence of tradition and research. I don't agree with your point about 10 weeks of supervisions being too much. Firstly, they could be less intense if spread over 10 weeks rather than eight. Secondly, I was fortunate enough to go to university in an age when I was taught in one-to-one supervisions for much of the time - over 10-week terms.

would a student with nearly all C's at GCSE still have a chance, or even be considered if they had improved a lot at A-Level and had all As at AS? (more specifically for natural sciences)

thank you

Did you go on the Cambridge Open Days last week but still have questions you would like to ask or came away and remembered the one question you forgot to ask? Alternatively, if you were not able to go but have lots of questions you would like to ask someone at Cambridge then this is the thread for you!

I am the Admissions Tutor at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and will be answering questions posted on this thread between Monday and Friday this week (8-12 July), so, whatever you want to ask about Cambridge or the admissions process, fire away...

Did you go on the Cambridge Open Days last week but still have questions you would like to ask or came away and remembered the one question you forgot to ask? Alternatively, if you were not able to go but have lots of questions you would like to ask someone at Cambridge then this is the thread for you!

I am the Admissions Tutor at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and will be answering questions posted on this thread between Monday and Friday this week (8-12 July), so, whatever you want to ask about Cambridge or the admissions process, fire away...

I know this isnt admission specific, or even College specific, but it refers to the post-admission procedure so I thought Id still give it a shot.

Once an offer has been made and all conditions satisfied, when do you think is the latest that students generally receive all of the necessary information about their programmes?

On a side note, this thread is a great idea.

1) Is there any advantage of doing 4 A2s instead of 3 in terms of getting an offer from Cambridge?
2) Do admissions tutors care about EPQ (if related to the subject)?
Thanks

Glad you think it is a good idea. I intend to run another Q&A thread the week after A and AS Level results come out.

In answer to your question, it varies from college to college and subject to subject. Providing one meets one's offer, it will have been 'firmed' and made unconditional by the time the A Level results are published. Colleges usually then send a confirmation letter with details of arrangements to do with accommodation etc. later in August. Offer holders are often contacted by their director of studies (DoS) before the results are confirmed but some DoSs prefer to wait until they know exactly who will be coming before contacting them about module choices etc. Basically, by early to mid September all details should be place.

1) It depends a bit on your subject but generally no. In the sciences doing four science A2s (from Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Biology) may be considered an advantage but in the Humanities it does not make a difference and you would only be offered on three A Levels (some Admissions Tutors do make a four A2 offer in the sciences if four A Levels are offered to ensure that applicants do not drop it).

2) EPQ is a very good idea and to be encouraged if students are able and willing to offer it as it gives them a taste of what some of university will be like. It would never form part of one's offer, however, and if a student is not doing one there would be no sense of them being penalised. It is an added extra.