Realistic for languages at Cambridge?

Hi, I'm currently in year 12 and doing 5 a levels: Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Russian and German. The reason being for so many A-levels is that I had no clue of what I wanted to do, and since my parents told me academic subjects will always get you a job as long as you work hard, I went along with it. Only half way through the year i realised that what I want to do is languages: specifically Russian and German.

I achieved 2A*'s 7A's and 2B's at gcse - so pretty much average (obviously not for oxbridge standards). I love Cambridge and the course... but the problem is, is that although I am not a native speaker and have never lived in Russia, it is my official first language. However due to my upbringing in the UK it had now become my second. But I love the culture and literature and would love to completely master it. I think universities will think that I just want an easy degree This is not the case, and in fact I really want to learn Italian or Spanish alongside German or maybe even Russian.

i am confident that I will be able to achieve an A* in my Russian, and A in Maths and German by the end of a2, but the problem is my Biology and Chemistry - to what extent will they question my choices of such heavy-based science A-levels? :/ (Even if I achieve A's in them?). I was thinking doing my EPQ next year on German history/literature, to show some evidence of good english essay skills and passion for the subject. I do like my literature, and in the past people have told me I'm a good writer.


I love the city and the course and it really is a dream to go there... Do you think I have a chance? Will they see me as lazy due to my Russian being fluent?

Hi, I'm currently in year 12 and doing 5 a levels: Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Russian and German. The reason being for so many A-levels is that I had no clue of what I wanted to do, and since my parents told me academic subjects will always get you a job as long as you work hard, I went along with it. Only half way through the year i realised that what I want to do is languages: specifically Russian and German.

I achieved 2A*'s 7A's and 2B's at gcse - so pretty much average (obviously not for oxbridge standards). I love Cambridge and the course... but the problem is, is that although I am not a native speaker and have never lived in Russia, it is my official first language. However due to my upbringing in the UK it had now become my second. But I love the culture and literature and would love to completely master it. I think universities will think that I just want an easy degree This is not the case, and in fact I really want to learn Italian or Spanish alongside German or maybe even Russian.

i am confident that I will be able to achieve an A* in my Russian, and A in Maths and German by the end of a2, but the problem is my Biology and Chemistry - to what extent will they question my choices of such heavy-based science A-levels? :/ (Even if I achieve A's in them?). I was thinking doing my EPQ next year on German history/literature, to show some evidence of good english essay skills and passion for the subject. I do like my literature, and in the past people have told me I'm a good writer.


I love the city and the course and it really is a dream to go there... Do you think I have a chance? Will they see me as lazy due to my Russian being fluent?

I know a few cases similar to yours; a Spanish girl who came to UK when she was very young, graduated from Oxford a few years ago after reading Spanish and French, a boy who's half-Japanese, born and brought up in England, now reading Japanese in Oxford (with Korean as the second language) and a girl who's half-Italian/French, born and bred in UK, recently graduated from Oxford with a degree in French. All three of them were bilingual from early age but much better in English, especially the boy.
I know it's not Cambridge but The Other Place(they all chose Oxford as they tend to be better in languages than Cambridge and they preferred the courses there), but my impression is that what they're looking for is an applicant who has talent/potential/ability in the subject and whether you were in a lucky position to have been born to a family with the language isn't too much of issue to them. (Though they may expect you'd be a bit better than other candidates who are learning the language as 'a foreign language.' )
Sorry it's not Cambridge-specific info, but hopefully they also have a similar way of viewing the applicants. Good luck!

Hi,
Thanks that was really helpful and gave me some hope I am not particularly keen on the Oxford course though, as its mainly literature based. I love literature but not to that extent. I have been to a Cambridge masterclass and I also normally go to Russian classes at this place on saturdays in Cambridge, and I have just fallen in love with the place! But Oxbridge tend to be quite similar as from what I've heard, so hopefully they will not mind it. Do you think it would be better to apply for ab-initio spanish and German or something if they do see it as a unfair advantage?

x

Hey! First year MMLer here. I suggest that you email the admissions tutor at the college/s you're interested in, and the department. I'm not entirely sure how it would stand for you, as there isn't anyone I know that has been in a similar situation as that. There is currently an admissions tutor thread running for you to ask on if you haven't already done so

Hi, I'm currently in year 12 and doing 5 a levels: Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Russian and German. The reason being for so many A-levels is that I had no clue of what I wanted to do, and since my parents told me academic subjects will always get you a job as long as you work hard, I went along with it. Only half way through the year i realised that what I want to do is languages: specifically Russian and German.

I achieved 2A*'s 7A's and 2B's at gcse - so pretty much average (obviously not for oxbridge standards). I love Cambridge and the course... but the problem is, is that although I am not a native speaker and have never lived in Russia, it is my official first language. However due to my upbringing in the UK it had now become my second. But I love the culture and literature and would love to completely master it. I think universities will think that I just want an easy degree This is not the case, and in fact I really want to learn Italian or Spanish alongside German or maybe even Russian.

i am confident that I will be able to achieve an A* in my Russian, and A in Maths and German by the end of a2, but the problem is my Biology and Chemistry - to what extent will they question my choices of such heavy-based science A-levels? :/ (Even if I achieve A's in them?). I was thinking doing my EPQ next year on German history/literature, to show some evidence of good english essay skills and passion for the subject. I do like my literature, and in the past people have told me I'm a good writer.


I love the city and the course and it really is a dream to go there... Do you think I have a chance? Will they see me as lazy due to my Russian being fluent?

Hi! Cool, which uni are you at and what language/s are you doing? Enjoying it?
I've emailed a couple of uni's to get a general opinion. So far I got only Durham's reply - they said it shouldn't be a problem and they do have a couple of students who are russian and doing the course. As long as I have a genuine passion it should be okay apparently. But thanks for the tip, I will check out the thread!

To achieve an offer you have to demonstrate by the whole of your application that you have the ability and interest to succeed against the competition.

The worries I would have are that your GCSEs are well below average for Cambridge, you expect only to achieve an A in your "real" foreign language and you have no other evidence of essay based skills at the time of interview. The science A levels are not a problem if you word your PS to show your passion for languages and convince them at interview. You will still need to have achieved high UMS in at least three subjects.

None of these are a complete bar to your application being successful and given that you are highly likely to get into a second or third choices of Russian & German at another university it is probably worth "one line" of UCAS choices.
I think the advice to email several admissions tutors at different colleges and pick the most favourable response is a good one.

I'm at Cambridge, doing French and ab initio Spanish. I'm loving it (though not so much at present - my French oral exam is tomorrow!!), more so than I thought I ever would. I wouldn't be surprised if the general consensus is similar to the Durham response - Russian isn't offered at many places (certainly not in any of the schools I knew of where I'm from), and even though you might be fluent in speaking, this doesn't always translate into written communication.

Also, don't be put off by the comment about 'only' an A as above - I was not specified an A* in my language, which I had expected due to it being my only A-Level language, but friends doing two were asked for an A* in either of them. The thing with languages is that it is a LOT harder to get the top marks, even if you're really good. I know the marking of them is being looked at for A-Level.