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Computer Science with Natural Sciences at Cambridge

Hi guys,
does anyone know the interview procedure for the course Computer Science with Natural Sciences at Cambridge? I would choose Physics as my Natural Sciences so would I just have on interview about both CS and Physics or two separate interviews for both subjects?
In addition, do you guys think the Natural Science option is more or less competitive than pure CS?
Thanks in advance :smile:
Reply 1
Original post by NrGtic
Hi guys,
does anyone know the interview procedure for the course Computer Science with Natural Sciences at Cambridge? I would choose Physics as my Natural Sciences so would I just have on interview about both CS and Physics or two separate interviews for both subjects?
In addition, do you guys think the Natural Science option is more or less competitive than pure CS?
Thanks in advance :smile:


The process is likely to be slightly different depending on the college. Check the department and college websites. My guess would be separate interviews.

The competitiveness will be the same. The only difference would be the w/Maths option - due to the STEP requirements. (Which makes getting an offer more likely but achieving it is harder...)

BTW the "pure" CompSci only option is new this cycle.
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(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by NrGtic
Hi guys,
does anyone know the interview procedure for the course Computer Science with Natural Sciences at Cambridge? I would choose Physics as my Natural Sciences so would I just have on interview about both CS and Physics or two separate interviews for both subjects?
In addition, do you guys think the Natural Science option is more or less competitive than pure CS?
Thanks in advance :smile:


The interview format depends on the college you apply to -- my CompSci with Maths interview was entirely CompSci, no Maths, but other colleges (I applied to Churchill) might be different. I think in all cases the focus will mainly be on CompSci as the other option only takes up a quarter of one of three years. There is no difference in competitiveness, you can switch between options right up until you start (with the exception of CompSci with Maths, which you have to do STEP for).
Original post by jneill

The competitiveness will be the same. The only difference would be the w/Maths option - due to the STEP requirements. (Which makes getting an offer more likely but achieving it is harder...)


I'm not sure that the Maths option makes it easier to get an offer. For maths and engineering at Christ's they use STEP to filter and are thus more generous with offers, but for Computer Science I think it just usually just determines whether you can do the maths option (if you fail STEP but get the A-levels you will probably still get in) and so they aren't more generous.
Reply 4
Original post by sweeneyrod
I'm not sure that the Maths option makes it easier to get an offer. For maths and engineering at Christ's they use STEP to filter and are thus more generous with offers, but for Computer Science I think it just usually just determines whether you can do the maths option (if you fail STEP but get the A-levels you will probably still get in) and so they aren't more generous.


Offers with STEP are easier to get - honestly.

Just look at the Offer rate for Maths generally. 40% Offer rate for Maths vs 25% for all course.

And the offer rate for engineering at Christ's is higher than other colleges that don't ask for STEP.

2015 Christ's Engineering Offer rate 31%
2015 Cambridge overall Engineering Offer rate 19%

BTW 2016 is not really a representative year for Christ's because many applicants tried playing the stats game and the college became very popular. I expect it will stablise in 2017.
Original post by jneill
...


I definitely agree that it is easier to get an offer for maths, or engineering at colleges that require STEP for that, than for other courses. But I don't think the same is true for Computer Science, as if you fail the STEP component of your offer but get the necessary A-levels you will likely be accepted for Computer Science without Maths anyway.
Reply 6
Original post by sweeneyrod
I definitely agree that it is easier to get an offer for maths, or engineering at colleges that require STEP for that, than for other courses. But I don't think the same is true for Computer Science, as if you fail the STEP component of your offer but get the necessary A-levels you will likely be accepted for Computer Science without Maths anyway.


Good point - well made. :smile:

BUT in the absence of broken out stats for the w/Maths option I had a look at overall Acceptance Rates (i.e. Acceptances/Offers) for CompSci and NatSci over the last few years. The Acceptance rate is significantly worse for CompSci. I seem to recall approx 25% of applicants to CompSci choose the w/Maths route. Therefore I'd posit the lower acceptance rate is due to STEP and it's because not all CompSci w/Maths are offered the w/NatSci option if they miss it.

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Original post by jneill
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Possibly, I imagine applicants who fail STEP badly (getting U's rather than just a 2, 2) and also "only" get A*A*A at A-level are often rejected. When I emailed college admissions tutors last year asking about the grades of their STEP offers and their policy on accepting people who failed STEP but passed A-levels I got responses varying from Downing who said it would be "unlikely" that a candidate who failed STEP would be offered a place anyway, to Queens' who said that historically they had always found places. Most colleges said it would be "usual" or "normal" for a place on CS with NST to be offered, but that there were no guarantees.
Reply 8
Original post by sweeneyrod
Possibly, I imagine applicants who fail STEP badly (getting U's rather than just a 2, 2) and also "only" get A*A*A at A-level are often rejected. When I emailed college admissions tutors last year asking about the grades of their STEP offers and their policy on accepting people who failed STEP but passed A-levels I got responses varying from Downing who said it would be "unlikely" that a candidate who failed STEP would be offered a place anyway, to Queens' who said that historically they had always found places. Most colleges said it would be "usual" or "normal" for a place on CS with NST to be offered, but that there were no guarantees.


Isn't it great that colleges have such different attitudes :smile: (but not so great that it often it isn't very transparent...!). Well done for asking :smile:
Original post by jneill
Isn't it great that colleges have such different attitudes :smile: (but not so great that it often it isn't very transparent...!). Well done for asking :smile:


It is nice that they can have different policies, but it would also be nice if they could put them on their websites. Props to King's especially (even though I didn't apply to them) for their very detailed reply, no props to the two colleges who never replied!
Reply 10
So in theory I could apply for the Maths option to increase my chances of getting an offer and then switch to the Physics option afterwards, right?
Original post by NrGtic
So in theory I could apply for the Maths option to increase my chances of getting an offer and then switch to the Physics option afterwards, right?


You could certainly apply for the Maths option and switch, but I don't think it would significantly increase your chances of getting an offer, and it would make your official offer (including STEP) much harder to achieve, so I think it is highly inadvisable. The only upside is a possible slightly higher chance of an offer. The downsides are a lower chance of an offer if your interviews focus on maths you aren't prepared for and miss out physics you would do well in; a much lower chance of achieving your official offer (as STEP is hard); and a lower chance of getting in (as although you might get in after failing STEP it isn't certain).

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