Ask an Admissions Tutor IX, 4th August - 2nd September

You need to give more details, like what AS subjects you're taking and UMS in each subject.

Just to jump in and say; if you have a Mac, or a Windows PC for that matter, you can get MS Office for free via Cambridge's licencing agreement with Microsoft. You can also get very good academic discounts on a new laptop if you need one.

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I will deffinitely need a new laptop. I knew about the Apple Education discounts, but are there other brands or retailers offering discounts for students for Windows machines?

Hello everyone and welcome to a new Ask an Admissions Tutor thread, back for its fourth year.

I will be here for the next month to answer your questions about admissions to Cambridge, especially if you are planning to apply this year but also to help those already holding an offer for this year and waiting for your results.

Do please fire away and I'll answer them as well and as quickly as I can.

Hello and congratulations on making your offer at Christ's, we look forward to having you in October. You'll get a fresher's pack shortly, probably early September, which will detail a lot of information about what you can and can't do. I'm not sure abut the Breville, I expect it's ok but don't quote me on that, you'll need to ask your tutor. I don't really go into student gyp rooms very often (not really my place!) but I think that they just have fridges and not freezers.

You are guaranteed accommodation before clinical studies. Off the top of my head at at home on Saturday night, I can't remember what happens with clinicals except to say that the vast majority voluntarily rent privately during clinicals because they aren't in Cambridge for a lot of the time but on rotation elsewhere at other hospitals. Also, renting privately near Addenbrokes is often more convenient that being in a college house on Huntingdon Road or near the railway station. If you'd like me to find out for certain, I'll be happy to do so.

You need a gown by the time of the matriculation photo which, at Christ's, happens on the Monday of freshers week, so you'll have a chance to pick one up cheaply on Sunday.

Sorry to interrupt! Just had to poke my History loving nose into it. I really liked what you said here, and I was compelled to respond. I'm going to pick up Marc Bloch's work immediately. What an interesting insight! Is there much material out there about his own execution? I'm really intrigued by the "History impacting on a Historian" comment - it's like a box within a box!!

I have Burke's work in my room actually, actually. I'm going to get around to it sometime and I'll pick up Paine's 'Rights of Man' afterwards. Right now, I'm reading 'The Long European Reformation' by Peter Wallace. It really puts the reformation in it's political and economical place in time, and how each (Religious/Political/Economical) are intrinsically linked. And it's so interesting to see how things developed between reformers, leaders, countries and societies from the time span within the book. The argument that the Reformation wasn't a quick process, and that people couldn't comprehend the Reformation for years after it's 16th Century happening, is something I'm really agreeing with whilst I'm reading it. I like all types of History, really. I can't pick a favourite one. I keep telling me mum that I just want to "learn it all" but she says that's not quite possible. I can try though!

Of course, I'll bore you if I start rambling. Honestly, I'm the bane of my History teachers life, I never quite shut up.

After I finish 'The Long European Reformation', I'll be reading the Protestant Ethic by Webber, and then City of God by St Augustine. Do you have any 'companion pieces' for this particular 'theme'? It's just for my own interest really. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for somebody interesting in the way the world has been shaped throughout History, especially religious, and the comparisons and differences we can draw between the world we live in now and how the world has shaped to be this way? Just a little anecdote that I've been trying to bring up my own conclusions for, recently.

Sorry I keep on appearing in this thread. I just... I can't get enough of the subject! The A-Level History course doesn't satisfy me. I wish I had six sets of eyes so I could read History things at six times the pace.

Hello and thank you for your question. You have met the standard offer for Cambridge in your Italian exams but without being able to see your whole application and compare it to the rest of the field it's impossible to advise you about what to do. If you did decide to apply to Cambridge, then you would have a better chance applying having not taken up your place at another UK university as we try to avoid poaching students from other institutions.

Hello there,

I didn't apply to Cambridge and am starting on a university course elsewhere this September. I was wondering, is it possible to transfer from another university into the second year at Cambridge? Also, please could you let me know where I could find out how many PhD places there are in languages/ social science each year?

Thanks!

Hello, I am hoping to apply for mathematics. I did a full A level in maths this year however my school has not 'cashed' it in so it won't be showing up on UCAS, the only thing that will appear is the AS. Since Cambridge will only have AS maths to look at (most people additionally have AS further maths or the A2 in maths), will it disadvantage my application?

Also, my UMS for AS maths were C1-100 C2-100 S1-83. How much will a poor S1 grade affect my application?

Thank you!

A student receives an A*AA offer and gets AAA, being 1 UMS an A* in a subject.
What are your thoughts? Thanks

This isn't specific to Cambridge, but do you know how you "declare" AS results on UCAS for reformed subjects? Do you add in an AS qualification and the grade even if you are continuing to next year? And if you don't do this, where do you put the grade you achieved? School Is not being very helpful! Thanks

Are there any colleges that don't offer NatSci? Also, which colleges require you to sit the TSA for the subject?

When living in Colleges, will we have to take all of our belongings back home every time we leave the colleges after a term has ended, then bring it all back when the next term begins?