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Cambridge Engineering Students and Applicants

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I'm going to study Engineering in Cambridge in October and was wondering if most students tend to take hand written notes, take laptops/tablets and take notes on that or just receive handouts/etc in lectures.
Original post by Deathberries
I'm going to study Engineering in Cambridge in October and was wondering if most students tend to take hand written notes, take laptops/tablets and take notes on that or just receive handouts/etc in lectures.


They give you paper handouts in every lecture. Most of them have gaps you need to fill in.
Hi, I'm really concerned about my chances at being accepted at Cambridge.

Course: Chemical Engineering - Requirements: A*A*A
GCSEs: 4A*, 6As, 2Bs.
A-Level: Bio, Chem, Phys, Maths - ABBB.
Average UMS: 80% in top 3.
Predicted: AAAA

Please be honest with your responses. Do you think I will get accepted?

Additional Info: I go to a "poorly-preforming school" and have mild extenuating circumstances.
(edited 9 years ago)
im gunna be studying @ cambridge in october, what do i need for the course (eg specific calc etc) and what should I read up on/revise before i start?
So I am still unsure if engineering is the right choice for me, do you think it would be possible to switch to Natural Sciences say at the end of the first year if I'm not enjoying the course?
Original post by Joseph.S
Hi, I'm really concerned about my chances at being accepted at Cambridge.

Course: Chemical Engineering - Requirements: A*AA
GCSEs: 4A*, 6As, 2Bs.
A-Level: Bio, Chem, Phys, Maths - ABBB.
Average UMS: 80% in top 3.
Predicted: AAAA

Please be honest with your responses. Do you think I will get accepted?

Additional Info: I go to a "poorly-preforming school" and have mild extenuating circumstances.


Dont want to be blunt, but even with extenuating circumstances its very unlikely you will be called for interview with your AS profile. On top of that you should probably look into the course with more detail, as the entrance requirements are now A*A*A and the vast majority of successful applications achieve A*A*A*.
How do my UMS grades compare with all you clever entrants?
Maths: 286 (95.33)
F Maths: 287 (95.67)
Physics: 290 (96.67)
Chem: 269 (89.67)
Econ: 196 (98.00)
Original post by M1llward
How do my UMS grades compare with all you clever entrants?
Maths: 286 (95.33)
F Maths: 287 (95.67)
Physics: 290 (96.67)
Chem: 269 (89.67)
Econ: 196 (98.00)


They're high! (not that I'm applying...)
Original post by WannabeStudent15
So I am still unsure if engineering is the right choice for me, do you think it would be possible to switch to Natural Sciences say at the end of the first year if I'm not enjoying the course?


Yes changing is not uncommon. You can't assume you'll be allowed to do it though, the university has to agree to it.

If you can, it's far better to get the choice right in the first place :smile:
Original post by WannabeStudent15
So I am still unsure if engineering is the right choice for me, do you think it would be possible to switch to Natural Sciences say at the end of the first year if I'm not enjoying the course?


It may vary by college but at my college you have to fill in a form with a statement explaining you want to change tripos, and get supporting statements from your current DoS and the DoS of the subject you want to change to. Then you submit it to the Tutorial Office, not sure who has the final decision. Apparently student changing tripos 'normally have a good 2i', read into that what you will...

So yeah it's possible but there's no guarantee you'll be able to.
Original post by M1llward
Dont want to be blunt, but even with extenuating circumstances its very unlikely you will be called for interview with your AS profile. On top of that you should probably look into the course with more detail, as the entrance requirements are now A*A*A and the vast majority of successful applications achieve A*A*A*.


So you haven't been through the process and you're trying to hand out advice?

Original post by Joseph.S
Hi, I'm really concerned about my chances at being accepted at Cambridge.

Course: Chemical Engineering - Requirements: A*AA
GCSEs: 4A*, 6As, 2Bs.
A-Level: Bio, Chem, Phys, Maths - ABBB.
Average UMS: 80% in top 3.
Predicted: AAAA

Please be honest with your responses. Do you think I will get accepted?

Additional Info: I go to a "poorly-preforming school" and have mild extenuating circumstances.


It's hard to say if you would get an interview, but as you have 5 choices you might as well put Cambridge as one, you don't know until you try.

If you really want to go to Cambridge though and you don't get an interview then try and smash this next year, get 3 A*'s and apply next year.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Silkysam
So you haven't been through the process and you're trying to hand out advice?

It's hard to say if you would get an interview, but as you have 5 choices you might as well put Cambridge as one, you don't know until you try.


http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showpost.php?p=49874705&postcount=925
Original post by Silkysam
So you haven't been through the process and you're trying to hand out advice?



It's hard to say if you would get an interview, but as you have 5 choices you might as well put Cambridge as one, you don't know until you try.

If you really want to go to Cambridge though and you don't get an interview then try and smash this next year, get 3 A*'s and apply next year.


Thanks ever so much. What would I spend the year doing? Year in industry - I have a few lined up as possibilities.
Original post by Silkysam
So you haven't been through the process and you're trying to hand out advice?



It's hard to say if you would get an interview, but as you have 5 choices you might as well put Cambridge as one, you don't know until you try.

If you really want to go to Cambridge though and you don't get an interview then try and smash this next year, get 3 A*'s and apply next year.


Surely its reasonable to forward information I have received from admissions tutors?
Original post by fluteflute



Original post by M1llward
Surely its reasonable to forward information I have received from admissions tutors?


That's information from one admission tutor, each college has slightly different procedures. A much more reasonable response is that it's borderline to get an interview, but in the grand scheme of things you may as well apply.

Original post by Joseph.S
Thanks ever so much. What would I spend the year doing? Year in industry - I have a few lined up as possibilities.


I wouldn't know what's best to do, but extra A levels or year in industry would look good. Obviously if you were to take a year out and reapply you do need 3 A*'s, they are much less likely to accept 2 A*'s and the year out isn't really worth the small chance you have.

I can't find it now but there was a good document which showed the UMS average for applicants and successful candidates for engineering and medicine.
Original post by Silkysam
That's information from one admission tutor, each college has slightly different procedures. A much more reasonable response is that it's borderline to get an interview, but in the grand scheme of things you may as well apply.

I wouldn't know what's best to do, but extra A levels or year in industry would look good. Obviously if you were to take a year out and reapply you do need 3 A*'s, they are much less likely to accept 2 A*'s and the year out isn't really worth the small chance you have.

I can't find it now but there was a good document which showed the UMS average for applicants and successful candidates for engineering and medicine.


http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/teachers/docs/student_conference_teacher_forum_presentation_2013.pdf

Only one Engineering applicant with <=80% UMS received an Offer. Medicine made no offers to applicants with <=80% UMS.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by jneill
http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/teachers/docs/student_conference_teacher_forum_presentation_2013.pdf

Only one Engineering applicant with <=80% UMS received an Offer. Medicine made no offers to applicants with <=80% UMS.


Thanks for the document

That shows that you might as well try with one of your five choices, as lets be honest how many people truly want to go to five different universities. That's also offers, I suspect a higher proportion, still probably not that high though, would have been given an interview.

If you go in with the right mind set not expecting an offer then the whole interview process is a good experience which can help with other interviews you have to do.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Silkysam
So you haven't been through the process and you're trying to hand out advice?



It's hard to say if you would get an interview, but as you have 5 choices you might as well put Cambridge as one, you don't know until you try.

If you really want to go to Cambridge though and you don't get an interview then try and smash this next year, get 3 A*'s and apply next year.


I'm not sure what kind of secret insider information regarding interview chances you think someone who has gone through the process would be bestowed with over someone who hasn't. Particularly when Cambridge as a whole - not just one college as you claim - make it very clear that less than 85% UMS is very unlikely to get a candidate an interview (in the absence of extenuating circumstances), and that this threshold rises for some subjects, particularly the sciences.

And if it makes you feel any better about it, I say the above as someone who has been through the process.
Original post by ClickItBack
I'm not sure what kind of secret insider information regarding interview chances you think someone who has gone through the process would be bestowed with over someone who hasn't. Particularly when Cambridge as a whole - not just one college as you claim - make it very clear that less than 85% UMS is very unlikely to get a candidate an interview (in the absence of extenuating circumstances), and that this threshold rises for some subjects, particularly the sciences.

And if it makes you feel any better about it, I say the above as someone who has been through the process.


Did he not say he had extenuating circumstances? I don't see what is so outrageous about giving constructive advice instead of negative advice. Saying that it's borderline as to whether an interview is given, seeing as we don't know the extent of the extenuating circumstances, and that you might as well try seeing as you have five choices is not some kind of heinous crime.

People are far too quick to shoot people down, even if unsuccessful where's the harm in trying and the whole process is a good experience.
Hello

I just started College and for the whole year my plan was to do Chemistry, Physics, Maths and History. I have always wanted to go to Cambridge Uni and study general engineering there. Therefore when it came to induction day, the Oxbridge dude said that if I have any likely chance of wanting to go there I needed to pick further maths. (He showed me the website and Cambrdige said Yeah i pretty much have tooo) I did not want to drop my other subjects as I loved them, thus I picked 5.


However 3 weeks in and 5 subjects is all read straining me, it is just the further maths module. If I dropped either Chem ,physics or history I think I could handle it but doing all 5 I cannot. Plus I love these 3 so I will not drop them. SO now I am likely considering dropping further maths and going back to 4. I really thought I could do it, considering I am a very determined person. This is really hard though because I know if I drop it, my dream of going to Cambridge has pretty much gone. I feel really upset and distraught and my motivation for everything has just gone. I feel like I have failed. Everyone says 4 A's is better then 3A's and 2B's etc but my mentality is 5A's is better then 4. But like i Said getting them 5A's is too hard but if i keep it at least I tried? Please can someone help with what to do, I am really confused. I thought I could hack I but I cannot.

Thanks

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