Cambridge 2024 Medicine Offer Holders

Hey everyone!!!
Firstly, congratulations to all! This is so exciting, just thought I’d set up this thread so all Cam medics can get to know each other a bit and talk about all the things we’re looking forward to doing xx

Hey everyone!!!
Firstly, congratulations to all! This is so exciting, just thought I’d set up this thread so all Cam medics can get to know each other a bit and talk about all the things we’re looking forward to doing xx

Hi not a Cambridge med offer holder but someone who wants to go next year (currently y12)!! just wondering what ur gcse grades were or any super curriculars u did ?? ( if u don’t mind sharing)

Hi also a year 12 student, if you don’t mind could we know what your predicted grades were vs your offered grades? And of course congrats!

Yeah ofc no worries
People are normally pretty shocked by mine since they’re pretty different to most offer holders but here you go
GCSEs I got 999999888
Bmat I got a combined score of 11.4 and 3A on my essay but the BMAT will be discontinued for your year group so I’m not sure what you’re assessment will be
Predicted grades were 3A*s
Supercurricular I had loadssss but these are the main ones
Did a Cambridge biosciences programme and submitted an academic poster with them on bacterial drug development
Also did a Cambridge biosciences residential both which I mentioned in my personal statement
Also read loads of books
The selfish gene
Deep medicine
Brain fables
And a couple more but I’ll be honest I’ve forgotten the names there were too many 😂
Lots of wider reading and general reasearchy stuff
The kind of thing Cambridge like to see since its a very research focussed uni
I made it pretty obvious in my statement too that I’m very interested in psychiatry so it shows a bit more passion than normal and also my dad was a psychiatrist so I mentioned that too
The general work experience things as well
Gp surgery
Volunteering on a hospital ward and children’s disability school
Also mentioned in my statement that I’m an England level cricket player for the out teams
But as a kind of general rule to follow
Even if your GCSEs aren’t the greatest
Cambridge call a lot of people to interview and I think they weight that more
I know a lot of people that got better grades and BMAT than me and got rejected
So get any extras under your belt but hopefully if they call you for interview that’s your time to shine
And if you feel like you’re getting pushed quite hard that’s not normally quite good!
Make sure you say all your thoughts and even if you get all the answers wrong if you’re thought process was logical and clear you’re in with a good shot
Be nice and polite as well ofc
And don’t be out off applying as well thinking it’s impossible to get in
You miss all the chances you don’t take so work hard and really put everything in to it
You don’t want to send off your application thinking you could have done more
You’re in a really good position thinking about university in year 12 and this is the best time to get ahead of the game
Keep on top of your a level revision too because you don’t want that piling up on you
If you get an offer it’ll be at least 2XA* and an A and that’s a lot of work and you don’t want to not go to Cambridge because you missed the grades
So yeah my advice would be that if you want to apply to Cambridge
Really be passionate because it’s a lot of dedication
Nobody I know that’s had an offer got in because of luck or ‘talent’ because that only gets you so far
Get the work experience in because that’s vital to not only interviews but also learning about the role of a doctor too especially if you don’t know much about it
Get cracking with that wider reading as well
I would 100% recommend trying to get on a Cambridge programme they’ll be coming out soon
They’re honestly great and really show the university that you’re interested
If you’ve got any extras as well like sport for example in my case
Keep them going too
Cambridge don’t want robots as much as it might seem
They look for teachable people in their applicants
Not the smartest contrary to what people think (still gotta be somewhat academically capable ofc)
Another good thing about the residential I did was that I got some first hand insight into supervision style teaching
And I fell in love with the place as a whole too and it motivated me even more to get in
I don’t know any medics personally that got in but a lot of the ppl who applied did an EPQ
I didn’t do one but for a research uni that definitely sweetens the deal a little
Get on programmes and courses you know get yourself out there
Even if it’s with other universities or organisations
When you’re on your work experience see what interests you and get read up on it too
If you get to interview it’s gonna be tough and challenging but the more broad your spectra of knowledge is the better you’ll do
Sorry if the reply sounds a bit rushed I’m currently waiting to get my haircut 😂
But hope that helps

Yeah ofc no worries
People are normally pretty shocked by mine since they’re pretty different to most offer holders but here you go
GCSEs I got 999999888
Bmat I got a combined score of 11.4 and 3A on my essay but the BMAT will be discontinued for your year group so I’m not sure what you’re assessment will be
Predicted grades were 3A*s
Supercurricular I had loadssss but these are the main ones
Did a Cambridge biosciences programme and submitted an academic poster with them on bacterial drug development
Also did a Cambridge biosciences residential both which I mentioned in my personal statement
Also read loads of books
The selfish gene
Deep medicine
Brain fables
And a couple more but I’ll be honest I’ve forgotten the names there were too many 😂
Lots of wider reading and general reasearchy stuff
The kind of thing Cambridge like to see since its a very research focussed uni
I made it pretty obvious in my statement too that I’m very interested in psychiatry so it shows a bit more passion than normal and also my dad was a psychiatrist so I mentioned that too
The general work experience things as well
Gp surgery
Volunteering on a hospital ward and children’s disability school
Also mentioned in my statement that I’m an England level cricket player for the out teams
But as a kind of general rule to follow
Even if your GCSEs aren’t the greatest
Cambridge call a lot of people to interview and I think they weight that more
I know a lot of people that got better grades and BMAT than me and got rejected
So get any extras under your belt but hopefully if they call you for interview that’s your time to shine
And if you feel like you’re getting pushed quite hard that’s not normally quite good!
Make sure you say all your thoughts and even if you get all the answers wrong if you’re thought process was logical and clear you’re in with a good shot
Be nice and polite as well ofc
And don’t be out off applying as well thinking it’s impossible to get in
You miss all the chances you don’t take so work hard and really put everything in to it
You don’t want to send off your application thinking you could have done more
You’re in a really good position thinking about university in year 12 and this is the best time to get ahead of the game
Keep on top of your a level revision too because you don’t want that piling up on you
If you get an offer it’ll be at least 2XA* and an A and that’s a lot of work and you don’t want to not go to Cambridge because you missed the grades
So yeah my advice would be that if you want to apply to Cambridge
Really be passionate because it’s a lot of dedication
Nobody I know that’s had an offer got in because of luck or ‘talent’ because that only gets you so far
Get the work experience in because that’s vital to not only interviews but also learning about the role of a doctor too especially if you don’t know much about it
Get cracking with that wider reading as well
I would 100% recommend trying to get on a Cambridge programme they’ll be coming out soon
They’re honestly great and really show the university that you’re interested
If you’ve got any extras as well like sport for example in my case
Keep them going too
Cambridge don’t want robots as much as it might seem
They look for teachable people in their applicants
Not the smartest contrary to what people think (still gotta be somewhat academically capable ofc)
Another good thing about the residential I did was that I got some first hand insight into supervision style teaching
And I fell in love with the place as a whole too and it motivated me even more to get in
I don’t know any medics personally that got in but a lot of the ppl who applied did an EPQ
I didn’t do one but for a research uni that definitely sweetens the deal a little
Get on programmes and courses you know get yourself out there
Even if it’s with other universities or organisations
When you’re on your work experience see what interests you and get read up on it too
If you get to interview it’s gonna be tough and challenging but the more broad your spectra of knowledge is the better you’ll do
Sorry if the reply sounds a bit rushed I’m currently waiting to get my haircut 😂
But hope that helps

This is SO helpful thank you! With your wider reading and all of your achievements, how did you include it all in the ps? I’m on a Cambridge programme with them now, hoping to also get into one of their summer schools, a Cambridge bio competition, and have done some wider reading and essay competitions. How do you talk about it? Did you list the books or go into detail on each one? Or like go into detail on one particular book and mention the others?

This is SO helpful thank you! With your wider reading and all of your achievements, how did you include it all in the ps? I’m on a Cambridge programme with them now, hoping to also get into one of their summer schools, a Cambridge bio competition, and have done some wider reading and essay competitions. How do you talk about it? Did you list the books or go into detail on each one? Or like go into detail on one particular book and mention the others?

oooh which one are u on bc I’m ngl I’m acc struggling to find their programs online

Hi also a year 12 student, if you don’t mind could we know what your predicted grades were vs your offered grades? And of course congrats!

Hi! I just wanted to reply because I actually wish I'd known this when I was applying! I visited Cambridge to have a look at a few of the colleges, and I actually got to meet an admissions tutor from one of the colleges, who took the time to explain the process to me, and answer all of my questions! I am predicted 4A*'s and my offer is A*A*A. I think the most important thing that helped me so much, was doing lots of mock interviews with my biology teacher, as well as a person who was studying Medicine at Cambridge. It really helped me develop that technique of answering the question by thinking out loud and confidently suggesting things that I thought would be absurd if you get what I mean. To be brutally honest, I didn't think I'd even get an interview. My GCSE's were fine, but my BMAT was about-average, so I was doubtful. When I got the interview, I was in two minds - I didn't want to get too involved with prep. and everything to then get rejected and have all that work gone to waste, but I also remembered what the admissions tutor had said - 'You have to be in it to win it' 🙂 So, I read the books I'd put in my ps + Cambridge application, as well as researched further into the things I had briefly mentioned in my ps. Quite frankly, I didn't think I had done enough 'research' and supra-curricular activities - I'd read 2 books, listened to a few podcasts, participated in an essay-writing competition, and researched a bit further into a niche aspect of neuroscience. Anyway, when it came to my interview, I honestly thought it had gone awfully. My first one was better than the second, but in each I'd felt very challenged and hadn't quite gotten to the final answer the interviewers had been looking for. However, I spoke through my thought process and remained calm and composed, even though inside I was literally devastated. After my second interview, I cried quite a bit because I thought that that was a wasted application, that I'd been naive enough to think that I could make it. Over time, between the interview and the 24th Jan, I convinced myself that it would be a rejection, that maybe Cambridge wasn't worth it, blah blah blah. Every time my friends asked when Cambridge was giving out offers, I'd say that it would be a rejection for me. And then, I opened the email on the day and literally cried. I was so overwhelmed and just couldn't believe that I'd been offered a place, at the same college I'd applied to. Even now as I'm writing this, I still think there must have been some sort of mistake, it's just too good to be true! I think the message that I'm trying to convey (sorry this is so long) is the lessons I learned:
Okay, sorry this is so long, but I hope it is at least a bit useful!
Good luck to everyone applying and well done to everyone who got an offer!!

Hi! I just wanted to reply because I actually wish I'd known this when I was applying! I visited Cambridge to have a look at a few of the colleges, and I actually got to meet an admissions tutor from one of the colleges, who took the time to explain the process to me, and answer all of my questions! I am predicted 4A*'s and my offer is A*A*A. I think the most important thing that helped me so much, was doing lots of mock interviews with my biology teacher, as well as a person who was studying Medicine at Cambridge. It really helped me develop that technique of answering the question by thinking out loud and confidently suggesting things that I thought would be absurd if you get what I mean. To be brutally honest, I didn't think I'd even get an interview. My GCSE's were fine, but my BMAT was about-average, so I was doubtful. When I got the interview, I was in two minds - I didn't want to get too involved with prep. and everything to then get rejected and have all that work gone to waste, but I also remembered what the admissions tutor had said - 'You have to be in it to win it' 🙂 So, I read the books I'd put in my ps + Cambridge application, as well as researched further into the things I had briefly mentioned in my ps. Quite frankly, I didn't think I had done enough 'research' and supra-curricular activities - I'd read 2 books, listened to a few podcasts, participated in an essay-writing competition, and researched a bit further into a niche aspect of neuroscience. Anyway, when it came to my interview, I honestly thought it had gone awfully. My first one was better than the second, but in each I'd felt very challenged and hadn't quite gotten to the final answer the interviewers had been looking for. However, I spoke through my thought process and remained calm and composed, even though inside I was literally devastated. After my second interview, I cried quite a bit because I thought that that was a wasted application, that I'd been naive enough to think that I could make it. Over time, between the interview and the 24th Jan, I convinced myself that it would be a rejection, that maybe Cambridge wasn't worth it, blah blah blah. Every time my friends asked when Cambridge was giving out offers, I'd say that it would be a rejection for me. And then, I opened the email on the day and literally cried. I was so overwhelmed and just couldn't believe that I'd been offered a place, at the same college I'd applied to. Even now as I'm writing this, I still think there must have been some sort of mistake, it's just too good to be true! I think the message that I'm trying to convey (sorry this is so long) is the lessons I learned:
Okay, sorry this is so long, but I hope it is at least a bit useful!
Good luck to everyone applying and well done to everyone who got an offer!!

Hey everyone!!!
Firstly, congratulations to all! This is so exciting, just thought I’d set up this thread so all Cam medics can get to know each other a bit and talk about all the things we’re looking forward to doing xx

Can we setup a group whatsapp chat?

There is technically one actually, let me find the link xx
https://chat.whatsapp.com/LEFjl7Ulc5l68dbcnPAleG
Request to join this and then join medicine x

Isn’t this for applicants. Is there one for offer holders only for medicine?