This discussion is now closed.
Check out other Related discussions
- university
- Can't decide between Natural Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, or a Maths course.
- I'm an incoming Quant Trader - AMA
- Extra Curriculars
- Oxford super/extracurricals
- Uni
- Cambridge Natsci Admissions
- Am I too dumb to go to Oxbridge?
- Extracurriculars for UK university application
- Applying to PPE at Oxford Tips?
- Cannot find any work experience
- Do you guys think I have a solid chance of getting into ucl cs without FM?
- Academic/career profile good enough for a BPTC Scholarship from an Inn?
- How Difficult Is It To Get Into Oxford?
- Your Supercurriculars for Oxbridge
- ..
- Can someone please explain like I'm an idiot how to get a first job
- What should I do to get into American university with British education?
- Does Uni matter if you go to a top 20 uni?
- Cambridge Maths School
To all Cambridge students:what kind of extracurricular stuff did you have in your CV?
Scroll to see replies
I stopped reading this thread after half the posts were picking up on your use of the word "CV" rather than actually helping you, so sorry if your question's already been answered. Now, I'm not a Cambridge student, but I've received an offer and with any luck I will be next year... when an admissions dude from Cambridge came to give a talk at my school, he expressly said that Cambridge doesn't care much about extra-curriculars unless they're directly relevant to your course. For example, if you've shadowed a History lecturer when applying for History, it'd be relevant, but if you've done voluntary work in a charity shop it's not as relevant. What they do like in excess to your grades is really just a demonstration of passion for the subject you're applying for. That is, further reading and that sort of thing. I applied to do Computer Science, and the majority of my personal statement was outlining books I'd read, projects I'd undertaken at my leisure (writing a little rubbish operating system, for example) and that sort of thing. When I was pulled up on them in the interview, I made it clear that they were far from professional quality and were just a bit of fun, and they seem to like that (the idea that you'd do something related to your subject for fun rather than obsessionally as an attempt to get into uni 
).
That's my 2p, think of it what you will.
).That's my 2p, think of it what you will.
nuodai
I stopped reading this thread after half the posts were picking up on your use of the word "CV" rather than actually helping you, so sorry if your question's already been answered. Now, I'm not a Cambridge student, but I've received an offer and with any luck I will be next year... when an admissions dude from Cambridge came to give a talk at my school, he expressly said that Cambridge doesn't care much about extra-curriculars unless they're directly relevant to your course. For example, if you've shadowed a History lecturer when applying for History, it'd be relevant, but if you've done voluntary work in a charity shop it's not as relevant. What they do like in excess to your grades is really just a demonstration of passion for the subject you're applying for. That is, further reading and that sort of thing. I applied to do Computer Science, and the majority of my personal statement was outlining books I'd read, projects I'd undertaken at my leisure (writing a little rubbish operating system, for example) and that sort of thing. When I was pulled up on them in the interview, I made it clear that they were far from professional quality and were just a bit of fun, and they seem to like that (the idea that you'd do something related to your subject for fun rather than obsessionally as an attempt to get into uni ).
That's my 2p, think of it what you will.
).That's my 2p, think of it what you will.
OP This, the best response so far in the thread.
Honestly people stop picking on her for saying CV and her incorrect spelling of medicine
I dont know but will be eager to find out, i myself have captained the national table tennis squad and have come in the last 4 in a apprentice-like quiz show.....
But then again applying for medicine, i will reiterate that work experience is far more important
Ditto to nuodai.
Things that offer "proof" of your enthusiasm for your subject are very useful.
Being grade 27 on the ocarina and in the national hopscotch team serve a purpose in showing you have good time management to do this as well as studies - and that you therefore have "spare capacity" to cope with the rigours of Cambridge. This could also come from maintaining a part-time job, however.
Things that offer "proof" of your enthusiasm for your subject are very useful.
Being grade 27 on the ocarina and in the national hopscotch team serve a purpose in showing you have good time management to do this as well as studies - and that you therefore have "spare capacity" to cope with the rigours of Cambridge. This could also come from maintaining a part-time job, however.
I applied for law so put down the usual things that show I could be a good lawyer: debating, public speaking experience, success in essay competitions, court visits, work experience etc.
For the rest of it I just put down stuff that I genuinely enjoy, not particularly thinkiing about how it might tie in with my degree or life at Cambridge: polo, eventing, horse training, heavy horse racing, piano, banjo, spanish films and literature, travel etc. There's nothing worse than reading a personal statement which says "I play football which has helped me develop my team work skills, and I enjoy greek poetry because it is mentally stimulating. I took up violin to boost my creativity" etc etc: you don't need to justify every activity that you do.
Most activities which provide some skill are pretty self-explanatory, and anything extra you want to put in should juts be there to illustrate who you are. Cambridge aren't looking for a robot- they want people who do things besides study (in moderation!!) and so you need something to make yourself stand out against all the other people who have dreamt of being a lawyer since they were 3 and a half years old.
EDIT: I've just seen that what I have said is the opposite to what someone else said! Oops! But I'm just going by what admissions folk, supervisors and directors of studies have told me and what I have been told to tell prospective applicants when I visited schools to talk about Cambridge applications
For the rest of it I just put down stuff that I genuinely enjoy, not particularly thinkiing about how it might tie in with my degree or life at Cambridge: polo, eventing, horse training, heavy horse racing, piano, banjo, spanish films and literature, travel etc. There's nothing worse than reading a personal statement which says "I play football which has helped me develop my team work skills, and I enjoy greek poetry because it is mentally stimulating. I took up violin to boost my creativity" etc etc: you don't need to justify every activity that you do.
Most activities which provide some skill are pretty self-explanatory, and anything extra you want to put in should juts be there to illustrate who you are. Cambridge aren't looking for a robot- they want people who do things besides study (in moderation!!) and so you need something to make yourself stand out against all the other people who have dreamt of being a lawyer since they were 3 and a half years old.
EDIT: I've just seen that what I have said is the opposite to what someone else said! Oops! But I'm just going by what admissions folk, supervisors and directors of studies have told me and what I have been told to tell prospective applicants when I visited schools to talk about Cambridge applications
The only thing I had outside of the norm of a few courses and visits to places was a project I did joint with Warwick University.
However they didnt even ask me at interview but they asked me about other stuff on the statement so had definately read it fairly well.
However they didnt even ask me at interview but they asked me about other stuff on the statement so had definately read it fairly well.
hey, well im applying (well hoping too) next year, and basically we have oxbridge lessons at our sixthform, and from the taped interviews we saw that the most important criteria they are looking for is
1) Passion/Enthusiasm for your subject - live,breath,eat,sleep it. (they don't want drop-outs being like..oh that wasnt for me, because thats a waste of their time as well as yours)
2) An All rounded Person - different colleges have a variety of extra circicular activities e.g some renound for rowing/rugby so how will you contribute to these?
3)Finally how your extra activities will help you with your subjetc choice- im hoping to go for medicine so i will put things like i enjoy team sports- shows your a team player etccc but then i am also a senior prefect which shows leadership skills.
1) Passion/Enthusiasm for your subject - live,breath,eat,sleep it. (they don't want drop-outs being like..oh that wasnt for me, because thats a waste of their time as well as yours)
2) An All rounded Person - different colleges have a variety of extra circicular activities e.g some renound for rowing/rugby so how will you contribute to these?
3)Finally how your extra activities will help you with your subjetc choice- im hoping to go for medicine so i will put things like i enjoy team sports- shows your a team player etccc but then i am also a senior prefect which shows leadership skills.
xxcherry-popxx
2) An All rounded Person - different colleges have a variety of extra circicular activities e.g some renound for rowing/rugby so how will you contribute to these?
2) An All rounded Person - different colleges have a variety of extra circicular activities e.g some renound for rowing/rugby so how will you contribute to these?
A college will not pick you to boost their sporting achievement. Just to clarify.
Academic ability and potential is their concern - there are no back door roots through rowing for GB or something.
Ayouchi
I'm thinking of applying in Cambridge and i've heard that except good grades you've got to have a well-rounded CV, with different extracurricular activities and things like that, to show you're not just a bookworm but also a capable person. I'm curious what kind of extracurricular activities did you guys do?
If it's related to your subject, bang it in.
Ayouchi
I'm thinking of applying in Cambridge and i've heard that except good grades you've got to have a well-rounded CV, with different extracurricular activities and things like that, to show you're not just a bookworm but also a capable person. I'm curious what kind of extracurricular activities did you guys do?
You mean Personal Statement?
Mine was at least 85% subject based. I put a bit about being enthusiastic about charity work and what I'd done in that field, but it was mostly about why I had chosen the subject, and what I had done in and out of curriculum to expand my knowledge (including places I'd visited relevant to the subject area).
With Cambridge you have to fill in a separate application form anyway (SAQ) online, where you can include stuff like that.
xxcherry-popxx
hey, well im applying (well hoping too) next year, and basically we have oxbridge lessons at our sixthform, and from the taped interviews we saw that the most important criteria they are looking for is
1) Passion/Enthusiasm for your subject - live,breath,eat,sleep it. (they don't want drop-outs being like..oh that wasnt for me, because thats a waste of their time as well as yours)
2) An All rounded Person - different colleges have a variety of extra circicular activities e.g some renound for rowing/rugby so how will you contribute to these?
3)Finally how your extra activities will help you with your subjetc choice- im hoping to go for medicine so i will put things like i enjoy team sports- shows your a team player etccc but then i am also a senior prefect which shows leadership skills.
1) Passion/Enthusiasm for your subject - live,breath,eat,sleep it. (they don't want drop-outs being like..oh that wasnt for me, because thats a waste of their time as well as yours)
2) An All rounded Person - different colleges have a variety of extra circicular activities e.g some renound for rowing/rugby so how will you contribute to these?
3)Finally how your extra activities will help you with your subjetc choice- im hoping to go for medicine so i will put things like i enjoy team sports- shows your a team player etccc but then i am also a senior prefect which shows leadership skills.
2 and 3 are pretty infantile, you're applying to an academic institution and are going to be interviewed by academics. Academics are not renowned for their interest in sports, and the sporting side of college is maintained and run by the STUDENTS, past and present, not the fellows, who have little say in what goes on - apart from a small token presence, due to any small amount of funding which might be given to societies.
They don't care if you are a well rounded personality, they want you to get the most out of academia, and they are well aware that people that row in college first boats or university boats, or play football/rugby for the university are likely to be doing that sport so much it affects their studies in some ways - it is not uncommon for the college to step in and suggest the student give up in favour of academic studies if it becomes significantly detrimental. Academics themselves are often not well-rounded people, they have consistently shown a determination to focus on one aspect of their personality, and sacrificed a lot to achieve that, do you really think they care how good you are at rugby?
As for team sports = team player, and prefect = leadership, I think most academics have spent enough time in the real world to smell ******** when they see it. These are just the facile things which are put onto a university application or CV just to pad out the space, they don't care.
What IS important is that it doesn't seem that getting good grades in your A Levels required every spare minute of your life. You need to have some spare capacity there or you'll drown in work as soon as you get here.
emilY?
A college will not pick you to boost their sporting achievement. Just to clarify.
Academic ability and potential is their concern - there are no back door roots through rowing for GB or something.
Academic ability and potential is their concern - there are no back door roots through rowing for GB or something.
yeah i know, which is why i said ability/passion is their without a doubt Main priority, but if they had to choose between two candidates with exactly the same grades and potential, the one with something a little extra in twh form of sport/music/art or whatever has the edge. im sure they're not JUST looking for people who a will spend their 3/4/5 years with their heads stuck on a textbook.
and i know that, having been to cambridge and chatted with the medical students, each of them had something "special" if you like, to offer the college, obviously their alll good academically otherwise they wouldn't even consider applying. you are gunna need something to make yourself stand out, the competition is stiff!
xxcherry-popxx
yeah i know, which is why i said ability/passion is their without a doubt Main priority, but if they had to choose between two candidates with exactly the same grades and potential, the one with something a little extra in twh form of sport/music/art or whatever has the edge. im sure they're not JUST looking for people who a will spend their 3/4/5 years with their heads stuck on a textbook.
and i know that, having been to cambridge and chatted with the medical students, each of them had something "special" if you like, to offer the college, obviously their alll good academically otherwise they wouldn't even consider applying. you are gunna need something to make yourself stand out, the competition is stiff!
and i know that, having been to cambridge and chatted with the medical students, each of them had something "special" if you like, to offer the college, obviously their alll good academically otherwise they wouldn't even consider applying. you are gunna need something to make yourself stand out, the competition is stiff!
For medical students it does make a difference to have balance of interests, but for the other people they will probably prefer the person who will burys their head between a textbook.
The West Wing
For medical students it does make a difference to have balance of interests, but for the other people they will probably prefer the person who will burys their head between a textbook.
agreeed.
Paragraph by paragraph, mine went
1) When and how I first decided I wanted to pursue psychology.
2) Books I've read as a result, lecturers I've listened to in my own time, my opinions on what they said.
3) A particular area of interest in the subject.
4) My psych coursework - ended with two sentences about my instrument-playing.
5) Volunteering in special needs school. Taking sign language qualification.
6) Summer schools and outreach days I've been on.
7) Involvement in youth theatre company - Shakespeare Festival, Anti-Bullying campaign, etc.
8) Career aims.
Only put in extra-curricular stuff if it's relevant to your course, and don't try to stretch that relevance. The more appropriate activites you can talk about, though, the better your chances.
1) When and how I first decided I wanted to pursue psychology.
2) Books I've read as a result, lecturers I've listened to in my own time, my opinions on what they said.
3) A particular area of interest in the subject.
4) My psych coursework - ended with two sentences about my instrument-playing.
5) Volunteering in special needs school. Taking sign language qualification.
6) Summer schools and outreach days I've been on.
7) Involvement in youth theatre company - Shakespeare Festival, Anti-Bullying campaign, etc.
8) Career aims.
Only put in extra-curricular stuff if it's relevant to your course, and don't try to stretch that relevance. The more appropriate activites you can talk about, though, the better your chances.
I'm an offer holder for 09 entry Natural Sciences.
I mentioned a few lectures/conferences I'd been to, both organised by the school and ones that I'd sorted out. I said a bit about being a St John Ambulance volunteer, and I mentioned a bit about how my work (in a photo lab and as a hospital cleaner) shows the practical applications of the chemistry I learn in the classroom. I also said a couple of things about sciencey books I've read. Oh, and wrote about going out to China and Tibet for a month to hike and do some community service. And winning a public speaking competition.
I can't speak for the Medicine interview process, but for NatSci I had an interview with the admissions tutor (which was a general interview to see what I was like as a person, where he asked me a bit about my extra-curriculars), then a biology interview (reasoning through biology-based questions), then a more mathsy interview (problem-solving questions). After that, there was an entry test which was a few shorter questions then an essay question, all biology-based but with a bit of maths and chemistry thrown in.
I completely fluffed up the biology interview and the test, so I have no idea why they took me :P
I didn't bother mentioning D of E, everyone has that. And all the little things I did, thinking "Oh, I can put this on my UCAS!": didn't have room for them.
I mentioned a few lectures/conferences I'd been to, both organised by the school and ones that I'd sorted out. I said a bit about being a St John Ambulance volunteer, and I mentioned a bit about how my work (in a photo lab and as a hospital cleaner) shows the practical applications of the chemistry I learn in the classroom. I also said a couple of things about sciencey books I've read. Oh, and wrote about going out to China and Tibet for a month to hike and do some community service. And winning a public speaking competition.
I can't speak for the Medicine interview process, but for NatSci I had an interview with the admissions tutor (which was a general interview to see what I was like as a person, where he asked me a bit about my extra-curriculars), then a biology interview (reasoning through biology-based questions), then a more mathsy interview (problem-solving questions). After that, there was an entry test which was a few shorter questions then an essay question, all biology-based but with a bit of maths and chemistry thrown in.
I completely fluffed up the biology interview and the test, so I have no idea why they took me :P
I didn't bother mentioning D of E, everyone has that. And all the little things I did, thinking "Oh, I can put this on my UCAS!": didn't have room for them.
One of the funny things at my interview was that my interviewer mentioned that she had seen me in the latest issue of Horse and Hound magazine, and proceeded to show me the article in question It was quite funny really, so we ended up talking a lot about my extra curriculars especially heavy horse racing and sj 
It was quite funny really, so we ended up talking a lot about my extra curriculars especially heavy horse racing and sj Cantab
Er, it is like that, 1/3rd of the time anyway. Take a trip to any library in Cambridge between the end of 1st May and June 10th or so and you'll see exactly this. People sleep in libraries, shower in libraries, become so stressed they literally only leave to get food, to sleep and to relieve themselves (and then resent their body for making them leave), and completely disappear off the radar of any social scene. It's mental. Literally.
>_>
People who are saying not to put any because Cambridge don't care aren't being particularly helpful. I'm pretty sure Cambridge *don't* care, but other universities seem to. You're not only applying to Cambridge (I assume, anyway) so you have to gear your personal statement towards other universities as well.
Related discussions
- university
- Can't decide between Natural Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, or a Maths course.
- I'm an incoming Quant Trader - AMA
- Extra Curriculars
- Oxford super/extracurricals
- Uni
- Cambridge Natsci Admissions
- Am I too dumb to go to Oxbridge?
- Extracurriculars for UK university application
- Applying to PPE at Oxford Tips?
- Cannot find any work experience
- Do you guys think I have a solid chance of getting into ucl cs without FM?
- Academic/career profile good enough for a BPTC Scholarship from an Inn?
- How Difficult Is It To Get Into Oxford?
- Your Supercurriculars for Oxbridge
- ..
- Can someone please explain like I'm an idiot how to get a first job
- What should I do to get into American university with British education?
- Does Uni matter if you go to a top 20 uni?
- Cambridge Maths School
Latest
Trending
Last reply 2 hours ago
March 2024 Cambridge Mature Colleges Round - Anybody?Last reply 23 hours ago
MPhil Advanced Computer Science Cambridge - 2024 EntryLast reply 2 weeks ago
Easy Colleges in Cambridge to get in - should this be allowedLast reply 2 weeks ago
Could I get into Oxford or Cambridge without studying A-level background??Last reply 2 weeks ago
MPhil in Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence at Cambridge 2024Last reply 2 weeks ago
Cannot find funding for Cambridge, is it worth getting a loan?Trending
Last reply 2 hours ago
March 2024 Cambridge Mature Colleges Round - Anybody?Last reply 23 hours ago
MPhil Advanced Computer Science Cambridge - 2024 EntryLast reply 2 weeks ago
Easy Colleges in Cambridge to get in - should this be allowedLast reply 2 weeks ago
Could I get into Oxford or Cambridge without studying A-level background??Last reply 2 weeks ago
MPhil in Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence at Cambridge 2024Last reply 2 weeks ago
Cannot find funding for Cambridge, is it worth getting a loan?
