CUSU Shadowing Scheme

Has anyone applied for the Cambridge Shadowing Scheme next January/February? Just wondering, those who've been part of the Scheme before, was it a useful experience for you before applying to Oxbridge?

Good luck to everyone who's applied! :woo:

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Reply 1

tashhh

I went last year and really enjoyed it - I was shadowing a student doing a subject I'd never considered studying (PPS) at a college I'd never heard of (Sidney Sussex) and now I'm about to put in my application for PPS at Sidney, so I guess that probably shows how useful I found it (:

Try and do stuff not organised by the scheme while you're there if you can, cause it'll give you a more accurate picture of the place - we went with another couple of shadowers to a improv comedy thing at the ADC instead of a talk organised by CUSU (most of their stuff isn't compulsory, but if they're running the pub quiz or the debating workshop again, go along cause they're great) and missed something else to go to a supervision, which was really interesting and definitely worthwhile since it's such a big element of Oxbridge teaching.

I hope you get to go (:

Reply 2

XxnemoxX

cornish-chough

I've applied but I don't think I'll get in :frown:

Reply 3

cornish-chough

tashhh that sounds like a good idea - I'm considering Oxford more than Cambridge at the moment, so have looked a little more into the set-up etc there, but I'd really like to get to know both places a bit better before making the decision if/when I decide to apply.

XxnemoxX Which course have you applied to do?

Reply 4

XxnemoxX

cornish-chough

I've applied for maths and 2nd choice natural sciences (can't remember which)

Reply 5

cornish-chough

I've applied for modern/medieval languages and my second choice is history.
I read that Oxford do a summer school too, so maybe if we don't get a place on this, we could apply for that instead.

Reply 6

username422940

I applied also, First Choice Maths, Second Physical Sciences!
I hope I am accepted it sounds like a really good experience, if a little daunting.

Reply 7

SilverstarDJ

I did the shadowing scheme a few years back and followed a subject I knew I wanted to apply to. We also went to the ADC but they had to apologise to us because the student didn't realise that there was a lot of naked actors running on stage! It was hilarious. You've not nothing to loose from the scheme if it doesn't turn out as planned or inspire you to go to Cambridge, but it gives you a good view of student life in general and you get good advise from the students there on applying. A lot of the people there were not the stereotypical students that I thought would go there. Besides, if you go for interview, it's an added bonus that you have had an experience that many others have not and it helped me decide which college to go into. It was fantastic and I'd recommend it to anyone. The people who organised it were ever so helpful and made my stay an enjoyable one.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 8

razachaudhry

i've also applied, the options i've put down are medicine and physical naturals sciences, but they havent got back to me yet :frown:

i've also applied for the one at oxford and got a place :smile:

good luck with your applications everyone :smile:

Reply 9

388126

Original post by cornish-chough

I've applied for modern/medieval languages and my second choice is history.
I read that Oxford do a summer school too, so maybe if we don't get a place on this, we could apply for that instead.

The Oxford one is excellent (if you're talking about UNIQ).

Reply 10

Languages Nutter

Original post by cornish-chough

I'm on the scheme as a current MML student, hoping to be shadowed - it should be good! By all accounts it's a really good experience, and a brilliant introduction to Cambridge and the courses.

By the way, have any of you seen the Shadowing Scheme diaries from a few years ago? They might be worth having a look at.

Hope to see some of you in a month or so!

Reply 11

lp386

I'm a current economics student at Catz, hoping to be shadowed. I did the shadowing scheme two years ago and it was really helpful - put me off PPS for life but I loved Cambridge and it made me really want to go there.
Seconding the recommendation to do the quiz and the debating workshop, if only because at some point your student will have to write an essay, and that's a process you really, really don't want to have to watch (there's only so long you can watch someone Facebooking for before it gets a bit dull!)

It wouldn't surprise me if they haven't got back to you yet - we haven't been told anything either!

Reply 12

nuodai

I've signed up to help out, but not many people apply as shadows for Maths, so it's unlikely I'll get one.

Reply 13

Mr Dactyl

Original post by cornish-chough

I went on it, and it was pretty good, would've been much more reluctant to apply (and in the end I was successful) otherwise. It's great fun.

Original post by nuodai

I've signed up to help out, but not many people apply as shadows for Maths, so it's unlikely I'll get one.

I'm not sure where you get that impression, when I went it was all mathmos, scientists, engineers and medics; quite naturally the subjects which are easier to teach yourself. It's tall order to overcome terrible History or English teaching, but not so tough to learn Further Maths from a book.

Reply 14

Hashshashin

Original post by nuodai

I've signed up to help out, but not many people apply as shadows for Maths, so it's unlikely I'll get one.

You do have one, access officers have provisional match-ups already. Doubt it'll change.

Reply 15

kaying

i applied to it in October for Economics, second choice History..
uhm, the latest they get back to us is 7th Jan, right? bit worried i might miss the email; always get loadsa junk mail, might muddle it up with that!
goodluck to those who've applied~ hope it'll be fun :3