Cambridge Offer Holders 2015 thread

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Reply 200

Protoxylic

NatSci offer holders group https://www.facebook.com/groups/732735766834627/

Reply 201

TVIO

Original post by Actaeon

Who can fathom the ways of Cambridge admissions tutors?

The fact is they gave you an offer, so obviously felt you were worth teaching. Knowing that is a good feeling to hold on to!!

Going for interview I was actually kind of surprised I wasn't surrounded by piles of incomprehensible geniuses in hall. I imagined, given all the hype about Oxbridge, that everyone there would be straight A* intellectuals. But then nearly everyone was nice, decently but not scarily clever people, who I could talk to without feeling cowed. Which was a nice feeling :smile:

It was really refreshing to meet all these people be so enthusiastic about my course. And all of them were nervous, EVERY SINGLE ONE which made me feel less out of place I suppose. I'm not sure when I'll be able to accept this, but it's a good feeling nonetheless! Though I did meet a few people with scary good UMS and they were really nice and I wanted them to get in, but I wanted me to get in more so I was a little torn

Reply 202

username1162972

Original post by TVIO

Started over Christmas because I needed it for Imperial (why the hell they gave me a STEP offer for pure CS only god knows). It's actually been sorta OK so far. How much FM do I need to know to do well in STEP III or are there some questions I can do without it? You're a pure mathmo aren't you?

You need fp2 fp3 and m3/s3 or more. What was there offer for step? Lol imperial are mental they want like 16A*s in a level and like 120/120 in step (exaggeration lol) there will be questions sometimes on c3 c4 knowledge and m1/m2 s1/2. Calculus can be guaranteed and strengthen you convectors as this questions can be a gift sometimes. Other then it's just time and effort. (Got this from previous 'steppers'.)

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Reply 203

username1162972

Original post by TVIO

Oh and fp1 lol

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Reply 204

TVIO

Original post by physicsmaths

1 in STEP II for Imperial which I was a bit O.o about considering they don't always give STEP to their pure mathmos. Calculus is my strength, and I'm doing all the aforementioned modules but I'll probably stay away from the mech Qs. My King's Camb mathmo friend who needs a 1,1 has been doing STEP longer than me and he said the mech ones are really hard and the stats ones are OK/easyish. I reckon I can do STEP, just a matter of can I do it quickly enough to get a good grade.

Reply 205

IFoundWonderland

Cannot believe I can post here.. interview did not go well :hide:

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Course: HSPS
College: Magdalene
Offer: 42 with 776 HL (IB)

I really don't think I'm going to meet my conditions. Stupid 16 year old me choosing French HL :frown:

Reply 206

TVIO

Original post by ILovePancakes

Cannot believe I can post here.. interview did not go well :hide:

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Course: HSPS
College: Magdalene
Offer: 42 with 776 HL (IB)

I really don't think I'm going to meet my conditions. Stupid 16 year old me choosing French HL :frown:

Welcome! I thought my interviews were horrendous too, yet here we are. I do wonder what they saw in me though. I really want feedback on why they chose me xD

Reply 207

IFoundWonderland

Original post by TVIO

Welcome! I thought my interviews were horrendous too, yet here we are. I do wonder what they saw in me though. I really want feedback on why they chose me xD

In my first interview, I got every question they asked me wrong, bar why I chose the course. Every time I answered they were like "hmm.. have you considered this? I don't think you've fully thought it out" and one question they even said "I don't think you're going to get this" after I went on for five minutes and just told me the answer..

I must have done particularly well in the second one, but then I didn't really feel that I had.

Maybe it's because I made them laugh or something, idk..

I'd love to see feedback too :tongue:

Reply 208

TVIO

Original post by ILovePancakes

Well that's the whole point of having two interviews I s'pose. My first one was with the main guy in charge of compsci at the whole of cambridge and my college and he was not impressed! But the 2nd one went much better (but only the 1st half of it). Important thing is, *they* think we're capable and I think it'd be a bit arrogant to question their judgement when they've been doing this for years. So take comfort in the fact they think we're good enough :smile:

Reply 209

username1162972

Original post by TVIO

It's all about personal preference and I think the mech ones are nice and the stats ones are mad hard. Just try all the questions per paper and see what suits u best and get an idea of it, then progress from there really!

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Reply 210

Actaeon

I actually quite enjoyed my interviews... I guess I was quite lucky in that all the tutors were really pleasant people, and the format was quite relaxed. They didn't so much ask me questions, as work through them with me, so it ended up being a dialogue about how we were going about solving them. It wasn't really what I was expecting, but I was able to go out of the room feeling fairly happy about it all :smile:

Reply 211

Omghacklol

Original post by newblood

Is the S,1 just for you because you got a 1 in STEP I early or have they given this offer to othera?

I did get 1 in STEP I but I think one of my interviews could have gone better hence the higher offer to be 'sure' I was of Cambridge calibre. It was probably the 1 which helped me get the offer rather than make it be a higher one. Nevertheless an offer is still an offer hence why I'm quite happy :smile:

gotta work super hard though!

Reply 212

Fawkesgirl33

I've just found out I've been pooled to Murray Edwards! I'm actually quite pleased- I don't really care about the all girls thing and they sound like they have a really good ethos. I'm just relieved that I know for certain that my acceptance letter wasn't a spoof :smile:

Reply 213

TVIO

Original post by physicsmaths

Fair enough! More practice is always better.

Original post by Actaeon

In the first interview they didn't really help me so I felt a bit intimidated but now that I think about it, maybe they were just giving me an opportunity to prove myself. Our school had set up a mock interview with a Cambridge admissions guy but it was a general interview. It went really well and was enjoyable so I think I went in a tad more confident than I should've been (still terrified) for the grilling on maths I got.

Reply 214

TVIO

Original post by Fawkesgirl33

Congrats! I still half expect mine to be a joke or a mistake but it's probably not, they know how soul destroying that would be.

Reply 215

Blazora

[QUOTE="1www1;52831801"]

Original post by L'Evil Fish

I don't drink which I feel will be like problematic :colonhash:

/QUOTE]

I don't drink either. I am a bit worried about that, but now we're two in the same boat :wink:

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Don't worry - I don't drink either. Three of us together!

Reply 216

HopefulLawyerHG

Original post by Fawkesgirl33

Well done! I am waiting to find out my new college as well, may I ask how they contacted you? Thanks 😊

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Reply 217

Actaeon

Original post by TVIO

Fair enough! More practice is always better.

In the first interview they didn't really help me so I felt a bit intimidated but now that I think about it, maybe they were just giving me an opportunity to prove myself. Our school had set up a mock interview with a Cambridge admissions guy but it was a general interview. It went really well and was enjoyable so I think I went in a tad more confident than I should've been (still terrified) for the grilling on maths I got.

Yes, the mock interview my school did was really helpful, though it was from teachers and a past pupil who got into Cambridge. It was more just getting myself into an interview mindset than anything specific, because the real ones were definitely more probing.

Reply 218

TVIO

Original post by Actaeon

I was actually quite ill on the day which sucked, so my brain was really foggy as compared to usual. But if they thought well of me on my worst day, then I must be an OK candidate. So in some way, I'm glad I was ill.

Reply 219

Blazora

Original post by L'Evil Fish

Subject: Natural Sciences (Physical)
College: Christ's
Outcome (and conditions): A*A*A in any of FM, Physics and Chemistry.
How did you hear? (email/letter/phone/owl): Letter
How do you feel? I'm happy but also ****ing gutted a friend of mine didn't get in... :frown:

It's great that you feel for your friend. Last year, when I applied for the first time, I was applying to Oxford, one of my best friends was also applying to Oxford, and the other was applying to Cambridge. One of my best friends got into Oxford, the other got into Cambridge, and I was rejected. :frown: