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Ask Peterhouse - 2017 entry

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Reply 440

Peterhouse Admissions

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Original post by TJ2016

When do essays need to be submitted by please for History? Is it 3 November?

Yes, unless the College you apply to says differently. It will be the 3rd for all submitted written work here.

Reply 441

Peterhouse Admissions

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Original post by jneill

Yes the Oxbridge admissions process *is* different, no disputing that at all. But because of that, there already is *plenty* of information out there. It's not even a case of "knowing where to look". It's all on the college sites, or the departmental pages. Things can always be improved, made easier to find (accomodation costs are a particular bug bear for me :wink:

), or clearer, but tbh Cambridge really does a pretty good job aready. Anyway, let's leave it to Peterhouse to continue with their thread...

:wink:

Original post by 210555

Apologies to Peterhouse for the hijack. I''m pretty sure there are unsavvy people out there just I as was. Absolutely it is on the website about the different admissions processes when you look, no argument there. But if you are looking at colleges as I was from an accommodation/location/where would I like to live point of view you get loads and loads of info on the day to take away with you. (Brochures/prices/courses etc) You also talk to students when you are there. So one might not feel the need to go on college websites at that point because one has all that information, that's all I'm saying. Your point about due diligence is rather harsh.

I looked at the engineering department website TBH re the course entry requirements as I would any university. I only found TSR once I had an interview and I googled Cambridge interviews.

All I am saying is the more info out there the better, there will be many who don't appreciate the Oxbridge system and that it is not like other university applications. Oxbridge may not have been on their radar until someone encouraged them to apply (as in my case). Honestly true. As I say the more info out there the better.Thanks and apologies again to Peterhouse for the hijack.

@jneill is right - applicants are expected to have checked the College website. For example, if the College you apply to requires a particular subject which other Colleges don't and you don't have it, you will be rejected outright with no possibility of tranferring to a College where you might be considered (Open applicants are of course transferred). We expect candidates to know what they're getting into!

Applying to univeristy in general is a daunting thing and for many applicants it is their first foray into the adult world of legal responsibilities, bureacracy and contracts. Everyone needs to read everything carefully and ask questions if they don't understand. A very common example of this is the lack of understanding that offers are binding contracts between a student and an institution with obligations on both sides. If you 'firm' a choice and later decide you don't like it, being released is at the university's discretion. Similarly lots of people don't seem to realise that trying to trick the system can end very badly - we are only obliged to take a student if everything on their application is 100% correct. Omitting modules or mis-reporting grades can lead to offer being withdrawn without warning.

Reply 442

Peterhouse Admissions

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Original post by Stanspam

Thank you for the reply. Upon further consideration, I have decided not to resit any units and to just focus on my A2 exams and score highly in these modules. Will this decision affect me in any way? Are there any particular modules in maths that are important for medicine? Will applying post A-level give me an advantage in any way despite this, since I will have actual grades compared to another applicant with the same grades, but whose results are predicted?

Hi, this won't affect your chances. There are no maths modules which are particularly important, we'd just want to see a good score overall. Post-A level applicants are neither advantaged nor disadvantaged per se. If you are on track for A*A*A then you could apply this year (and indeed again post-A level if you were unsuccessful) but if you want to take a gap year and apply post-A level instead then this is fine.

Reply 443

Peterhouse Admissions

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Original post by darren.bagwell

How common or likely is it that a Comp Sci w/ Math offer holder would be allowed to pursue one of the other options/combinations if she failed to achieve the required 1, 1 on STEP?

Hi, thanks for asking.

This would be decided on a case-by-case basis, depending on your individual profile. In other words, don't count on it but is not uncommon.

Reply 444

Peterhouse Admissions

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Original post by Elliottmanwaring

Hoping to apply to for medicine.

GCSE:
4A* 6As 1B(Welsh First language) + Distinction in additional Maths

Alevels:
AAAA(Bio, Chem, Phys and Maths) with 7/9exams 90%+ UMS.

Predictions:
A*A*A*(Bio Chem & Maths)

BMAT:
Hopefully will get a strong BMAT! Will be revising like no other exam😂😂

I have loads of work experience and volunteering and what I have learned from my experience in care homes from the age of 14 and hospitals from 16 (now 17 turning 18) has been great! I have had a load of experience as a patient myself having ~100hrs of surgery at Great Ormand Street Hospital so I feel that will help me be empathetic towards my patients because I know what they're going through. I'm just worried that my GCSEs will hold me back? Would I be in good stead for an interview? I really love learning about medicine and I have loads of inspiration to do it I just don't wanna miss out on an interview just because of my GCSEs. Also, is it any harder to get an interview at a bigger college such as trinity for example?

Thank you very much for your time! Really appreciate this threat, soo helpful for us students that are stressing loads about getting a place to study medicine🤗

Your GCSE will not hold you back. If you do well at BMAT you would be very likely to be interviewed. Your chance of admission to the University does not depend on whihc College you apply to - if you are good enough then you will find a place through the Pool. Colleges would much rather take stronger applicants through the Pool than weaker candidates who applied to them.

Good luck! :smile:

Reply 445

Peterhouse Admissions

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Original post by metrize

Hi I have a question about taking maths a year early, I got an A* and will do further maths and physics in the second year. Would there be a 2 a level offer as I will have 3 a levels at the end and the work load in the second year is the same as a normal 3 a level student because there are double the amount of lessons for maths and counted as 2 options for my collwge

In such a case we would generally ask for A*A* in FM and Physics.

Reply 446

Peterhouse Admissions

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Original post by hey(:

Hello Peterhouse, I was wondering how an EVR (excused with valid reason) On the university transcript is considered? (missing the exam due to fever, etc)

It would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Reply 447

Peterhouse Admissions

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Original post by Fbiemad

@Peterhouse Admissions
For an Economics applicant with A* in Maths, A* in Further Maths, A in Physics, B in Economics (1 mark to A, retaking for A* since only 1 module was unusually low) and A* in Persian A-level who is reapplying this year while studying new subjects (AS Computing and AS Psychology and self studying AS Additional Further Maths) which one of the following options would be better for a 4th option?
AS (and maybe A2) Critical Thinking or AS Photography or AS Accounting.

or will taking them make the application worst off? does it make the combination worse?

Also, any views on the AS Computing and AS Psychology? Valued for Economics applicants?

Appreciate the help.

Are the A* in Maths, A* in Further Maths, A in Physics finished and certified A levels? If they are then you would primarily assessed on those, especially since maths, FM and Economics are the important subjects for Economics. Extra AS or A levels on top are unlikely to play much of a role, particularly as you won't have the results by the time you apply. Additional FM is a good idea to keep your maths skills fresh during a gap year but there's really no need and no advantage to doing lots of unrelated AS levels.

Reply 448

Peterhouse Admissions

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Original post by blue2337

Hello! Back again with another question post-predictions.

I was wondering how much decisions are swayed by predicted grades; I know that universities must be wary of schools that inflate candidates' grades but would a (predicted) 3 A* applicant with a decent interview and personal statement and a 1A* 2 A applicant with a PS and interview at the same level be differentiated by their predictions and academic history?

I'm sorry if this is really garbled, I'm just trying to gauge how important our predictions are! (I got 3 A*s and I'm very excited but I have no idea what it *means*)

I though we explained that there was no such thing as equal candidates. Predicted grades are considered as one piece in our assessment mosaic (too much?). A 3 A* prediction is very good (it couldn't be any better could it? :wink:

Reply 449

Doones

Original post by Peterhouse Admissions

one piece in our assessment mosaic (too much?).

Very poetic... :smile:

And I find mosaics can still look good with a couple of missing pieces, unlike a jigsaw puzzle. :wink:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 450

Peterhouse Admissions

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Thanks everybody! This has been our busiest thread yet! We're off to run our Open Day now and then we'll be knuckling down to the admissions round properly so I'm afraid this is the end of this thread. (mods can you please lock?)

If anyone does have any questions we will be lurking around TSR and can be summoned with the invocation @Peterhouse Admissions or you can PM us, post a visitor message or ask in the Peterhouse thread in the Colleges subforum. Alternatively email [email protected] or phone 012233382238.