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Official CAMBRIDGE 2017 Postgraduate Applicants thread

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Original post by foxofox
Anyone know how to find out how many people are admitted for each course? Can't seem to find anything anywhere...


This may help:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/masters_applications_2
Studying in halls, University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
Cambridge


You are the BEST!

Except this document did not raise my confidence... about 60/250 applicants received offers last year for the course I'm applying to

On par with their acceptance rate. Just hoping my interview went well enough. Hoping for the best..:eek:
Reply 202
Original post by foxofox
Anyone know how to find out how many people are admitted for each course? Can't seem to find anything anywhere...

This might help: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/sites/www.2017.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/graduate_admissions_report_2015_16_0.pdf

Edit:
Sorry- I hadn't seen standards reply.The whatdotheyknow document offers a far more thorough breakdown.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by amy676
Just found out yesterday that I received an offer for the MPhil in multi-disciplinary gender studies, with my research dissertation being in the realm of gender medieval history!

Unbelievably excited!

I put my application in on the 4th of October.

Now just to wait and see about colleges! I applied to Corpus and Caius.


Posted from TSR Mobile


Can I just ask: how long did it take for you to go from Degree Committee to Board, and then from Board to offer? Also, are you under the History Faculty if you are focusing on medieval gender studies? Sorry to be nosey!
Reply 204
Original post by lp27
I asked:smile: It seems that might be the case, yes.

Edit:
I also found out that they have received very many great applications already this year, so that might also have something to do with it.

So offers have been made for them already? Now I feel hopeless :|

Anyways, good luck mate.
Reply 205
Original post by Rustic
So offers have been made for them already? Now I feel hopeless :|

Anyways, good luck mate.


Yes, offers and rejections have been made. We just have to wait, but I think the fact that a decision is pending means that there is still some hope:smile: Good luck to you, too.
Original post by lp27
Yes, offers and rejections have been made. We just have to wait, but I think the fact that a decision is pending means that there is still some hope:smile: Good luck to you, too.


When you say that offers and rejections have been made, do you mean across the MPhil spectrum or just in the subject that you applied for? :smile:
Reply 207
Original post by holly_1994
When you say that offers and rejections have been made, do you mean across the MPhil spectrum or just in the subject that you applied for? :smile:


just in the subject I applied for; however, offers across the MPhil and PhD spectrum do start trickling in around this time, especially since those who will be considered for the Gates (Round 1) need to be accepted by December in order to be eligible for the scholarship. The flood usually occurs between January and March.
(edited 7 years ago)
Anyone finished applying for the Mphil in Basic and Translational Neuroscience course? I was planning to apply mid-november but now that people are already being considered, I'm starting to feel nervous.

Also, any idea if an interview will be required?
Original post by aleyamarz
Anyone finished applying for the Mphil in Basic and Translational Neuroscience course? I was planning to apply mid-november but now that people are already being considered, I'm starting to feel nervous.

Also, any idea if an interview will be required?


Heyaa I applied to :smile: Have you submitted your application? I am unsure about the interview bit thou
Who of you is applying for a Gates scholarship?
I was going to do that - however, after scrolling through the current scholar and alumni's pages I feel rather disheartened. Obviously I knew before that Gates is .. let's say hard to get into, but if candidates like the ones shown on the website are typical Gates scholars, I don't think I can stand the slightest chance. They all seem so intimidating. :dong:
Is it even worth applying? I mean, writing a very strong personal statement for Gates is much work. But then again, I won't find out if they might see potential in my application unless I try... I'm just not sure if I'm good enough. What do you guys think?
Original post by maliese
Who of you is applying for a Gates scholarship?
I was going to do that - however, after scrolling through the current scholar and alumni's pages I feel rather disheartened. Obviously I knew before that Gates is .. let's say hard to get into, but if candidates like the ones shown on the website are typical Gates scholars, I don't think I can stand the slightest chance. They all seem so intimidating. :dong:
Is it even worth applying? I mean, writing a very strong personal statement for Gates is much work. But then again, I won't find out if they might see potential in my application unless I try... I'm just not sure if I'm good enough. What do you guys think?



Go for it. Remember for the Gates you need additional references, so these need to be great. If you have any kind of impressive connection who's willing to put some time in, now is the time to make use of it. Ask you parents if they know anyone etc. Be noisy about it. Aim high, don't be shy in your statement. Good luck!
Original post by DCRsilver
Go for it. Remember for the Gates you need additional references, so these need to be great. If you have any kind of impressive connection who's willing to put some time in, now is the time to make use of it. Ask you parents if they know anyone etc. Be noisy about it. Aim high, don't be shy in your statement. Good luck!


Thank you! This was much needed!
Just to be clear - with 'additional references' you are referring to the personal reference plus the two academic references I need to submit anyway, right?
One of my referees had already agreed to also write the personal reference for me before I started worrying about whether or not I should apply for Gates. I have been working as her student research assistant for almost a year now and feel like she knows me quite well by now, so I hope the reference turns out strong enough... I'm so nervous about applying, argh!
Hello Everyone! I am applying for PhD in History and was wondering if anyone here can give me some insight into a few of the colleges. The ones I am interested in knowing more about are Johns, Selwyn, Sidney Sussex, Emmanuel, St. Catharines, Pembroke, and Clare. I do not mind if the college is strong in my subject, what I care most about is the graduate environment, some sense of tradition (good formals, for instance), size (not too small, but still has an intimate/close atmosphere), good welfare provisions, and an active graduate community. I have looked at their websites but it would be nice to hear from people who have some sort of personal experience! Also, feel free to recommend any colleges that I have not included if you feel they fit my description :smile:
My MPhil Modern British History went into "Under Consideration by Degree Committee" this morning. No idea what that realistically means for a timeline before decision, if anything. Terrifying! And frankly not holding out hope (just being realistic). But can't wait to have a decision one way or another.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by YankToTheUK
My MPhil Modern British History went into "Under Consideration by Degree Committee" this morning. No idea what that realistically means for a timeline before decision, if anything. Terrifying! And frankly not holding out hope (just being realistic). But can't wait to have a decision one way or another.


HEY CONGRATS! I believe it means you have been accepted by the department!!! It is just for the Degree Committee to have a look at now. When did you apply? :smile:
Original post by gradstu
HEY CONGRATS! I believe it means you have been accepted by the department!!! It is just for the Degree Committee to have a look at now. When did you apply? :smile:


I believe my particular department functions differently for exactly that reason. The deadline for my document uploads was only on Friday. I uploaded my last documents last Monday. So almost no time has passed at all. :frown:
Reply 217
Original post by maliese
Thank you! This was much needed!
Just to be clear - with 'additional references' you are referring to the personal reference plus the two academic references I need to submit anyway, right?
One of my referees had already agreed to also write the personal reference for me before I started worrying about whether or not I should apply for Gates. I have been working as her student research assistant for almost a year now and feel like she knows me quite well by now, so I hope the reference turns out strong enough... I'm so nervous about applying, argh!


I have applied for the Gates as well, but I remember asking myself, "how can I even compete with someone who has authored three collections of poetry, and is the coeditor of the first anthology of LGBTQ literature in Ukrainian?!?" But what you will notice, especially after looking at the profiles of awardees from previous years, is that anyone has a shot at this thing, and not all the awardees have authored collections of poetry:smile: So, go for it!! I like to think that the Gates scholarship is like a Willy Wonka Golden ticket( kinda)––your chances are as good an anyone else's!!

About the personal reference, just make sure that your referee does discuss your personal qualities and illustrates why she/he believes you should be awarded the Gates.That's all that I believe is needed:smile:
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 218
Original post by YankToTheUK
My MPhil Modern British History went into "Under Consideration by Degree Committee" this morning. No idea what that realistically means for a timeline before decision, if anything. Terrifying! And frankly not holding out hope (just being realistic). But can't wait to have a decision one way or another.


It is a good sign:smile:

Typically, though this varies and sometimes camsis(self service account) does not update as quickly as it should, your application needs to be accepted by the department, degree committee, and the Board of Graduate Studies( BOGs), who actually make the official offer. For some programs, the department and degree committee are one and the same, so once the department or degree committee says," yes!" your application is sent off to BOGs for official approval. My proposed program, for example, only has a course team which reviews the applications and forwards recommendations to BOGs
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 219
Original post by Canihazitplz
Hi friends,

Wondering about my chances of getting into the MPhil in Health, Medicine, and Society (faculty of history). Applied to Oxford last year but no dice. Wasn't overly serious about it either nor would I have been able to finance it, so I'm reapplying this year with a focus on this degree at Cambridge.

Here are some stats:
- high 2.1 first degree from top 100 (3.55-3.6/4 GPA)
- undergrad degree was in an interdisciplinary field (think philosophy, literature, anthro, gerontology with specialization in biology)
- currently enrolled in an MSc in Global Health with a focus on globalization and development; on track to receive 4/4 GPA
- 1 of 2 selected out of pool of 70 students to go on an exchange to a nordic country with 5k funding from country in question; will be involved in rural health research north of arctic circle (how cool????!!!)
- currently shortlisted for a commonwealth-related scholarship; about 7k funding to conduct qualitative health research in south africa, and it is highly likely that I will get it
- reasonable graduate entrance award (5k)
- shortlisted for smaller health science scholarship (2k)
- undergraduate entrance award (3k)
- honourable mention for history essay in university-wide humanities essay prize competition (only formal history paper I've ever written)
- teaching assistant for courses in sustainability and global diseases
- extensive campus involvement on issues pertaining to sustainability and medicine (club founder and executive etc)
- 2 publications in graduate bioethics journal; 1 manuscript in progress for more legit journal on arts-based research in healthcare; 1 accepted in another interdisciplinary graduate journal
- presented undergraduate dissertation at major national conference on medicine (abstract published); 1 minor abstract at european studies conference
- editor at yet another graduate bioethics journal hosted by Ivy league institution
- extracurriculars include cultural folk dance, martial arts, tutoring
- employed for several years as research assistant on a few national studies, and also worked in quality assurance for healthcare logistics and distribution
- I'm also looking forward to developing my historiographic/other qualitative research skills this year through my MSc dissertation, but I'm still undecided on the topic.

My grades are my achilles' heel...and the fact that I don't have formal training in either history, sociology, philosophy, or anthropology but rather a smattering of everything. I'm the epitome of a jack of all trades. Anyway, I feel that I have a fairly good research proposal/personal statement from last year since I am still interested in conducting research in that field. I will tweak it slightly, and it has already been edited and "approved" by several professors (a few grads from Oxbridge). I was thinking of using two academic references with whom I've completed independent research/my dissertation and who've known me for >2 years. I don't think its worth applying to Gates-Cambridge given the scholar profiles posted on the website.

Do you guys think its worthwhile to apply?


You have nothing to lose( except 50 pounds), so just do it.

While certain programs do have higher GPA requirements, and I do not know whether your proposed program is one of them, the university-wide requirement is a 3.5 GPA, which you meet, so I do not think your undergrad grades are necessarily an Achilles' heel( and even if they were, the university does accept applicants with lower GPAs if the department really makes a case for them). Also, unless you are required to submit a CV/Resume, your extracurricular activities might not be as important as your references, statement, proposal and overall application.
(edited 7 years ago)

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