The Official Cambridge Offer Holders Thread 2017 Entry

Some of the 2016 admissions assessment papers are now available (mostly Arts subjects) from the respective course pages on http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses, the other ones to follow shortly I assume.

I can't find the law test paper, am i looking in the wrong place or is it just not up yet?

Just found the NSAA paper... I think I've just been sick mentally.

Just out of curiosity, did anyone find any like blogs or anything written by previous applicants that were useful when applying?? Or in terms of the confidence wobble that many of us are having/have had recently? I'm asking because I didn't really find anything and I think I might have found something like that really useful, especially if it was written whilst you were in the middle of it all? I know about Lucy Parson's site and her book (highly recommend if you haven't read it) but I'm debating setting up my own blog covering everything from applications to getting through exam season etc and wondered if anyone had seen anything like that and thought it might help future applicants. I'd value some comments on this from you guys, who are like the only people I know in this situation.


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Definitely a good idea! There's an instagrammer called thatoxfordgirl who does a blog about applying to Oxford, although it's a bit happy-go-lucky tbh and is more concerned about applicants than offer holders (like most things I've come across actually!)

I might do one too actually, info for my subject is a bit sparse 😅

I wasn't even thinking that subject specific tbh, but I thought especially for those students like myself who are from a school where it's either one a year or less, so you're very much on your own applying in terms of people understanding what you're going through emotionally, it would be nice to let others know that they aren't alone. I was debating doing a beauty blog as well so I might just make it a bit of a mixture (like people such as Tanya Burr do with makeup and baking etc) and do things like beauty on a budget and how to do a full face of makeup on a budget and with pretty cheap makeup, as well as the more Oxbridge focussed stuff.


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Definitely a good idea! There's an instagrammer called thatoxfordgirl who does a blog about applying to Oxford, although it's a bit happy-go-lucky tbh and is more concerned about applicants than offer holders (like most things I've come across actually!)

I might do one too actually, info for my subject is a bit sparse 😅

if i make my offer would be happy to offer my side of things too on the course, as it is also very sparse

Does anyone know if a course is in Extra, does that mean it's likely to be in clearing also?

Currently deciding whether to take a risk on my insurance (as in less room for error) or go for the uni with a lower offer (the course in extra). Alternatively, if i missed my insurance, if there is another course that is similar with lower entry requirements, would they let you onto that providing you meet it or would you need to ask to do that come results day/in advance?


@Doonesbury Think you may be able to help me most

Thanks, and sorry for the rushed and panicking message!

Ah that sounds great! It'll be a nice break from studying too I bet 😊

The Law Test is a bit different to the new Admissions Assessments instigated for other courses. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't share the 2016 paper.

It'll be a nice break

That's my other thought..and maybe when we are all at Cambridge next year we will all have to do guest posts on each other's blogs for another perspective. Sorry if you've said this already in here (I have a brain like a sieve at the moment) but what course and college were you??


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What's a break? Don't think I've heard of those in Cambridge...

Ah no problem! Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Japanese) at Selwyn.

What about those lectures you skipped 😉

Ahh very interesting, was just wondering if you were either a future fellow NatSci or Queens' student who I would be bumping into next year.


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Haha, I haven't done science since GCSE 😂 Queens' looks like a great college though! So many old buildings 😄

I wasn't even thinking that subject specific tbh, but I thought especially for those students like myself who are from a school where it's either one a year or less, so you're very much on your own applying in terms of people understanding what you're going through emotionally, it would be nice to let others know that they aren't alone. I was debating doing a beauty blog as well so I might just make it a bit of a mixture (like people such as Tanya Burr do with makeup and baking etc) and do things like beauty on a budget and how to do a full face of makeup on a budget and with pretty cheap makeup, as well as the more Oxbridge focussed stuff.


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Does anyone know if a course is in Extra, does that mean it's likely to be in clearing also?

Currently deciding whether to take a risk on my insurance (as in less room for error) or go for the uni with a lower offer (the course in extra). Alternatively, if i missed my insurance, if there is another course that is similar with lower entry requirements, would they let you onto that providing you meet it or would you need to ask to do that come results day/in advance?


@Doonesbury Think you may be able to help me most

Thanks, and sorry for the rushed and panicking message!

Not Doonesbury but will try to help

Answer is maybe yes maybe not. A lot of universities that participate in Extra also participate in Clearing. However certain universities that have some courses available through Extra (i.e. UCL last I checked...) often doesn't participate in clearing. If I remember correctly, Edinburgh and Durham had less than ten courses each (one of them only had one course in clearing... forgot which one) in 2014 or 2015 so I guess it depends on which year and the applicant pool as a whole.

You would have to call the insurance university and ask about the second question I suspect (if they'll let you in despite missing your grades by a bit)

I hope this helps and good luck

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Haha, I haven't done science since GCSE 😂 Queens' looks like a great college though! So many old buildings 😄