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Original post by black1blade
I just an interview invitation from Cambridge (not quite as impressive as getting one from Oxford as Cambridge interview more) and all I wrote about on my personal statement was physics I find interesting and I mentioned getting a merit in the a2 physics challenge and a gold in the lower sixth chemistry challenge, that's all.


well done, i'm sure your tutor or someone has said this already but what makes you stand out to other applicants?
Reply 41
If possible why don’t you visit both places
Original post by physicseastldn
I just have to focus on meeting my offer for Eton and Latymer right now.
I'm sorry for any distress my confidence may have caused to any individual as a result of reading this thread.
I don't know why I am like this. I am actually a very humble person when removed from academics.


Good luck. Just my opinion (and it might be biased since I don't attend one of those two) but those schools in themselves aren't really that great. All schools actually are like that. You need to put in work by yourself. There's lots of private schools who end up being good in name only.
Original post by bigwang
Troll thread... decent one too

"I go to sleep every night thinking where should I go" 4/10


That is true. I think about my future daily.
Original post by peeked
If possible why don’t you visit both places


I might attend a cambridge open day in year 12. Or visit one of my friends who actually goes to Corpus.
Original post by carpetguy
Good luck. Just my opinion (and it might be biased since I don't attend one of those two) but those schools in themselves aren't really that great. All schools actually are like that. You need to put in work by yourself. There's lots of private schools who end up being good in name only.


Latymer is a state grammar school in Edmonton.

Unless the OP means Latymer Upper?
Reply 46
Original post by physicseastldn
I might attend a cambridge open day in year 12. Or visit one of my friends who actually goes to Corpus.


Wait so what year are you in now?
Original post by Isinglass
Latymer is a state grammar school in Edmonton.

Unless the OP means Latymer Upper?


Both are quite possible but Latymer Upper it felt like to me. My opinion can be extended to all selective and self-proclaimed high achieving schools (or just high achieving - but same thing).
Original post by physicseastldn
I'd like to see you get your website officially supported by 4 other schools to your own and also present your idea to the majority of schools in your borough. My website is a super-curricular and my social media following has attracted the likes of DebateMate, Deborah Orr and Jeremy Corbyn himself.
I also have partnerships with Kingdom Ambassadors and I made their website.


Nobody is saying it's not an achievement. They're saying that it's irrelevant for Oxbridge admissions, which it is.
Reply 49
Original post by physicseastldn
I'd like to see you get your website officially supported by 4 other schools to your own and also present your idea to the majority of schools in your borough. My website is a super-curricular and my social media following has attracted the likes of DebateMate, Deborah Orr and Jeremy Corbyn himself.
I also have partnerships with Kingdom Ambassadors and I made their website.

That's great, and you should definitely mention it in your personal statement (since the other unis you apply to might like it), but @DrSebWilkes is right in saying that Oxbridge won't take any notice of it.

As to which one you should apply to, that's something you can really only know by visiting both, and in particular by trying to look round as many of the different colleges as you can. It might also be worth looking at things like student satisfaction rates for your course, and seeing what current students have to say about it.
Original post by physicseastldn
I might attend a cambridge open day in year 12. Or visit one of my friends who actually goes to Corpus.


i have lots of friends and associates who attend elite calibre universities. when i am taking a break from considering my future i sometimes like to visit them, to engage in strictly academic dialogue, perhaps pertaining to which school i should be allowing to teach me, or any other topic that i may deem appropriate at the time
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by physicseastldn
Yes I understand that, I just want to enhance my personal statement by talking about the multiples of work experiences I took relating to the course I have chosen at a young age. Instead of saying "from a young age I've been interested in X and read Y."

I want to say something along the lines of "I participated in the UKMT maths challenge... received a silver in year 8... junior maths..."

"in year 10.... I attended an engineering introduction course at ORA...."

"In year 11... I organized my own work experience... at city airport (have not done this yet under 16)"


I wouldn't mention things you did in year 8, especially if you only got a silver. I personally would only mention the maths challenge if you got through to an olympiad, or a team one. Many maths applicants will have gone to the senior maths olympiad/kangaroo and done well there, so no point mentioning a silver in the junior maths challenge.
work experience in year 10 is better, engineering involves maths and physics so it would be good to mention that. Make sure you clearly state either how you applied maths/physics knowledge to the work experience, or how it improved your maths/physics.
Same for the second one, as long as it explicitly either helps your maths or you use math; they will not care if you just watched the air traffic control/make coffee etc.
It is also important to have done reading around your topic. Whilst you may think that telling them about work experience is better, in reality you should mention at least 1/2 books to do with your subject, and talk about them. This will show them that you have interest and can talk about your topic, which is basically what they want to see. It will also give you something to talk about in your interview.
Original post by jamesj477
I wouldn't mention things you did in year 8, especially if you only got a silver. I personally would only mention the maths challenge if you got through to an olympiad, or a team one. Many maths applicants will have gone to the senior maths olympiad/kangaroo and done well there, so no point mentioning a silver in the junior maths challenge.
work experience in year 10 is better, engineering involves maths and physics so it would be good to mention that. Make sure you clearly state either how you applied maths/physics knowledge to the work experience, or how it improved your maths/physics.
Same for the second one, as long as it explicitly either helps your maths or you use math; they will not care if you just watched the air traffic control/make coffee etc.
It is also important to have done reading around your topic. Whilst you may think that telling them about work experience is better, in reality you should mention at least 1/2 books to do with your subject, and talk about them. This will show them that you have interest and can talk about your topic, which is basically what they want to see. It will also give you something to talk about in your interview.


I guess so. Is there a way i can list my achievements aside from my personal statement?
Original post by physicseastldn
I guess so. Is there a way i can list my achievements aside from my personal statement?


ye your reference. Give your tutor a list of some stuff they may wish to consider when writing it. Also SAQ for cambridge
Tbf 7/10 for the troll effort, not bad
Original post by Plagioclase
Nobody is saying it's not an achievement. They're saying that it's irrelevant for Oxbridge admissions, which it is.


It is an achievement and it is possibly super-curricular. How many candidates would have practical computer science related experiences? It also demonstrates my particular enthusiasm for being a leader (I am the owner of my own company and domain). It also shows I am passionate about innovation. I found a gap in the market and invested into developing a product accessible to all demographics.
Original post by jamesj477
ye your reference. Give your tutor a list of some stuff they may wish to consider when writing it. Also SAQ for cambridge


Thank you!! This would be excellent.
Original post by jamesj477
ye your reference. Give your tutor a list of some stuff they may wish to consider when writing it. Also SAQ for cambridge


I really hope I can get my head of year or headteacher to write about this for me.
This is something I genuinely did not know about!
Original post by Isinglass
Latymer is a state grammar school in Edmonton.

Unless the OP means Latymer Upper?


I have received an offer for Latymer Upper in Hammersmith (Ravenscourt). It only allows for a 95% bursary however Eton has offered me a 100% bursary on condition I pursue computer science A-level.
Original post by carpetguy
Both are quite possible but Latymer Upper it felt like to me. My opinion can be extended to all selective and self-proclaimed high achieving schools (or just high achieving - but same thing).


I have applied to quite a lot.
I was so disheartened as a candidate when I was rejected pre-interview for Westminster School.

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