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[Official] Cambridge Law Applicants 2020

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Original post by ohdearstudying
Thank you for posting on the thread!

Which books did you mention on your personal statement may I ask? :smile:


The secret barrister- 'stories of the law and how its broken' ,'In your defence' Sarah Langford and 'east west street' phillipe sands
Original post by ohdearstudying
College Applied to: Downing College
Why Cambridge law at Downing college: If I am perfectly honest it was the first college I visited and also I came back to it at the end of the day, no other one came up and I just got an incredibly good feeling from it. I was speaking to an undergraduate about legal issues we both found fascinating and it really made me consider that this is somewhere I can be. Aside from the obvious infatuation with the supervision system it's the idea my 'silly' questions that I stay up pondering could be answered by leading academics.
Subjects you are studying/predicted grades: Politics (A*), History (A) and English Literature (A)
GCSE grades: 87AABB554C (misses two years of school, self taught 4 GCSEs and did all courses in one yearn (except English Lang and Maths: ECF submitted)
Other universities you are applying to: Durham, Exeter, Leeds and Nottingham
How are you preparing: I am rereading the books I mentioned and also reading some others, I am just staying up to date and preparing for (hopefully!) taking the CLT

To be honest I think this is why I want to study law too...in medicine (ah something I haven't disclosed - I'm midway my medicine degree overseas but am applying for law back in the UK cos I don't see a future in med) it's technically impossible to think. Most of the time it's cramming, cramming and cramming...I see law as so much different since one simply can't cram anything (that's why there are statute books haha). With Cambridge's supervision system, I want my opinions to be heard and reflected for once - probs I'm sick of nobody taking my comments seriously.
Original post by kartiksawhney
Have you heard anything back from SOAS yet? You're the only other person I've found that applied there for Law

Nah, haven't heard back from that yet - it's been over 8 weeks already...Sigh
Original post by nhya1998
Nah, haven't heard back from that yet - it's been over 8 weeks already...Sigh


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Original post by nhya1998
To be honest I think this is why I want to study law too...in medicine (ah something I haven't disclosed - I'm midway my medicine degree overseas but am applying for law back in the UK cos I don't see a future in med) it's technically impossible to think. Most of the time it's cramming, cramming and cramming...I see law as so much different since one simply can't cram anything (that's why there are statute books haha). With Cambridge's supervision system, I want my opinions to be heard and reflected for once - probs I'm sick of nobody taking my comments seriously.

I feel exactly the same way. I find it exciting how you can really think and that they give you the space and encouragement to develop your own opinions at Cambridge. Good luck with your applications!
Original post by kartiksawhney
Why Cambridge law at Trinity college
I’m Indian and I know so many amazing Indians went there (our first ever PM since independence). So it’s pretty personal for me.
Subjects you are studying/predicted grades:
History (A*) Economics (A*) Government and Politics (A) and I already have an A in Business Studies.
GCSE grades:
Pretty ****ty but my school has put in a Extenuating Circumstances Form.
Other universities you are applying to:
Kings, LSE, Queen Mary ( offered A,A) and SOAS
How are you preparing:
Done my LNAT, my school is doing interview prep for all the Oxbridge applicants. I’m just writing random essays from the sample papers and getting them marked. Also re-reading books from my ps and reading some other books that interest me for this extra bits to talk about.


Original post by haya2020
College Applied to: Gonville and Caius
Why Cambridge law at _______ college: Caius felt right.
Subjects you are studying: Maths HL, Chem HL, Econ HL, Bio HL, Literature SL, and Spanish Ab SL
Predicted grades: 6 Maths, 6 Chem, 7 Econ, 7 Bio, 6 Lit, 7 Spanish -- 39/42
Other universities you are applying to: Durham, LSE, UCL, King's
How are you preparing: Not preparing yet... my school doesn't offer any help so I plan on asking Cambridge Law and LSE Law graduates (friends of my father). If anyone has any tips on how to prepare, please let me know.

That's a really smart idea about asking students, it's the only way really!

Original post by shanelizard
Downing is beautiful and apparently the accommodation is amazing (double beds wow what a luxury!):h:

Downing is stunning, I am very happy I applied but it's so competitive for law :frown:
Original post by shanelizard
Hehe thank you! 1984 is such a great read

I'm reading 1984, well I already have, for my English Lit coursework :smile:
Original post by shanelizard
I feel exactly the same way. I find it exciting how you can really think and that they give you the space and encouragement to develop your own opinions at Cambridge. Good luck with your applications!


Original post by nhya1998
To be honest I think this is why I want to study law too...in medicine (ah something I haven't disclosed - I'm midway my medicine degree overseas but am applying for law back in the UK cos I don't see a future in med) it's technically impossible to think. Most of the time it's cramming, cramming and cramming...I see law as so much different since one simply can't cram anything (that's why there are statute books haha). With Cambridge's supervision system, I want my opinions to be heard and reflected for once - probs I'm sick of nobody taking my comments seriously.

I just can't really put into words 'Why Cambridge' and it's one of those things that if you think about too much it becomes rehearsed and contrived. It is best to genuinely speak from the heart as cliche as it sounds. Really stressful time at the moment I won't lie!
Original post by ohdearstudying
Hello all! :smile:

I am conscious that there is not yet a designated thread for the University of Cambridge law applicants for the 2019-2020 cycle, I feel it is a great way for us to become acquainted and make the process not feel as daunting. :biggrin:

If you want to introduce yourselves please do so by posting (as much of the following as you are comfortable with)

College Applied to:
Why Cambridge law at _______ college:
Subjects you are studying/predicted grades:
GCSE grades:
Other universities you are applying to:
How are you preparing:

Feel free to discuss and if you have any questions please post them, we're here to look after and support each other!

Spoiler




Does Cambridge University even understand Law ?
Original post by ohdearstudying
I just can't really put into words 'Why Cambridge' and it's one of those things that if you think about too much it becomes rehearsed and contrived. It is best to genuinely speak from the heart as cliche as it sounds. Really stressful time at the moment I won't lie!

Yeah I totally agree. I think for the big ‘why law’ question, I’m just going to think about it in my head a lot and maybe write a little flow chart to help me (in preparation). I’ve read a lot that tutors can recognise a rehearsed answer and don’t really like that, so I’m going to avoid doing this but just think about the key reasons why. I find it to be quite a difficult question haha.
Original post by ScienceGodatya
Does Cambridge University even understand Law ?

I'm confused what you are asking
Original post by shanelizard
Yeah I totally agree. I think for the big ‘why law’ question, I’m just going to think about it in my head a lot and maybe write a little flow chart to help me (in preparation). I’ve read a lot that tutors can recognise a rehearsed answer and don’t really like that, so I’m going to avoid doing this but just think about the key reasons why. I find it to be quite a difficult question haha.

Exactly! The more and more I think about it the more and more concerned I think my responses are becoming rehearsed. But I think a good chain of thought is a good way to go, I am just so nervous though! I really wonder how fierce the competition is this year (of course it's immense every year!).
Original post by ohdearstudying
I'm confused what you are asking

I thought Cambridge had left law out of it's curriculum , sorry I must be mistaken . Is there any subjects Cambridge doesn't cover for exams ?
Original post by ScienceGodatya
I thought Cambridge had left law out of it's curriculum , sorry I must be mistaken . Is there any subjects Cambridge doesn't cover for exams ?

Oh no it definitely offers law :smile:

The only subject I can think of are the more traditionally 'less academic' subjects such as media and they also don't explicitly offer PPE, but instead HSPS.
Original post by ohdearstudying
Exactly! The more and more I think about it the more and more concerned I think my responses are becoming rehearsed. But I think a good chain of thought is a good way to go, I am just so nervous though! I really wonder how fierce the competition is this year (of course it's immense every year!).


I think it's important that the answer comes from the heart...after all, they are desperate to see what you are like by offering you an interview. There's not much point actually repeating cliché stuff. I guess the thing about Cambridge is, they already know they're gonna get the best people in the world but they want more than machines who don't know how to think flexibly. Like my current uni (I'm forced to study in east Asia so I guess the culture there is like that) they take in so many top-achievers but there isn't much thinking going around. What I say doesn't matter a bit. I just hope Cambridge can help me achieve what I truly want.

Haha that's because you applied to Downing! I steered away from the very popular ones like King's and Trinity - it's kind of exotic and peaceful to study at a lesser-known college anyway. Originally I was planning to apply to Wolfson but it's just too simple and modern - I was like, if I were given the chance to study at Cambridge, I would want a replica of what I saw in Harry Potter and so I chose Magdalene.
Has anyone received invitations to interview yet? I actually emailed the college and they just copied and pasted vague stuff that I read over 50 times on the web...Getting more and more nervous by the day.
Original post by nhya1998
Has anyone received invitations to interview yet? I actually emailed the college and they just copied and pasted vague stuff that I read over 50 times on the web...Getting more and more nervous by the day.


No one will have had them now I imagine, expect it around mid November. If it’s the 25th and you haven’t heard anything then I’d be worried. Don’t stress now!! Make sure to send off your written work and confidentiality forms and all that curfuffle
Original post by shanelizard
Yeah I totally agree. I think for the big ‘why law’ question, I’m just going to think about it in my head a lot and maybe write a little flow chart to help me (in preparation). I’ve read a lot that tutors can recognise a rehearsed answer and don’t really like that, so I’m going to avoid doing this but just think about the key reasons why. I find it to be quite a difficult question haha.

I love flow charts! I mean if I don't organise the different things in my head I'm just gonna look super-confused during the interview (if I am actually invited)
Original post by kartiksawhney
No one will have had them now I imagine, expect it around mid November. If it’s the 25th and you haven’t heard anything then I’d be worried. Don’t stress now!! Make sure to send off your written work and confidentiality forms and all that curfuffle

Haha I guess you're right. Probs I'll just freak out if I still don't receive a decision next week. Call me crazy but I submitted the application in early Sept and dealt with everything (UMS marks achieved, confidentiality form...) in early October. I guess I should just have a cup of tea and chill...
Original post by nhya1998
Haha I guess you're right. Probs I'll just freak out if I still don't receive a decision next week. Call me crazy but I submitted the application in early Sept and dealt with everything (UMS marks achieved, confidentiality form...) in early October. I guess I should just have a cup of tea and chill...


That’s not crazy at all, seems more sane to me than what I’ve done. Don’t depend on getting on next week. I’d say the week after would be your best bet. Where else have you applied? And any offers?
My GCSE grades are-998, 4A*, 1A
I've done A levels (taking a gap year) and got 3A* and A* in EPQ
Applied to Clares college- so pretty!
Other unis- Leeds, UCL, Kings, B'ham
Prep- books, newsletters, cases etc :smile:

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