Is Corpus Christi, Cambridge particularly competitive for Maths?

I'm happy to be pooled if it comes down to it but I don't want to accidentally apply to a super competitive one and get auto-rejected.

You should bear in mind attitudes to gap years for Maths. Corpus is listed as 'Discourage unless you have something relevant planned' to do during it. For more detailed information you should check out the guide to applying by the maths department (linked there).

Oh no, I saw that document and I must have misread it. Do you have any idea as to what would be considered "relevant"? I'm doing an extra A-Level in Physics hopefully. If they don't consider what I'm doing relevant, would they pool me to a college that is neutral on the issue.

Tbh I would email them directly and ask. To add, it was 'worthwhile/relevant'. What is considered worthwhile will be at the discretion of the college but really, you probably want a bit more of a plan than just doing physics A-Level, particularly as you already have the required qualifications with M+FM. When you email you should explain what it is you're planning to be doing on your gap year, and maybe why you chose to do one. An A-Level plus STEP prep isn't that much of your time.

If you're pooled they don't just give you to a different college, it's more like your file is collected together with all the others pooled, and all colleges can take a look. Anyone interested in you can then choose to take you. They will only pool you after they have interviewed you.

I'll link the application status in a mo, but no, it's not as competitive as many colleges, although the pool means that either way, the right candidates should be accepted!

In terms of gap year, Corpus has been really helpful with info about how grades etc are going to be treated this year, so since you'd be taking the autumn exams, I think a gap year would be fine - we've been told that we'll be accepted if we get the grades in the Autumn, but that we'd have to defer. So I'd expect that gap years would be more accepted in the next year because of that.

Ah thank you so much. I've been on that page many times and must have skipped past that bit. I'll see what they say, and if in doubt my second-choice is Sidney Sussex, which I'm really starting to like to the point where I'm seeing them as roughly equal. Thank you again so much

If you have any questions about corpus, let me know. I'm only an offer holder, but if it's something I don't know then I can ask someone I know who is already at Corpus

Hello! I'm wondering whether Corpus has large support on economics. Do colleges tend to have three fellows for each subject? I want to go to a college that has a large economics program, but I'm afraid it would be too competitive (like King's).

Just to note it's also interesting to look at the more detailed version of that chart. e.g. It's clear the number of direct applicants to Corpus (and indeed most colleges) varies a lot from year to year. And therefore using historical stats to second guess future admissions decisions isn't really a great idea

Of course it changes, but I definitely always like to know whether I'm looking at a 3000 strong group of applicants or a 30 strong group... It just kinda gives you an idea of how many people will be there etc. But you're right - it would be a terrible idea to try to calculate your chance of getting in!

As long as the website is up to date, there are 2 Economics fellows, 1 for History and Economics, and 2 Social Anthropologists, so I'd say that it does look fairly supportive! Not all colleges have the same numbers of fellows, in total or for each subject, but this isn't an issue as students can either go to other colleges of certain supervisions, or else a fellow might be borrowed from another college (for example, I study German but there's no specific German fellow at Corpus). I believe that postgrads also give supos sometimes, and lectures aren't college-based.

In general, though, I think you should go for the college that you like the most. I love corpus because it's both beautiful and friendly, but the pooling system means that you're no more or less likely to get into Cambridge by applying to a certain college.

Thank you so much for clarifying! I’ve always wondered about the economics fellows and Cambridge’s unique collegiate system. Corpus does seem lovely, and I like the close-knit community it has!