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Peterhouse Essay Competition 2020

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I hope the results are still coming today :smile:
Original post by oskarengineers
I hope the results are still coming today :smile:

They've already been sent - please check your junk/spam box!
Original post by Peterhouse Admissions
They've already been sent - please check your junk/spam box!

Haha my mistake, thank you!
Original post by ahmedh7989
Do you know exactly how many people were commended/won for each competition?

We do, but that's not information we tend to release. The numbers in each category vary from year to year for lots of reasons - more or fewer entrants, a different number of questions or academics setting/marking them, to name a few - so we don't want to set expectations that there will be x number of winners and y number of commended applicants in future. Added to that, while we appreciate that some people will want to know because they did well, we don't want to add to the disappointment of those who didn't win or receive commendations.
@Peterhouse Admissions Are Year 12 resit students eligible for these essay competitions?
Original post by rosepolaroid
@Peterhouse Admissions Are Year 12 resit students eligible for these essay competitions?

Yes!
It's a bit sad that the English prize had no commendations :frown:
Did anyone win or get commended?
Original post by Selfcare
It's a bit sad that the English prize had no commendations :frown:

I didn't enter the English prize but I do agree as significantly less people would have been recognised for their work (easily half the amount), and commendations would require just an email of recognition.
Original post by rosepolaroid
I didn't enter the English prize but I do agree as significantly less people would have been recognised for their work (easily half the amount), and commendations would require just an email of recognition.


Original post by Selfcare
It's a bit sad that the English prize had no commendations :frown:


Why aren’t their commendations/ winners/ anything for the English prize? Seems a bit weird on the Colleges behalf lol
Original post by sm0009
Why aren’t their commendations/ winners/ anything for the English prize? Seems a bit weird on the Colleges behalf lol

@Peterhouse Admissions I think they meant that there were no commendations - not winners - for the English prize but still disappointing for those who entered I suppose assuming this was not made transparent from the beginning.
Original post by rosepolaroid
@Peterhouse Admissions I think they meant that there were no commendations - not winners - for the English prize but still disappointing for those who entered I suppose assuming this was not made transparent from the beginning.

That is indeed the case - there were winners! However, there is no mention of commendations in relation to the prizes anywhere that I can find (although please correct me if there is!)

It doesn't mean that fewer people did well, necessarily, just that of those that the academics selected, there weren't a group that they could distinguish as being worthy of a prize and a group that were 'only' (I use inverted commas because to be commended is still an achievement) commended. To select that group is more work for the academics, than just the Admissions Office sending a different email to some students.
Original post by Peterhouse Admissions
That is indeed the case - there were winners! However, there is no mention of commendations in relation to the prizes anywhere that I can find (although please correct me if there is!)

It doesn't mean that fewer people did well, necessarily, just that of those that the academics selected, there weren't a group that they could distinguish as being worthy of a prize and a group that were 'only' (I use inverted commas because to be commended is still an achievement) commended. To select that group is more work for the academics, than just the Admissions Office sending a different email to some students.

Hi, on the website it states that last year they "commended a further 15 students", and given that it has been said that the other 2 prizes have also commended essays this year, I don't think it's entirely unreasonable to have expected the same of the English prize? I do appreciate all you've said though.
Original post by Peterhouse Admissions
That is indeed the case - there were winners! However, there is no mention of commendations in relation to the prizes anywhere that I can find (although please correct me if there is!)

It doesn't mean that fewer people did well, necessarily, just that of those that the academics selected, there weren't a group that they could distinguish as being worthy of a prize and a group that were 'only' (I use inverted commas because to be commended is still an achievement) commended. To select that group is more work for the academics, than just the Admissions Office sending a different email to some students.

Just to clarify, I meant it would only require an email as opposed to eating up into the funding or any opportunities that are exclusive to the winners, such as invitations to visit Peterhouse as per last year. My comment was not to undermine the work for the academics, but I will remain firm in my point as the other two groups of academics took the time to select students to commend. Additionally, I entered science - and didn't win - and my email said something along the lines of the idea that there were high volumes of really strong responses and that it was difficult to narrow down, and I'd imagine therefore the English email says something similar, so if there is the facility to award and recognise further students and there were many, or even just a few, unawarded impressive essays, I really don't see why not, and I would imagine there is some form of ranking system, and students that were just on the border of being selected so I would think a commended group would come quite naturally. While I understand that it'd be pointless to e.g. give everyone a prize of participation and I don't know the set up of the competition in any other years, I don't think the amount of recognition given should be so unequal between subjects and this could potentially put off people from entering English in the future if it seems more unattainable. Just wanted to elaborate on my point. It is still great to have this opportunity altogether, however, so that is greatly appreciated, and I'm sure you're always open and receptive to such feedback. :smile:
Original post by rosepolaroid
Just to clarify, I meant it would only require an email as opposed to eating up into the funding or any opportunities that are exclusive to the winners, such as invitations to visit Peterhouse as per last year. My comment was not to undermine the work for the academics, but I will remain firm in my point as the other two groups of academics took the time to select students to commend. Additionally, I entered science - and didn't win - and my email said something along the lines of the idea that there were high volumes of really strong responses and that it was difficult to narrow down, and I'd imagine therefore the English email says something similar, so if there is the facility to award and recognise further students and there were many, or even just a few, unawarded impressive essays, I really don't see why not, and I would imagine there is some form of ranking system, and students that were just on the border of being selected so I would think a commended group would come quite naturally. While I understand that it'd be pointless to e.g. give everyone a prize of participation and I don't know the set up of the competition in any other years, I don't think the amount of recognition given should be so unequal between subjects and this could potentially put off people from entering English in the future if it seems more unattainable. Just wanted to elaborate on my point. It is still great to have this opportunity altogether, however, so that is greatly appreciated, and I'm sure you're always open and receptive to such feedback. :smile:

@Peterhouse Admissions
Reply 75
@Peterhouse Admissions If an essay wasn't approved by a teacher should I still get an email? I recieved an email saying I didn't win but I don't think my teacher got a chance to submit it before the deadline so is it just automatic to entrants that don't get approved by a teacher?thanks.
Original post by day_p
@Peterhouse Admissions If an essay wasn't approved by a teacher should I still get an email? I recieved an email saying I didn't win but I don't think my teacher got a chance to submit it before the deadline so is it just automatic to entrants that don't get approved by a teacher?thanks.

If you got an email, it's more than likely that your teacher was able to approve your essay. If you can message us with your name and the competition you entered, we will look into it tomorrow.
Original post by rosepolaroid
Just to clarify, I meant it would only require an email as opposed to eating up into the funding or any opportunities that are exclusive to the winners, such as invitations to visit Peterhouse as per last year. My comment was not to undermine the work for the academics, but I will remain firm in my point as the other two groups of academics took the time to select students to commend. Additionally, I entered science - and didn't win - and my email said something along the lines of the idea that there were high volumes of really strong responses and that it was difficult to narrow down, and I'd imagine therefore the English email says something similar, so if there is the facility to award and recognise further students and there were many, or even just a few, unawarded impressive essays, I really don't see why not, and I would imagine there is some form of ranking system, and students that were just on the border of being selected so I would think a commended group would come quite naturally. While I understand that it'd be pointless to e.g. give everyone a prize of participation and I don't know the set up of the competition in any other years, I don't think the amount of recognition given should be so unequal between subjects and this could potentially put off people from entering English in the future if it seems more unattainable. Just wanted to elaborate on my point. It is still great to have this opportunity altogether, however, so that is greatly appreciated, and I'm sure you're always open and receptive to such feedback. :smile:

I agree completely. It has been a very disappointing experience in which, what with the lack of communication regarding the release of results and the lack of transparency as to what awards/commendations were on offer for each of the three subjects, I have lost my faith in the college really caring about potential applicants and have decided therefore to apply to Oxford instead!
@Peterhouse Admissions
Original post by Sophiabop
I agree completely. It has been a very disappointing experience in which, what with the lack of communication regarding the release of results and the lack of transparency as to what awards/commendations were on offer for each of the three subjects, I have lost my faith in the college really caring about potential applicants and have decided therefore to apply to Oxford instead!
@Peterhouse Admissions


This is very elitist
OOF Trinity History hasn't been announced yet and they said by the end of July! :frown:

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