Summer Pool Cambridge 2022

@Peterhouse Admissions

hello,
i just wanted to ask if there's a rough number of how many applicants apply to the august reconsideration pool? is there a sort of even number per subject, or is it random/ different each year?
thank you

I've just been placed in the Summer Pool for Law by Cambridge University and was wondering what my chances will be assuming I achieve my predicted grades of A*A*AA. Is it 25% as I've seen in other places? (the number of people entering via summer pool seems to fluctuate between 40-100). It has come up as unsuccessful on my UCAS so is it a lost cause?

yh I was also placed in the summer pool for law - but I think we will need 3/4 A* as we will be competing with offer holders who have just missed their offer

were you pooled?

the grades needed to apply for reconsideration is what scares me.
even if i get A*A*A (entry requirements for engineering) it's much more likely i will be offered a place (if there is one) if I get A*A*A* - which to me sounds absolutely crazy!!
but im not giving up just yet

the same for me lol , law is A*AA , but considering I was not pooled I reckon I will need 3 A*s ,!!!

have you found any actual stats on adjustment - I think I found last years but covid has obviously distorted everything

Hi there!

We've only been running this for three years, only one of which was pre-Covid. As such, the numbers of people applying for reconsideration in August has varied a lot between the years, so we can't give a reliable estimate, I'm afraid.

So would those in the August Reconsideration Pool be competing essentially with those allocated to the Summer Pool? (For vacant places). Who would receive preference or is it just a case of higher grades?

Yes, people coming via the August Reconsideration Pool (not made an offer in January but meeting widening participation criteria and having achieved at least the typical offer for their course) would be competing against those in the Summer Pool (made an offer in January but not achieving the offer set for them).

Who is more likey to be successful depends on several things. Firstly, the subject. In Maths, there will be very few people in the August Reconsideration Pool because of the STEP requirements. Many offer holders are admitted to Cambridge via the Summer Pool in Maths, as only around two thirds of Cambridge students actually meet the STEP requirements. However, Maths Directors of Studies can see STEP scripts so can select applicants who have done very well but narrowly missed out. Secondly, an applicant who has missed their college offer but still met the university typical offer (e.g. they were made an offer of A*A*A including an A* in Chemistry but they got A*A*A with A*s in Maths and Biology and an A in Chemistry) is more likely to get picked up than someone who got A*AA. Someone who exceeded the University typical offer (e.g. someone who got A*A*A* in relevant subjects) is probably more likely to get picked up. A lot also depends on the spaces available and whether colleges are committed to filling gaps or not. A college may ideally want 7 students in English, but if they don't find anyone they like, would rather stick with the 6 they already haver than taking someone they're unsure about. In Medicine, there is a University-wide quota, meaning that if lots of offer holders miss their offers, Directors of Studies will be much keener to take someone because they want to fill their quota of places.

Hope this helps!

Yes, people coming via the August Reconsideration Pool (not made an offer in January but meeting widening participation criteria and having achieved at least the typical offer for their course) would be competing against those in the Summer Pool (made an offer in January but not achieving the offer set for them).

Who is more likey to be successful depends on several things. Firstly, the subject. In Maths, there will be very few people in the August Reconsideration Pool because of the STEP requirements. Many offer holders are admitted to Cambridge via the Summer Pool in Maths, as only around two thirds of Cambridge students actually meet the STEP requirements. However, Maths Directors of Studies can see STEP scripts so can select applicants who have done very well but narrowly missed out. Secondly, an applicant who has missed their college offer but still met the university typical offer (e.g. they were made an offer of A*A*A including an A* in Chemistry but they got A*A*A with A*s in Maths and Biology and an A in Chemistry) is more likely to get picked up than someone who got A*AA. Someone who exceeded the University typical offer (e.g. someone who got A*A*A* in relevant subjects) is probably more likely to get picked up. A lot also depends on the spaces available and whether colleges are committed to filling gaps or not. A college may ideally want 7 students in English, but if they don't find anyone they like, would rather stick with the 6 they already haver than taking someone they're unsure about. In Medicine, there is a University-wide quota, meaning that if lots of offer holders miss their offers, Directors of Studies will be much keener to take someone because they want to fill their quota of places.

Hope this helps!

Sorry to hijack the thread, but can you be considered by other colleges in the august reconsideration pool or is it just the original college that rejected you. Also when in the pool for a subject like natsci/engineering would doing well in a step paper (1 or s) help or would it not be seen as relevant.

Thank you

You can be considered by any college that's looking in your subject, not just your original college. It might be useful, but it won't make up for not getting the typical offer in your A Levels (if you miss that, you're not eligible for Adjustment, no matter what else you've done), so focussing on your A levels is probably more worthwhile.

Ok thank you, i'm going to have to sit step for another university anyway so thats why i asked.

If you've got to sit it anyway, then doing well in it in addition to your A Levels is no bad thing! Which university requires STEP for something other than Maths, if you don't mind me asking?

Yes, people coming via the August Reconsideration Pool (not made an offer in January but meeting widening participation criteria and having achieved at least the typical offer for their course) would be competing against those in the Summer Pool (made an offer in January but not achieving the offer set for them).

Who is more likey to be successful depends on several things. Firstly, the subject. In Maths, there will be very few people in the August Reconsideration Pool because of the STEP requirements. Many offer holders are admitted to Cambridge via the Summer Pool in Maths, as only around two thirds of Cambridge students actually meet the STEP requirements. However, Maths Directors of Studies can see STEP scripts so can select applicants who have done very well but narrowly missed out. Secondly, an applicant who has missed their college offer but still met the university typical offer (e.g. they were made an offer of A*A*A including an A* in Chemistry but they got A*A*A with A*s in Maths and Biology and an A in Chemistry) is more likely to get picked up than someone who got A*AA. Someone who exceeded the University typical offer (e.g. someone who got A*A*A* in relevant subjects) is probably more likely to get picked up. A lot also depends on the spaces available and whether colleges are committed to filling gaps or not. A college may ideally want 7 students in English, but if they don't find anyone they like, would rather stick with the 6 they already haver than taking someone they're unsure about. In Medicine, there is a University-wide quota, meaning that if lots of offer holders miss their offers, Directors of Studies will be much keener to take someone because they want to fill their quota of places.

Hope this helps!

Its for Warwick maths