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The Official Cambridge Applicants' 2011 Entry Thread MKII (Please read FAQs)

GRADES WILL NOT GET YOU INTO CAMBRIDGE, though they may help a little. If people are willing to be so easily lulled into a sense of their own absolute worth, they're likely to not see the wider picture. I think everyone who has an offer is exceptionally pleased but also questioning whether they're the best mathematicians, best lawyers, best philosophers and so on in the world. I've also noted that those who are a little humbled about the whole thing are those who got in. From Doughnuts!! giving up entirely and just wanting to not be pooled, to me being utterly convinced that I'd messed the whole thing up and it was going to be a short, sharp shock.

I've written enough of an essay, but I just think that people need to learn to get on with their lives. After all, my friend travelled across all of Europe (and I mean, ALL of Europe!) and this experience really gave him something different to speak about at interview! Essentially, they want bright people with a lot of character. :smile:

I wanted to rep you (positively!) but couldn't today, so I'm replying instead. I agree. Going by my grades and UMS I would never have been accepted. They seemed not really interested in that and more interested in me - how I study, how I think - it was lateral thinking and, I assume, critical analysis that was tested at my interviews - I know I came out very bemused.

I am still going through phases of thinking 'they want me?!' and I don't think that will change soon. They really did do what they said all along - look at everything and take a fully rounded, 3D image of you as a student. If they hadn't, I would never have been offered a place.

Reply 7981

accidisse

Original post by kirky743

Theres a pembroke thread? Ooooh im going to go find it....

Edit: I cant find it :frown:

It's in the main colleges section...

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=312561

Reply 7982

QuantumOverlord

16

Because I havent heard by email or post, Is it probably a rejection by now?

Reply 7983

kirky743

Original post by accidisse

It's in the main colleges section...

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=312561

I thought you meant a Pembroke offer holders one or something. That one looks incredibly dead.

Reply 7984

Lyam

14

Original post by accidisse

I wanted to rep you (positively!) but couldn't today, so I'm replying instead. I agree. Going by my grades and UMS I would never have been accepted. They seemed not really interested in that and more interested in me - how I study, how I think - it was lateral thinking and, I assume, critical analysis that was tested at my interviews - I know I came out very bemused.

I am still going through phases of thinking 'they want me?!' and I don't think that will change soon. They really did do what they said all along - look at everything and take a fully rounded, 3D image of you as a student. If they hadn't, I would never have been offered a place.

That's completely the case with me as well. If they'd judged me purely on grades, I've no doubt there were stronger applicants. The interviews were thoroughly enjoyable and they seemed interested in what I'd been doing beyond my A level syllabus as well as inside it. The whole thing (bar the test, another thing I messed up) was thoroughly enjoyable and I'd gladly do it again (though I think I'll just stick with my offer!)

Reply 7985

ukdragon37

14

Original post by RK92

is there really that much variation across the uni? :s-smilie:

do you know what jesus is like for organising physical natsci supervisions, by any chance? youve got me worried now lol :tongue:

thinking about it, the dos who interviewed me seemed like a bit of a nob, so it wouldnt surprise me if hes rubbish at organising supervisions etc..

Don't know anything about Jesus physnatsci, sorry :s-smilie:

A lot of DoSes are about the same and you may or may not like your DoS' way of doing things. However there are a few outliers who often invoke exclamations of "My DoS is amazing!" or "My DoS is rubbish!" from some students. It's rather difficult to tell that beforehand so it's just the luck of the draw. On the variation of the quality of supervisions, you might get a terrible supervisor for one topic but a brilliant one in a different topic, so they average out. Regardless, a good student will always shine through no matter what happens but since a lot of subjects in Cambridge are competitively marked (i.e. only a maximum proportion of candidates can get a certain grade or above - in first year only a maximum of a quarter of natsci and compsci candidates combined can get a First for example) you want every advantage you can get and having a few bad supervisors does bring out the frustration in some people.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 7986

LukethePianoMan

11

Original post by darkestskies

Wow, this is a late reply, but whatever. :tongue:

I quite agree! Not to mention all the dystopian future stuff. :biggrin:

And I don't think I could possibly have just one favourite track, I have many! (Though Bliss is particularly special. :redface:

)

Have you heard from Cambridge, yet? I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!!

Ye, I like Bliss too, Knights of Cydonia is probably my favourite though
No I still haven't heard from Cambridge! I'm tempted to call in now!

Reply 7987

accidisse

Original post by kirky743

I thought you meant a Pembroke offer holders one or something. That one looks incredibly dead.

It would be nice to have somewhere to see how many of us there are on here. :/ I don't think I've seen anyone else say they've been offered a place for History there...

Original post by Lyam

That's completely the case with me as well. If they'd judged me purely on grades, I've no doubt there were stronger applicants. The interviews were thoroughly enjoyable and they seemed interested in what I'd been doing beyond my A level syllabus as well as inside it. The whole thing (bar the test, another thing I messed up) was thoroughly enjoyable and I'd gladly do it again (though I think I'll just stick with my offer!)

I honestly thought I'd bored the first interviewer - apart from a comment on the way I write - but the second was really enjoyable (in hindsight even more so!). I know there were stronger in terms of grades. They must have really seen something in us both that made them say yes. :smile:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 7988

BMTronMania

Original post by LukethePianoMan

Ye, I like Bliss too, Knights of Cydonia is probably my favourite though
No I still haven't heard from Cambridge! I'm tempted to call in now!

Yo, are you going to call?

I think I will call in half an hour after I finish eating.

Reply 7989

QuantumOverlord

16

is there anyone left (like me) That still hasnt heard!

I want to be rejected (or get an offer) NOW!

Reply 7990

kieuk

Original post by Siomedig

Conditional A*AA for Linguistics at King's. Get in.

Ooh, me too! Well done!

Reply 7991

BMTronMania

Ok I called my college AND Newnham (where pool took place this yr), and both rang and soon went to voicemail - no answer.

Although, the newnham answer service ('I am unable to take the call or away from my desk at the moment') suggests that they do work Sundays - may try later

Reply 7992

catrinaribena

Original post by QuantumOverlord

is there anyone left (like me) That still hasnt heard!

I want to be rejected (or get an offer) NOW!

Aye, same. It's getting nippy now :P

Reply 7993

Phil_Waite

5

Original post by QuantumOverlord

is there anyone left (like me) That still hasnt heard!

I want to be rejected (or get an offer) NOW!

Yes, I still haven't heard, but I applied to Emmanuel. There are a few people who applied to Emmanuel who haven't heard yet, they had a delay with their post.

Reply 7994

catrinaribena

Original post by Phil_Waite

Yes, I still haven't heard, but I applied to Emmanuel. There are a few people who applied to Emmanuel who haven't heard yet, they had a delay with their post.

Ohh, same. How do you know?

Reply 7995

SeptimusKincaid

Original post by marmalade200

yeah I was there too! I probably saw you actually cause there weren't that many people there. And yeah I thought it was brilliant, I was desperately trying to make notes every time she quoted from some of his really obscure poems from when he was eight or something, cause you can't find them anywhere else, haha.

Oh cool! Yeah the average age of people there was at least 60, so I probably did see you - there were some girls a couple of rows in front of me taking notes?
And yeah I know, that one about the gravestone (was it a gravestone? something tomb-related) from when he was about 10, that was awesome!

Reply 7996

geoandjam

Original post by QuantumOverlord

is there anyone left (like me) That still hasnt heard!

I want to be rejected (or get an offer) NOW!

Yes! It's killing me, i assume (hope) it's due to the Emmanuel postage delay thing :s-smilie:

Are you Emmanuel?

Reply 7997

QuantumOverlord

16

Original post by geoandjam

Yes! It's killing me, i assume (hope) it's due to the Emmanuel postage delay thing :s-smilie:

Are you Emmanuel?

Thats what scares me. Im not! Im sidney

Reply 7998

marmalade200

3

Original post by SeptimusKincaid

Oh cool! Yeah the average age of people there was at least 60, so I probably did see you - there were some girls a couple of rows in front of me taking notes?
And yeah I know, that one about the gravestone (was it a gravestone? something tomb-related) from when he was about 10, that was awesome!

Haha I know right, there were only about five young people present! Quite a lot of empty seats too, which was sad, cause it was awesome. Erm that might have been me - I was the blonde one, asked a question right at the very end? I was with a girl with brown hair, and we were both taking notes.
AND YES! loved that one! "and wake and walk and live like men", Sassoon you genius! liked the "faces, faces, sunlit faces" bit as well.