Anyone had a PGCE interview at Cambridge?

Yeh I got a date, presumably there are a few RS people ready for an interview, whereas maybe they are still waiting for a few more early years to hold a day interviewing for just that? Have they given you anything to prepare?

I phoned yesterday and the woman in the office said it will take another 2 weeks until they expect to have an interview date, something about getting the interview panel together since they are so busy. Good luck sorting out your funding! The only thing saving me at the moment is that I can potentially take out both U.S. and U.K. loans, but that's certainly not ideal :frown:

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Reply 121

Rachel-88

Original post by tem11

I phoned yesterday and the woman in the office said it will take another 2 weeks until they expect to have an interview date, something about getting the interview panel together since they are so busy. Good luck sorting out your funding! The only thing saving me at the moment is that I can potentially take out both U.S. and U.K. loans, but that's certainly not ideal :frown:

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Aw you're still waiting for a date! You must be getting agitated about it :frown:

. Have you had the interview prep email yet?

Reply 122

tem11

Original post by Rachel-88

Aw you're still waiting for a date! You must be getting agitated about it :frown:

. Have you had the interview prep email yet?

Yeah, I'm so anxious! I understand that they're super busy, but I really want to have my interview and know if I have a place or not. I went to visit Cambridge this weekend and now want to go there more than ever, so that certainly isn't helping things. Nothing about interview prep either, I'm pretty sure it will come when the interview date is announced. How are things going for you? Any developments?

Reply 123

Rachel-88

Original post by tem11

Yeah, I'm so anxious! I understand that they're super busy, but I really want to have my interview and know if I have a place or not. I went to visit Cambridge this weekend and now want to go there more than ever, so that certainly isn't helping things. Nothing about interview prep either, I'm pretty sure it will come when the interview date is announced. How are things going for you? Any developments?

I was there at the weekend as well so may have bumped into each other and we'll never know, hehe! Seem to be living in town at the moment for one reason or another. It's lovely isn't it, so disappointed I didn't get in to the uni and now won't be able to stay around the area.
I'm playing the waiting game too at the moment, my second choice was full before I even had my Cambridge interview so added a new choice and still waiting to hear! It's been about two weeks, not sure if that's enough time to be ringing up or whether to give it another week or so.

Reply 124

SweetMint

I got in for Architecture!!Wooo! :dance:

Just received the letter via email!!

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 125

koreawill

I got in for Architecture!!Wooo! Just received the letter via email!!

Well done, bet you're over the moon with that!

Can I ask when you had your interview? Mine was on the 24th and the daily wait for an answer is slowly killing me now..

Reply 126

tem11

Original post by Rachel-88

I was there at the weekend as well so may have bumped into each other and we'll never know, hehe! Seem to be living in town at the moment for one reason or another. It's lovely isn't it, so disappointed I didn't get in to the uni and now won't be able to stay around the area.
I'm playing the waiting game too at the moment, my second choice was full before I even had my Cambridge interview so added a new choice and still waiting to hear! It's been about two weeks, not sure if that's enough time to be ringing up or whether to give it another week or so.

Very jealous that you're spending so much time in town- I really, really liked Cambridge. I dare say it's prettier than Oxford. Good luck with your new choice- I'm sure it will all work out :smile:

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Congrats on your acceptance, SweetMint!

Is everyone putting Homerton/Hughes Hall down for their choices? I'm really tempted to break out of the mold and try for one of the other colleges even though it seems like Homerton offers the most support. Getting college accommodation is really important to me, but I really didn't like Hughes Hall when I went to visit and most students I know who went there didn't have very positive things to say about it :frown:

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Reply 127

gingerbreadman85

9

Original post by tem11

Is everyone putting Homerton/Hughes Hall down for their choices? I'm really tempted to break out of the mold and try for one of the other colleges even though it seems like Homerton offers the most support. Getting college accommodation is really important to me, but I really didn't like Hughes Hall when I went to visit and most students I know who went there didn't have very positive things to say about it :frown:

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You'll be hard pushed to get into any other college unless you went there first. Hughes was fine for me, a little small and not as "Cambridge" as the bigger and older colleges, but well placed for town, secure parking, and a high chance of getting a room. Homerton is a way out of town, and you are lucky if you get a room in college (most of my friends ended up living out).

My advice, put another college as your first choice, then use Hughes/Homerton as a backup.

Reply 128

tem11

Original post by gingerbreadman85

You'll be hard pushed to get into any other college unless you went there first. Hughes was fine for me, a little small and not as "Cambridge" as the bigger and older colleges, but well placed for town, secure parking, and a high chance of getting a room. Homerton is a way out of town, and you are lucky if you get a room in college (most of my friends ended up living out).

My advice, put another college as your first choice, then use Hughes/Homerton as a backup.

Thanks for this advice :smile:

. Just out of curiosity, why would I be hard pushed to get into another college? I looked at a bunch of colleges' websites and many of them explicitly said they welcome applications from PGCE students. I assumed since most people apply to Homerton/Hughes that I'd have a better chance of getting into one of the others since there would be less competition than for other courses (not trying for Kings or Trinity or anything- maybe something close to Homerton like Downing). Most Oxford colleges have quotas that they'll take for each course, which is why I thought choosing another college may work in my favor, but Cambridge may very well work differently. Thanks again!

Reply 129

gingerbreadman85

9

Original post by tem11

Thanks for this advice :smile:

. Just out of curiosity, why would I be hard pushed to get into another college? I looked at a bunch of colleges' websites and many of them explicitly said they welcome applications from PGCE students. I assumed since most people apply to Homerton/Hughes that I'd have a better chance of getting into one of the others since there would be less competition than for other courses (not trying for Kings or Trinity or anything- maybe something close to Homerton like Downing). Most Oxford colleges have quotas that they'll take for each course, which is why I thought choosing another college may work in my favor, but Cambridge may very well work differently. Thanks again!

For two reasons:
1) Most colleges dont very have many spaces for PGCE students, and prioritise their own internal students.
2) My experience from my own time, i dont think i know any non-internal Cambridge PGCEs that ended up anywhere other than Hughes or Homerton. I tried for Downing and didn't get a space.

Don't let that put you off, if your first choices reject you then you just get passed around. If you have a place, that's certain and you'll end up a member of one college, even if it's not your primary choice.

I must say, going to Hughes, where my corridor was almost entirely PGCE students was amazing. No one knows what it's like other than another PGCE, and you'll run off the same routine, rather than the 10 week term, obscenely long holidays that standard Cambridge students get..... i can imagine it getting mighty lonely in December when you are on block placement in school and the place is dead and dark when you get back at 5pm-6pm.

Reply 130

koreawill

WooHoo I just got accepted for secondary maths! Really thought I'd blown the interview, so relieved now.

I put Homerton and Hughes down as my two choices too. Assuming Homerton accepts me, do people really think there is no chance of getting a room there at this stage?

Reply 131

SweetMint

Original post by koreawill

Well done, bet you're over the moon with that!

Can I ask when you had your interview? Mine was on the 24th and the daily wait for an answer is slowly killing me now..

Yep

18th..They notified me by email..and i just got my official letter! I need the scholarship now, and off to the Cambridge i go. :cool:

Otherwise, it's Sheffield.

Reply 132

sheff_pele

Is anyone else in Queens' College for next year?

Apparently they usually manage to find college accomodation for all PGCE students - hope so anyway as that's one less thing to worry about!

Reply 133

Coldplay

Hi,

I am interested in studying at cambridge university in the year 2012, and I just wanted to know what you would need in order to get in besides the enTry requirments, what type of experience etc. I have a lot of experience in working with chidren, volunterring in 3 schools, i have gained level 2 and 3 in teaching assistant, taught abroad for 2 weeks, volunteered in schemes such as 'playing for sucess', kumon study center, space hop reading challlenge, playhouse play making scheme as well as working with aimhigher. If you are unsure what these things are then please do google them. I am on my secound year studying BA in education with English, hoping to gain a 2:1, but my a level grades were CCC in psychology, english lang and lit and ICT, and my GCSE grades werent amazing, just C all around with AA in ICT. Maybe i have included a lot of information, but hopefully with this you can tell me if i stand a chance, I am very passionate about teaching and learning, and i want to get in cambridge or IoE. I am asking around and i hope someone could help me.. please!!!!

Thanks
Positive Rating!

Reply 134

Coldplay

Original post by vebra

I just found out I have a conditional offer Primary PGCE at Cambridge 3 days after interview!!! Best of luck to everyone! Just be sure of your opinions on education, more so than national or government ones! Less time researching and more time really thinking about your views! And how you would approach teaching, using different stimulus!

Hi,

I am interested in studying at cambridge university in the year 2012, and I just wanted to know what you would need in order to get in besides the enry requirments, what type of experience etc. I have a lot of experience in working with chidren, volunterring in 3 schools, i have gained level 2 and 3 in teaching assistant, taught abroad for 2 weeks, volunteered in schemes such as 'playing for sucess', kumon study center, space hop reading challlenge, playhouse play making scheme as well as working with aimhigher. If you are unsure what these things are then please do google them. I am on my secound year studying BA in education with English, hoping to gain a 2:1, but my a level grades were CCC in psychology, english lang and lit and ICT, and my GCSE grades werent amazing, just C all around with AA in ICT. Maybe i have included a lot of information, but hopefully with this you can tell me if i stand a chance, I am very passionate about teaching and learning, and i want to get in cambridge or IoE. i congratulte u for getting a place, but what did it require, i would be very greatful if u told me..

Thanks

Reply 135

tem11

Yay, just got an offer for Early Years!!

Reply 136

Gill-88

Hey Everyone!

I have an offer to do the Geography PGCE at Homerton! Anyone doing the same?

Reply 137

shmady

Original post by tem11

Yay, just got an offer for Early Years!!

Hey, well done on your place, I have an interview on the 21st Jan, I know this is a bit late, but any advice on what they ask, opinions etc etc...slightly worried about the written test :frown:

Thanks!!

Reply 138

JoyC1007

1

Original post by Rachel-88

I got mine today as well! Just had a look at it now, pretty much what we thought it would be I think! Glad the presentation is only two minutes and doesn't need visual aids, bit less pressure! Wow that's a lot of exclamation marks there ...

Hiii Rachel, im gonna have an interview with Cambridge Uni in 5 days. Could u plz give me some advice on 2-min presentation? I have no idea what kind of content to be presented. Besides, what's the written task about?