Being Pooled

Hi, pardon my ignorance (I'm not applying to Cambridge) but I noticed that there were a considerable number of candidates who have been pooled by their Colleges, and I also read that some may be re-interviewed. I take it that you aren't guaranteed of a place if you're pooled, but they have some interest in you?

What exactly does being pooled entail, and what process follows after this? When will the final result be released? Results day, perhaps?

This does seem to be in stark contrast with Oxford where all pooled candidates also receive their final allocated colleges together with the rest of the candidates, or sometime in the same time period!

Hi, pardon my ignorance (I'm not applying to Cambridge) but I noticed that there were a considerable number of candidates who have been pooled by their Colleges, and I also read that some may be re-interviewed. I take it that you aren't guaranteed of a place if you're pooled, but they have some interest in you?

What exactly does being pooled entail, and what process follows after this? When will the final result be released? Results day, perhaps?

This does seem to be in stark contrast with Oxford where all pooled candidates also receive their final allocated colleges together with the rest of the candidates, or sometime in the same time period!

It's funny, I see a lot of pooled decisions here, yet I thought only 1 in 5 applicants were pooled (and of them, 1 in 5 recieved offers)?

It's funny, I see a lot of pooled decisions here, yet I thought only 1 in 5 applicants were pooled (and of them, 1 in 5 recieved offers)?

well the pool information says otherwise - out of 14,500 applicants in 2004 2,622 were pooled. This equates to approximately 18% - which is in turn close to 1 in 5. The chances of getting an offer through the pool all depend on what college pools you. I was looking at the statistics for emmanuel MML - and over the past 4 years they've on average gotten 4 people out of the original 40 applicants offers from other colleges. If they pooled 20% of the original 40 this would mean that out of 8 pooled people 4 got an offer giving a probability of 1:2. ...It doesn't say how many people they usually pool though...and it's probably above average... - i keep the hope going even though it's a slim chance

Out of interest I've worked out that the overall probability for MML is around 30%..using my rather crude 20% benchmark...

Argh...doing stupid calculations whilst I should be revising!!

well the pool information says otherwise - out of 14,500 applicants in 2004 2,622 were pooled. This equates to approximately 18% - which is in turn close to 1 in 5. The chances of getting an offer through the pool all depend on what college pools you. I was looking at the statistics for emmanuel MML - and over the past 4 years they've on average gotten 4 people out of the original 40 applicants offers from other colleges. If they pooled 20% of the original 40 this would mean that out of 8 pooled people 4 got an offer giving a probability of 1:2. ...It doesn't say how many people they usually pool though...and it's probably above average... - i keep the hope going even though it's a slim chance

Out of interest I've worked out that the overall probability for MML is around 30%..using my rather crude 20% benchmark...

Argh...doing stupid calculations whilst I should be revising!!

As you say, it hugely depends on which college you applied to as to whether you are pooled, because some use the pool far more regularly than others. Anyway, congrats on making it to the pool - you don't have to worry about that anymore. Also, I have to add that although your workings out are v. impressive at this stage it really does come down to the individual applicant. So, my strong advice would be if you are called for another interview, give it your all, treat it as you did your first interview, and most importantly, let your own character come through - this will make you perform better and make sure they remember you.