The Student Room Group

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Reply 60
nickb123
Yeah but its not like its to the extent of 'Ugly people need not apply! We have had too many sexually appealing applications this academic year!'

Quite obviously not. No one has suggested anything even remotely close to this, because that's simply ridiculous.
Reply 61
Wrangler
It's human nature to assume Cambridge will be full of ugly people - in the same sense it's human nature to assume that the back stage of a fashion show will be full of stupid people. We try and compensate for an individuals asset with some form of defect (models are stupid, cambridge geeks are ugly, scientists are socially inept, art students can't count, etc).
Ain't that the truth.

Being good-looking is obviously going to be an advantage, especially if you're a girl and your interviewers are male. Contrary to what you may believe, even professors of mathematics at Cambridge have a libido. The magnitude of that advantage is debatable. I'd argue that it's small, but nonzero.

Off topic, there seem to be a HUGE number of stunners at Cambridge, but unfortunately many of them are of the appearance-obsessed socialite types. Perhaps that's WHY they look so good all the time! Obviously this is good if you're the kind of guy for whom it's all about who you know, rather than what you know, but people like me would tend to lose out - because I'm not interested in sailing, I despise Margaret Thatcher, I don't shop at Jack Wills and I refuse to wear my collar up.

Ah well, I already have a hot girlfriend. Watch me care. :wink:
If I was there I would have the girls on smash anyway. It's NUFFFFFFIN...
Reply 63
Well, I'm hot, so definitely.


(Before I get neg rep, I'm not being conceited, just joking)




Given that interviewers discuss candidates with each other, and at least one is often female, (out of the four or more interviewers) I would imagine that physical attraction plays very little part
bluefuture
If there were two similar applicants and one of them was gorgeous would that one stand a better chance?

depends if the tutor is the opposite sex, it can help a gorgeous girl if the interviewers are male, but it can harm them if the tutor is female. for a guy i think it only helps.

i heard that one of the male history admissions tutors at lmh always picks one hot blonde girl each year. :biggrin:
Reply 65
Apagg
Given that interviewers discuss candidates with each other, and at least one is often female, (out of the four or more interviewers) I would imagine that physical attraction plays very little part


Not in the "Oh, she's hot, we should let her in" way, no - they're not that stupid! But good looking people (or at least, people who have made an effort to be smart and approachable) will have left a favourable impression on these guys subconsciously.
I WORE A SNAZZY SUIT TO MY OXFORD INTERVIEW AND A V. LOW CUT BOOB TUBE (I'M PROUD OF MY BABIES) . I GOT IN. INTERPRET THAT AS YOU WILL.
Reply 67
Did you speak in CAPS?
My brother (who's a student there) was sitting in one of the interviews last winter at Exeter college. Apparently this girl came in, answered all the questions badly but they ended up letting her in because she was attractive. Says a lot.
Reply 69
Did the interviewers tell him this, or is this personal assessment of the interview process? Sounds dubious to me
They told him. He was there while they were making the decisions.
Reply 71
Cexy
Ain't that the truth.

Being good-looking is obviously going to be an advantage, especially if you're a girl and your interviewers are male. Contrary to what you may believe, even professors of mathematics at Cambridge have a libido. The magnitude of that advantage is debatable. I'd argue that it's small, but nonzero.

Off topic, there seem to be a HUGE number of stunners at Cambridge, but unfortunately many of them are of the appearance-obsessed socialite types. Perhaps that's WHY they look so good all the time! Obviously this is good if you're the kind of guy for whom it's all about who you know, rather than what you know, but people like me would tend to lose out - because I'm not interested in sailing, I despise Margaret Thatcher, I don't shop at Jack Wills and I refuse to wear my collar up.

Ah well, I already have a hot girlfriend. Watch me care. :wink:



I notice there're rather more attractive people in Cambridge than I tend to see when I'm at home, no doubt down to the fact that there are a lot of rich people about who look after themselves, buy nice clothes and generally have better genes than us plebs.
[Pet anecdote] When I had a mock interview with an Oxford biochemistry tutor she said that she looked for people who weren't that charismatic or sociable because they were less likely to get distracted and would spend more time in the lab.

I guess you could extrapolate that to looks.
Reply 73
angelsintuition
I WORE A SNAZZY SUIT TO MY OXFORD INTERVIEW AND A V. LOW CUT BOOB TUBE (I'M PROUD OF MY BABIES) . I GOT IN. INTERPRET THAT AS YOU WILL.
I actually mentally skipped past this post the first time. Sometimes my subconscious mind does good things, apparently.
Reply 74
parsleythelion
[Pet anecdote] When I had a mock interview with an Oxford biochemistry tutor she said that she looked for people who weren't that charismatic or sociable because they were less likely to get distracted and would spend more time in the lab.
It's a well-known fact (i.e. a well-known rumour) that St Catherine's in Cambridge deliberately stopped accepting charismatic students who would do a lot of extracurricular activities, in order to push up their rating in the Thompson table. The result is that Catz is full of geeks, but gets a hell of a lot of firsts.
Reply 75
suga_fly_77
They told him. He was there while they were making the decisions.


I'm sorry, but that sounds like BS to me
Reply 76
parsleythelion
[Pet anecdote] When I had a mock interview with an Oxford biochemistry tutor she said that she looked for people who weren't that charismatic or sociable because they were less likely to get distracted and would spend more time in the lab.

I guess you could extrapolate that to looks.

Interesting. I agree it definitely works both ways, depends on the context. I think judging someone's determination and level of academic rigour on the basis of charisma is pretty spurious though. Just cause a person is outspoken doesn't mean they won't work hard and vice versa for shy people (its always the quiet ones!!!!).
Reply 77
suga_fly_77
My brother (who's a student there) was sitting in one of the interviews last winter at Exeter college. Apparently this girl came in, answered all the questions badly but they ended up letting her in because she was attractive. Says a lot.


In exeter? What subject? (n plz non of that i must protect the blah blah blah of the blah blah thing. If they had the guts to do it (blatant discrimination) then they should be found out.)

i don't hate hot people, i just think this seems kinda wrong... unless the girl was being interviewed for Miss United Kingdom
Reply 78
Why else do Cambridge ask for photos along with the CAF? :p:

I think there'll be some subconscious feelings which more attractive people gain from - this does not neccesarily mean attractive looks, but an attractive personality. Having said that -the girls at interview were definitely high up there on the 'hot' scale.
I got in.

Interpret that how you will.

(As either disproving or proving the point... :p:)