Cambridge postgraduate applicants 2014/15

Well, I got the same percentage overall, so I hope so

It also depends on your references, individual module mark breakdown, and interview performance (if you have one). As sj27 had pointed out, there have been good applicants who have been let down by bad (or not so good) references.

That said, 90% is very good and one would think that you have a good shot of getting a place.I don't know if a levels matter, as I said I didn't list them as I thought they're not important. Maybe someone who applied for the same course can help.

Oh last question what wighting to they place on your first year marks? The first year marks are not part of the degree and do not count

It depends. If your first year marks have no weight on your overall degree percentage than you should be fine, at least in the first stage. By first stage I mean the initial process of applicants being rejected or moved on, based on their overall degree rank (1.1, 2.1 etc...).

Whether first year marks come into play if the candidates are academically too close to differ is anyone's guess. In my case first year had a 20% weighting, so I'm in a different situation.

I myself have a telecommunication/engineering background and will be applying for an MRes in Photonic System Development and any funding I can get my hands on . It’s a little be different from your average course as all applicants have to send a pre application form and be interviewed before being allowed to submit an official application.

Are you an international student or from the UK/EU? The MRes Photonic System course has a slightly different application procedure as it's run jointly with UCL.

From the EU. Yep, I know. You have to be interviewed before you're allowed to apply.

Edit: The application procedure to cambridge if exactly the same after that.

Yeah that's right, though if you've been interviewed and accepted the application is just a formality to check references and transcripts. There is also a chance they might ask you to apply to UCL rather than Cambridge (though you can swap after the end of your first year providing you're doing the PhD too). IIRC most of the telecommunications stuff is at UCL anyway but don't quote me on that!

Yep. I've just finished an optical and wireless degree at UCL (didn't have any optical modules in my UG), so I know perfectly well which uni/lecturers are good in what don't worry

UCL is more suited to telecoms I agree. The reason I'm going for Cam, is that there are 1-2 potential supervisors who are more into the subject I want to continue on.

Course?

Thinking of doing a PhD directly after my MA from Sept-August 2013/14. Thinking of applying to Cambridge, but wondering around what time I would need to have a research proposal ready, or if I'd be better advised to wait until I've finished my MA to apply there.

I'm assuming that you need to hand in your research proposal with your official cam application. So it becomes a question of whether you should wait until you finish your MA or not, before you apply. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

It depends on whether you think having some extra grades and experience from your MA will help your application/research proposal formation. If this is the case I'd wait until the last possible second to apply, as I'd have a better shot at getting in. Another thing that you should consider is funding. Some scholarships have a relatively short deadline, so you'd have no choice in that respect.

I was in a similar situation this year. I could have applied with only a provisional M.Sc. transcript and started in 2013, or I could have applied for 2014/15 with a full transcript. In the end I choose to do the latter. There were 3 main reasons behind my decision:



Edit 1: Some scholarships are even more competitive than an actual place at Cambridge. Having extra qualifications to flaunt is also something one could consider.

Hope this helped a bit . Funding deadlines aren't really and issue for you. If I were you, I'd see if I have a good shot at getting in (grade wise) and take it from there.

Hey everyone, I was just wondering if anyone has an idea of how competitive the American Literature MPhil at Cambridge is?

Thanks.

The economics department likes people who have been at or near the top of their classes so those prizes will come in very handy (and there is a box on the grad application form to list awards etc). Without knowing details of your degree though, it's possible you won't have covered enough to get straight onto the MPhil without doing the diploma year first. I don't think the internships will make a huge difference though to be honest.

Re the MFE - they are a bit more relaxed in specific requirements but the more economics or quants type courses you've done the better your chances for admission.

The data are a bit old, but looks like approx 30% of applicants get offers.

https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/camdata/gpaml.html#admissions

You can see (oldish) offers and admissions ratios for MPhils here, just choose the relevant one from the drop down menu:
https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/camdata/postgraduate.html

Thank you. Regarding the diploma in Economics, how competitive is the acceptance and would I stand a good chance of getting in? And would you recommend doing it? One further question I would like to ask is whether I should submit (regardless of my diploma or msc applications) academic references from professors who have taught me in subjects relevant to my msc application OR should I submit the reference the Head of Business School wrote for me? He was so kind to formulate a letter of recommendation given my academic performance. I am convinced that a reference from such a position would surely support my applications, yet he has not taught me in an actual subject, so what do UK universities rather look for?

I know this is off topic, because this is about Cambridge, but is there one of these for oxford?

I know this is off topic, because this is about Cambridge, but is there one of these for oxford?

Something like http://www.ox.ac.uk/about_the_university/facts_and_figures/graduate_admissions_statistics/ ?