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University of Cambridge

Cambridge

Gonville and Caius College (Cambridge) Students and Applicants

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Reply 200

DrCube

Tomas

Proven to be hard to accomplish, or are you saying that that stereotype isn't alive and jolly at Caius like at most other colleges/unis (well, at least the Finnish ones I have experience of)? It's odd how people imagine that because you enjoy compsci you couldn't be social as well! Especially when compsci isn't anything near computing. It's not much (if at all) 'nerdier' (if one is to use that adjective) than physics or maths...

(No offence was meant with what I said, so your rather sarcastic tone surprised me.)

Right, so personally I think sterotypes are daft in general. Specifically as far as compsci's go I don't think I've ever met one who really fits the sterotype. As such I feel even as stereotypes go it's inaccurate and fairly offensive but hey (It's hard to look at these things objectively).

Giving people prior warning of your intention to 'break the stereotype' seems to me to imply you approve of it in general (otherwise it wouldn't need breaking). I don't think this is helpful to compsci-kind hence the sarcasm.

People will judge you as they will when they hear you do compsci, most of them will get past that. I don't think following with 'but I'm really social honest' helps anyone (I know you didn't say that but it's how it seems over the interweb).

If you just plan on being social (like every other compsci I've met) then well, I'm sure I'll see you around. :smile:

Oh btw: Good luck with exams etc if y'have them.

University of Cambridge

Cambridge

Reply 201

Tomas

DrCube

I think we have two different perspectives of stereotypes here.

I did not intend the "breaking" of stereotypes to imply the existence of any such thing at the university currently. In addition, and more importantly, I did not mean to assert that there are any people who fit that stereotype. Rather, I was looking at the stereotype from a fresher's point of view, with the "breaking" referring to the compsci stereotypes I have experience of in daily life, and which I hence assumed (hopefully and probably needlessly) also some of my fellow freshers may have (I had them myself, too), as they are strongly reasserted by society today. I do not think denying the existence of stereotypes as such serves any good purpose, as it complicates the elimination of them even further. There are many people out there who could be very useful for the field, but are put off by these stereotypes ("I wish I could do computer science, but I don't know anything about programming", or "That sounds really exciting, but I don't want to end up sitting alone in a small office eating fast-food" to take a more extreme comment from last Saturday). The stereotypes are indeed daft, as you say, but they exist (which is not to imply the existence of people fitting the stereotypes) .

Perhaps "preventing the incarnation of the stereotypes" would be a more appropriate description. In any case, I did not mean the 'warning' to be taken seriously, nor did I consider that it could be viewed as offensive, which I now realise it can. My true apologies for my thoughtlessness.

DrCube

If you just plan on being social (like every other compsci I've met) then well, I'm sure I'll see you around. :smile:

That was the plan, not to try to offend a fellow student already before I meet him. ;sorry;

DrCube

Oh btw: Good luck with exams etc if y'have them.

Thanks, in fact I just finished them (did the IB), so I am free for some months. :smile:

Good luck to you as well if you still have some exams during these last weeks of the Easter term!

Reply 202

Llamaaa

Just a point, I do know some compscis who meet the stereotype. For example my college husband. His idea of fun is programming a game with an object bouncing off things...very strange :biggrin:

Needless to say, not all of them are like that.

We lawyers have a reputation for being slimeballs and heavy drinkers, but that's perhaps not true. Well the drinking is true for most of us, but we are not all nasty :biggrin:

Reply 203

Llamaaa

we have that reputation for many reasons. One is that we have a lot of Eton/Harrow/Winchester people, but they are lovely so it's ok :smile:

We have a lot of private school pupils in general. Also a large proportion of CUCA (Tories) is in Caius and recently almost all of the presidents have been from our college. Ultimately though we are a very very rich college, which is great in terms of grants and bursaries :biggrin:

Despite the reputation for snootiness, Caius is an extremely friendly college. I didn't expect it to be this way, but it is. Since we have to buy dinner tickets every week most people go to dinner, so we all chat together. It's very nice. I'm sure you'd be happy here were you to come.

Reply 204

Llamaaa

The master is a little stuffy, but the tutors, supervisors and directors off studies all seem to be lovely :biggrin:

Reply 205

Computer_Dude

Just a general wondering.....

For ComSci, does Caius often ask for AEA in Math? Coz I read that in the prospectus for 2008 entry, but dont really know what is the chance for them to ask for AEA in Math. On ther other hand, if so, what grade would they usually ask for it? Thanks :smile:

btw, I've talked to the admission tutor in Caius through a higher education convention for about 15mins, he asked me about my AS math module grades and what other subject I am doing. At the end, he was very enthusiastic saying that I should definately apply to Caius - Cam and stuff like that... but I donno whether I should apply to Caius rather then an oppen application or to Oxford just because of what he said?

On the other hand, some of my module grades arent that great, (although it is quite possible to get sthing like)AA?, but then those modules does not have much to do with comsci though lol

Reply 206

DrCube

I'm fairly sure they will ask for it (just be glad you didn't apply a couple of years back: I had STEP II and III as part of my offer). I don't know exactly what grade they're asking for these days though I'm afraid.

Reply 207

sqaurerectangle

just wondering if there are any current caius economists on tsr?

Reply 208

Deedle

For ComSci, does Caius often ask for AEA in Math? Coz I read that in the prospectus for 2008 entry, but dont really know what is the chance for them to ask for AEA in Math. On ther other hand, if so, what grade would they usually ask for it? Thanks

Yeah it's part of my offer :frown:

They *only* want a pass tho', which is slightly better than a distinction I suppose!!
But I didn't do any sciences, so it might just be compensating for that.......

Dee xxx

Reply 209

Computer_Dude

Deedle

Yeah it's part of my offer :frown:

They *only* want a pass tho', which is slightly better than a distinction I suppose!!
But I didn't do any sciences, so it might just be compensating for that.......

Dee xxx

What did you get for your As level?

Do they ask for A as 90%? becuase I heard that they prefer A to be 90% than 80%?

thanks :smile:

Reply 210

Chewwy

amazingly enough, yes, they do prefer 90% to 80%. bit of a shocker that, isn't it?

what are you getting at? deedle's offer asks for a pass in an AEA, nothing about A-level percentages...

Reply 211

Computer_Dude

So if you get an A still in As but with something like 85%, would it be unlikely for you to attend an interview or be considered at Caius?

EDIT

my math grade so far is 612/700 with B in S1 and C in M1 and As in all others and thinking of applying for ComSci, I believe that core and decision is more important then M and Ss, so do you think I would still stand a chance? coz I still thing I would be able to get A in Math for A2 and a in F.Math for As this year (taking Math a year early)?

Btw, is there any female who do ComSci in Caius?

to Choochie, can you please tell me the UMS mark you got for AS? just as reference, coz your offer look very attractive!

Reply 212

Llamaaa

Cambridge allows most applicants to at least have the chance of an interview, so your percentage in that instance is irrelevant. Obviously, they prefer you to get 90% but the offer will be for grades not percentages so I wouldn't worry about that.

Currently there is a maximum of 1 female comsci in the first year and she isn't on the student room (she might be 25% comsci though). If I can remember who she is I will tell her to come on here.

Reply 213

Chewwy

01yaoos

to Choochie, can you please tell me the UMS mark you got for AS? just as reference, coz your offer look very attractive!

my offer (for maths) is the standard offer given by caius. last year i had (i think):

maths: 585/600
physics: 287/300
economics: 294/300
gs: 287/300

interviewers made no comment about my grades. i'd say the most important thing is to come across as likeable and intelligent at interview.

Reply 214

Computer_Dude

helenkr

Currently there is a maximum of 1 female comsci in the first year and she isn't on the student room (she might be 25% comsci though). If I can remember who she is I will tell her to come on here.

Mn, that would be great! so is most of the people with 100% ComSci in Caius male?

Do they actually want female applicants for ComSci or do they prefer male?

choochie

interviewers made no comment about my grades. i'd say the most important thing is to come across as likeable and intelligent at interview.

Maybe the reason they did not comment about your grade is because it was tooo good? all of them are 95% or above.... But if you show potential and interest in the subject, would they still care that much about 80% or 90%?

Reply 215

Llamaaa

It's pure coincidence. They don't choose people on the basis of gender, it just seems to be the case that more boys apply from computer sciences than girls, or maybe their applicants are just better. It's like in Law this year there are 9 girls and one boy :smile:

Purely because there weren't many decent male applicants. So don't let it discourage you- they will probably be pleased to have a girl apply for that subject- it's quite a rarity :biggrin:

Reply 216

Llamaaa

Your percentage really does not matter.

I applied before they looked at percentages, but still, in my AS levels I got AABB and an A in general studies, but they still gave me an offer, because I did very well at interview and in the LNAT (the test to see if you can think like a lawyer). So, if they allow people in who got Bs at AS level, they will let in someone who got 80% instead of 90%, if they perform at interview.

Reply 217

Computer_Dude

But then I suppose LNAT says more about you then A-level result if you want to be a lawyer?

Is there any TSR that got not that good ASs and still get an offer for ComSci or engineering type subject for Caius?

Reply 218

Llamaaa

no, at the time I took the LNAT it was still new and wasn't regarded as a good indication. The reason I got an offer was that I performed well at interview :biggrin:

Reply 219

Computer_Dude

I guess it all come down to Interview then.... still find it quite hard to decide whether to Ox or Cam and if Cam whether I am really good enough to apply to Caius, or should I apply to NewHall although its a all femle college....

Do they look at what your native language is when looking at results you achieve for AS or not? e.g. would they be more generous on grades if your first language is no english?