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Reply 180

J242
I got in for architecture! Wow september? Thats late..
Which accomodation band do you think would be Keynes? I don't think I'd like to be out of college at least in my first year, but I don't want to pay too much either.


Keynes is band 4 (£917.46 per term), short-contract only (i.e. you have to go home after term ends in your first term to make room for the interview candidates, but after that you can stay an extra week after term ends each term)

TCR is band 1 (£680.82 per term short-contract, £780.62 per term long-contract)

Market varies from band 1 to band 4 (though I think all of the band 4 rooms and maybe the band 3s will have been taken by 2nd and 3rd years). Band 2 is £759.80 short-contract, £871.15 long-contract. Band 3 is £838.58 short-contract, £961.45 long-contract.

Lots of people go for the cheap rooms in first year allowing them to save a bit of money to have the amazing rooms in second and third year. If you're entitled to a bursary they take money off your college bill so you effectively wouldn't be paying for your accommodation (or only for some of it). I'd personally go for Keynes, but if you want to save money TCR and Market aren't too bad.

Reply 181

Citoyenne
Anyone else thinking about applying to King's for '09 entry? I've changed my mind a ridiculous amount of times, but I think I've settled on King's now.

Also, while I know that the stereotype of everyone at King's being eccentric and left-wing is becoming outdated, are there some people there like that? Because I'm a leftie, and I like company (but either way, I can certainly cope; growing up in a small town in the American Midwest is good for nothing if not teaching you how to deal peaceably with being surrounded by conservatives). :P


I've got a lot of lefty friends going there :biggrin:

Reply 182

What are the chances of me getting an offer from kings with these AS grades i will be doin resists aswell

RS A
Computing D
Psychology C
CCNA Certification Pass << Meaning I have CCNA 1

The biggest shock cam from computing like how the ******* did i get a D I was predicted a B and in one of the module exams I landed an E The problem is that I really want to apply for kings next year to do computer Science but the thing is that, are my grades even good enough to go through the application process. I will definitely be doing some resits and boosting up my chances but i don't want to write on the application I will be doing resits beacuse i feel that it will decrease my chances. So please guys help me out here should i apply for kings or not?

And yh i checked there website and it said "candidates must have at least one full A level from Maths, Physics, Computing, Electronics or ICT" So i got computing thats what i'm relying on. But is still feel there might be somethin missing i hope computing and the rest of the subjects make up for it but what do you think of it? will i get rejected because of maths?!?!

Reply 183

ImranAdan
What are the chances of me getting an offer from kings with these AS grades i will be doin resists aswell

RS A
Computing D
Psychology C
CCNA Certification Pass << Meaning I have CCNA 1

The biggest shock cam from computing like how the ******* did i get a D I was predicted a B and in one of the module exams I landed an E The problem is that I really want to apply for kings next year to do computer Science but the thing is that, are my grades even good enough to go through the application process. I will definitely be doing some resits and boosting up my chances but i don't want to write on the application I will be doing resits beacuse i feel that it will decrease my chances. So please guys help me out here should i apply for kings or not?

And yh i checked there website and it said "candidates must have at least one full A level from Maths, Physics, Computing, Electronics or ICT" So i got computing thats what i'm relying on. But is still feel there might be somethin missing i hope computing and the rest of the subjects make up for it but what do you think of it? will i get rejected because of maths?!?!


Hey, I don't think there are any Computer Scientists from King's who post on here at the moment, so you might want to post this in the Computer Science thread (or make one if there isn't one). Or you could try one of the 'Are my grades good enough?' type threads. I go to King's but don't have a clue about what you'd need to get an offer for Computer Science.

Generally, though, applicants to Cambridge are going to be predicted AAA or AAAA and if you're offered a place it will be on the condition that you get AAA. So give it a go if you think you can manage that. However, Cambridge see your AS grades and considering that most applicants will have AAAA or AAAB at AS, with your ACD you will be at a disadvantage. Lots of applicants will have Maths A-level at grade A which sets them up well for the course, and although you have computing, a D isn't going to impress the admissions tutors.

Although you were predicted a B in computing, that still doesn't look that good, considering applicants usually have an A grade (probably 90%+ UMS) in the subject they're applying for/the subject that is closest to the one they're applying for. Even if you were predicted ABC or ABB and were just unlucky with the exams, that's still nowhere near the average applicant.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but although Cambridge interview most applicants, your AS grades might prevent you from getting to that stage. What GCSEs did you get? And what were your UMS scores?

After applying, Cambridge send you some forms to fill in which ask what your UMS scores are, and which modules you'll be resitting. So if you got, say, ABE in Computing they'll see you only messed up one module and that makes your D look better. On the other hand, I doubt they'll like it if you have to do lots of retakes (which you probably will in order to get predicted AAA)

Reply 184

Jigglypuff
Hey, I don't think there are any Computer Scientists from King's who post on here at the moment, so you might want to post this in the Computer Science thread (or make one if there isn't one). Or you could try one of the 'Are my grades good enough?' type threads. I go to King's but don't have a clue about what you'd need to get an offer for Computer Science.

Generally, though, applicants to Cambridge are going to be predicted AAA or AAAA and if you're offered a place it will be on the condition that you get AAA. So give it a go if you think you can manage that. However, Cambridge see your AS grades and considering that most applicants will have AAAA or AAAB at AS, with your ACD you will be at a disadvantage. Lots of applicants will have Maths A-level at grade A which sets them up well for the course, and although you have computing, a D isn't going to impress the admissions tutors.

Likewise, the fact you were predicted a B in computing doesn't look that good, considering applicants usually have an A grade (probably 90%+ UMS) in the subject they're applying for/the subject that is closest to the one they're applying for. Even if you were predicted ABC or ABB and were just unlucky with the exams, that's still nowhere near the average applicant.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but although Cambridge interview most applicants, your AS grades might prevent you from getting to that stage. What GCSEs did you get? And what were your UMS scores?

After applying, Cambridge send you some forms to fill in which ask what your UMS scores are, and which modules you'll be resitting. So if you got, say, ABE in Computing they'll see you only messed up one module and that makes your D look better. On the other hand, I doubt they'll like it if you have to do lots of retakes (which you probably will in order to get predicted AAA)


Yh man most definitely I know what you are saying and I have checked kings website and apparently I don’t need an A level in mathematics, which I found it to be a big relief but they do require candidates to have a one full A Level from one of the following Maths, Computing, Physics, Electronics or ICT most importantly they asked for grades combinations of AAB/ABB/ACC in which I’m presuming the A to come from the subjects which they listed.
MY UMS were:
RS: Total UMS points 270/300
Computing: 185/300
Psychology: 200/300

I’m not looking to apply to Oxbridge because I want to stay in London due to the fact I like it better and also offer the courses that I want.

Reply 185

ImranAdan
Yh man most definitely I know what you are saying and I have checked kings website and apparently I don&#8217;t need an A level in mathematics, which I found it to be a big relief but they do require candidates to have a one full A Level from one of the following Maths, Computing, Physics, Electronics or ICT most importantly they asked for grades combinations of AAB/ABB/ACC in which I&#8217;m presuming the A to come from the subjects which they listed.
MY UMS were:
RS: Total UMS points 270/300
Computing: 185/300
Psychology: 200/300

I&#8217;m not looking to apply to Oxbridge because I want to stay in London due to the fact I like it better and also offer the courses that I want.


Ah you're in the wrong forum, easy mistake! You're in the King's College, Cambridge forum...not the King's College, London. So you can ignore my advice as it's only relevant for Cambridge :smile: Good luck with your application

Reply 186

Jigglypuff
:smile:


Jigglypuff, you seem to be quite knowledgeable on King's and Cambridge, if I were to apply post alevel with AAA and Distinction in AEA English, for English do you think the fact that I retook alot of my AS modules would count against me or maybe even prevent me from getting an interview? My As are in English Lit, Philosophy and Drama and Theatre Studies.

Reply 187

zef99
Jigglypuff, you seem to be quite knowledgeable on King's and Cambridge, if I were to apply post alevel with AAA and Distinction in AEA English, for English do you think the fact that I retook alot of my AS modules would count against me or maybe even prevent me from getting an interview? My As are in English Lit, Philosophy and Drama and Theatre Studies.


Cambridge will send you (before interview) a supplementary application form which includes a space for you to include qualifications. I applied three years ago and the forms only asked which modules you were *going* to retake, not which modules you *had* retaken. In that case, you'd be safe as they wouldn't know. However, I'm pretty sure the forms have become more detailed since I've applied, so you might want to ask somebody who has applied in the last year about the forms. They might be the same as my forms, in which case Cambridge wouldn't know about your retakes.

How many modules did you retake? I'd imagine they would like (and expect) most applicants to get As in their chosen degree subject without retakes, but the odd retake in your other two subjects wouldn't be an issue.

Some people do apply post-Alevel after retaking some AS modules and get in, so it's by no means impossible. I also think it might depend on the admissions tutor. There is nothing in the prospectuses about them frowning upon retakes, but maybe some admissions tutors would look down on it. You could always email a few different colleges and see what their views are. I think it really just depends on how many you retook.

Reply 188

just flicked through the forms i recieved and returned to kings while applying this year. the only mention of retakes is on the CAF(cambridge application form) in the section under units taken and that only speaks of planning to retake modules so no problems there(though i'm not sure if you would be expected to record each time you had taken the module on that form but i doubt it). anyway i believe the CAF is being scrapped for this years application source

as an aside you may slightly fall foul of the a level requirements (3/4s the way down this page) but as you have two "effective" courses as well as two "less effective" courses you should be okay
hope this all helps
:wink:

Reply 189

Ooo, baby medics.

See you in G3 on the first Tuesday of term.

You'll know what I mean soon.

Reply 190

Jigglypuff
Keynes is band 4 (£917.46 per term), short-contract only (i.e. you have to go home after term ends in your first term to make room for the interview candidates, but after that you can stay an extra week after term ends each term)

TCR is band 1 (£680.82 per term short-contract, £780.62 per term long-contract)

Market varies from band 1 to band 4 (though I think all of the band 4 rooms and maybe the band 3s will have been taken by 2nd and 3rd years). Band 2 is £759.80 short-contract, £871.15 long-contract. Band 3 is £838.58 short-contract, £961.45 long-contract.

Lots of people go for the cheap rooms in first year allowing them to save a bit of money to have the amazing rooms in second and third year. If you're entitled to a bursary they take money off your college bill so you effectively wouldn't be paying for your accommodation (or only for some of it). I'd personally go for Keynes, but if you want to save money TCR and Market aren't too bad.


Thanks for your reply! I'm going go for short-contract, probably at Keynes. I get around half of the cost for accomodation off because of the bursary. How are the rooms there in Keynes? Are they much better/bigger than lower bands?

Reply 191

J242
Thanks for your reply! I'm going go for short-contract, probably at Keynes. I get around half of the cost for accomodation off because of the bursary. How are the rooms there in Keynes? Are they much better/bigger than lower bands?


The rooms in Keynes are really nice. You'll either have a view of Webbs' courtyard (the library, the Provost lodge etc) or of the Chetwynd Court, the bar etc. Basically, although the building itself isn't a traditional Cambridge building as it was built in the sixties, you'll have a nice view of some old, pretty buildings. Unless you overlook 'piss alley' or the not so scenic parts of St Catz.

The rooms themselves aren't massive, but there is loads of storage space so it's easy to keep them clutter-free, which makes them look bigger. Half of the wardrobe is made up of shelves which fit loads of stuff in. As you walk through the door the wardrobe and bathroom are immediately in front of you, then there is another door to the actual bedroom...so they're a pretty decent size as the bathroom and wardrobe are out of the way. You get a mini-fridge as well. The kitchens aren't amazing but not many kitchens in King's (apart from New Garden Hostel in second/third year) are. They're pretty standard rooms, really-- worth going for just because of their location and en-suite. The TCR rooms I've been in are tiny, and Market isn't much better. Most of the massive rooms in Market go to second and third years.

http://www.kcsu.org.uk/kords3/

That will give you an idea. Don't pay too much attention to the Market photos as they are of the rooms that have been taken already. Look at the first few rooms in Keynes (anything that begins with 3...the rooms that begin with a 4 are for second and third years). The Keynes rooms apart from the fourth floor (400+) are identical so looking at the 300s will give you an idea. If the number is green, the room is available, if it's pink it is taken. Each room has info on the room sizes (though they aren't always accurate), facilites and sometimes there are comments from students. Hope that helps!

Reply 192

Hi Jigglypuff

I'm coming up to study NatSci this October. For a form I'm filling in, I have to estimate my living costs for a year. I was wondering roughly how much you'd expect to spend on food per week, if you ate in the canteen. Is it fairly cheap?

On a similar note, roughly how much do people spend on books and course materials? Do most people borrow from the college library, or buy their own? I understand that that probably varies a fair amount by subject.

Thankyou, this thread's been brilliantly helpful!

Reply 193

munro90
but as you have two "effective" courses as well as two "less effective" courses you should be okay
hope this all helps
:wink:


thanks for the info on what it said on th CAF, just to clear it up, Drama and Theatre Studies is one subject. :smile:

Reply 194

chgallen
Hi Jigglypuff

I'm coming up to study NatSci this October. For a form I'm filling in, I have to estimate my living costs for a year. I was wondering roughly how much you'd expect to spend on food per week, if you ate in the canteen. Is it fairly cheap?

On a similar note, roughly how much do people spend on books and course materials? Do most people borrow from the college library, or buy their own? I understand that that probably varies a fair amount by subject.

Thankyou, this thread's been brilliantly helpful!


Hey, food really depends on what you get...but I would guess if you ate in canteen for lunch and dinner you'd spend £5 a day unless you got dessert (not sure how much that is). About £2.50 a meal, I reckon. I wouldn't recommend eating breakfast there (apart from brunch at weekends which is better, mainly because it's at lunchtime so everyone is awake) as unless you want a fry-up or something it's cheaper just to buy stuff from Sainsburys. Not many people seem to go to breakfast anyway.

As far as I'm aware, people don't really buy books for their courses. I'm pretty sure my NatSci friends haven't bought books before. If you ever did need to, King's is really near the university book shop which sells them at a really cheap price. You shouldn't need to though, as King's library is really good, and there is always the faculty libraries, and the UL (which has a copy of every single book...the only downside being that you can't borrow them until third year so you have to sit and read it in the UL). Hope that helps :smile:

Reply 195

Jigglypuff
Hey, food really depends on what you get...but I would guess if you ate in canteen for lunch and dinner you'd spend £5 a day unless you got dessert (not sure how much that is). About £2.50 a meal, I reckon. I wouldn't recommend eating breakfast there (apart from brunch at weekends which is better, mainly because it's at lunchtime so everyone is awake) as unless you want a fry-up or something it's cheaper just to buy stuff from Sainsburys. Not many people seem to go to breakfast anyway.

As far as I'm aware, people don't really buy books for their courses. I'm pretty sure my NatSci friends haven't bought books before. If you ever did need to, King's is really near the university book shop which sells them at a really cheap price. You shouldn't need to though, as King's library is really good, and there is always the faculty libraries, and the UL (which has a copy of every single book...the only downside being that you can't borrow them until third year so you have to sit and read it in the UL). Hope that helps :smile:


The accomodation website is very useful, thanks! Most of the rooms look as though they've already been taken. Haven't even received the form still, but I'm guessing first year undergrads pick last. How much do you think food will cost over a year on average? I'm trying to budget...

Reply 196

J242
The accomodation website is very useful, thanks! Most of the rooms look as though they've already been taken. Haven't even received the form still, but I'm guessing first year undergrads pick last. How much do you think food will cost over a year on average? I'm trying to budget...


Yeah the site was designed for second and third years so only include the rooms they're allowed to pick. All of first and second floor Keynes, and most of third floor are reserved for first years, so you'll get one of those if you opt for Keynes. You don't get a choice of specific room though.

If you eat in the canteen twice a day, that will probably come to £5, so that's £35 a week...then whatever you spend in Sainsburys etc. You'll be here 8 or 9 weeks a term (depends if you opt to stay a week after term ends). Meals out generally cost a tenner, and takeaways are always cheap in order to attract the students. Then there are formal halls once a week which are optional but good so I'd recommend them. They're like £10 and held once a week, but not many people go every week! Once a term you'll have a 'superformal' or 'superhall' which are a bit more expensive, about £13, as they are themed e.g. Xmas or Valentines. Then obviously if you're going to buy chips or whatever after going out that obviously adds up.

You pay for food and drink in college (canteen, bar and coffee shop) using your university card. It all gets added onto your college bill, which you pay at the start of the next term. So if you're eating in college lots, you won't actually be spending much on food at all until the start of Lent term! If you worry about budgeting or whatever there is the option of 'paying as you go'--I don't do that but I'm pretty sure it's possible...you can give cash or a cheque and they put credit onto your card. Most people just pay the lump sum at the start of the next term, though.

Sorry I can't give any specifics like 'I spent £X last year on food', but I never really pay much attention to what I'm spending...and my college bill always (to my parents' disgust) shows that I've spent 10x more on alcohol than food. Literally (note that I'm not an alcoholic...I just didn't eat in hall much last year) Honestly, though, the canteen prices are alright and as long as you don't eat out all the time and go to every single formal you won't be spending too much on food at all!

Reply 197

Hi Jigglypuff

Are any details available about activities for freshers week at Kings yet? I'm starting this year and some of my friends have heard stuff from their colleges, but I can't see anything on Kings yet. Just curious to know what happens.

Reply 198

ellgee
Hi Jigglypuff

Are any details available about activities for freshers week at Kings yet? I'm starting this year and some of my friends have heard stuff from their colleges, but I can't see anything on Kings yet. Just curious to know what happens.

I'm on the students union exec committee who are in charge of planning the activities for freshers week. Rest assured that we're planning quite a few interesting events, and details will follow and that it promises to be pretty damned good.

:wink:

Reply 199

ellgee
Hi Jigglypuff

Are any details available about activities for freshers week at Kings yet? I'm starting this year and some of my friends have heard stuff from their colleges, but I can't see anything on Kings yet. Just curious to know what happens.


Details aren't available yet, but this is standard (days might vary, but generally most of this happens at some point)

Friday: arrive, welcome in the chapel, drinks with your tutor, dinner with your tutor (you sit with people from a mixture of subjects), chaplain's cheese and port party, then just hang around in the bar talking to people

Saturday: Matriculation service in the chapel, Matriculation photo...probably some tours around the college, a punt tour, drinks with your DoS, then Matriculation dinner with your DoS and other people in your subject, then King's Cellars will be open with a DJ until 1am.

Sunday: lots of talks about King's, boat club squash (drinks with the boaties who will tell you about rowing...good to go to even if you don't intend to row, because of the free drinks)

Monday: Fancy dress bar crawl

Tuesday: University Freshers Fair in the afternoon, random society drinks in the evening. Then outside of King's, there is normally a CUSU event. Last year it was a foam party.

Wednesday: University Freshers Fair in the afternoon, King's Freshers Fair, another King's Cellars event?

Thursday: Lectures start

Friday: Cellars event

Saturday: Cellars event


Hope that's useful. This is just King's specific stuff really...if you don't fancy any of this one night there are plenty of other places to go, but obviously it's easier to meet King's people if you stay in King's.

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