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Asnc

OK, pretty straightforward quesitons really. I've looked at the courses for Cambridge, and although I originally wanted to apply for History, that's a bit too competitive - and besides, I chanced upon Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, which sounds fascinating. I genuinely would love to do it at university, but I have a few questions:

1) Could someone who does this course or knows someone who does it tell me a bit about what it's like to sutdy it (I've read the prospectus and the website and stuff - I just want to hear a studen't POV)
2) If I apply for ASNC, would it be OK to apply for Politics in my other universities? I'm passionate about both Politics and History, but the SPS course in Cambridge really didn't appeal to me...

Thank you :smile:

Reply 1

D-503

1

I would say, as has already been discussed in another thread, that you should be careful about applying to different courses (and they are radically different). I'm sure the Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic course would be very interesting, but equally, there is no point in applying for what seems to be a 'soft' course. Choose what you genuinely want to study; it's so difficult to secure a place that you might as well follow your heart, so to speak, as opposed to playing strategy. Apparently it is all about being at a certain academic level, regardless of subject choice. The history couse, I've from speaking to students taking it, is fantastic so personally I'd go for that. SPS is a big departure from what you are considering at Cambridge, so you'd probably be questioned on that, as well as the difficulties involved in writing a coherent personal statement covering two different subjects- if it's Cmabridge-oriented, no other good uni will give you a place, and vice versa. Having said that, a mate of mine is applying for Russian, Law, Chemistry and Japanese at four different unis, so if he can do it....

Reply 2

Les_Miserables

OP

Thank you

To be quite frank, although I am of course applying to Cambridge because I'd like to go, it's not the only university I'd really like to get into. Anyway, as a consequence, I haven't really considered applying to a course just "to get into Cambridge" so to speak - I've really been looking at courses which I would love to study. Thanks for the info though - the history course does sound terrific - maybe I'll go for that...

Reply 3

Jerby

Les_Miserables

I originally wanted to apply for History, that's a bit too competitive

Sounds to me like you just wanted '"to get into Cambridge" so to speak' :p:

Reply 4

thomasjtl

9

there is space on the CAF to write an additional personal statement, so you can talk about stuff specific to your cambridge application, i think. There is on the oxford form.

This is presumably where you'd write about your specific interest in asncs- since this course probably isn't offered in many places, many applicants will be applying to history/archeology/social anthropology courses elsewhere, so cambridge to some extent will expect this. However, applying for a subject vastly different is not highly recommended.

People are quick to jump on people who they think are just interested in going to cambridge, which seems rather unfair a lot of the time. You're not gonna get in if you're not passionate about your subject, but i don't see whats wrong with choosing a less competitive course in a similar subject area, that you think looks really interesting, especially when it's a slightly unusual course.

Reply 5

epitome

11

Les Mis: I notice that you're not doing any languages at A Level? Although it is *possible* to do ASNaC without ever studying any languages (the options include Anglo-Saxon, Middle English, Old Norse, Old Irish, Old Welsh, Welsh, Gaelic, Modern Icelandic...etc.), it is extremely unusual. Just warning you, therefore - lots of the ASNaCs are essentially funky linguists. :smile:

Reply 6

mousy

14

to the op, from your original post it sounds like you dont really know what you want to do ie histroy, politics, asnc. Dont not apply for history just because its so competitive. Althought there is less competition for asnc, if your not completely dedicated to it, you wont get in,even if your the only applicant. SO you need to take time to research what you want.

Reply 7

Les_Miserables

OP

mousy

to the op, from your original post it sounds like you dont really know what you want to do ie histroy, politics, asnc. Dont not apply for history just because its so competitive. Althought there is less competition for asnc, if your not completely dedicated to it, you wont get in,even if your the only applicant. SO you need to take time to research what you want.

Yeah, I know. I'd kinda like to reply to everyone. First off, I do want to get into Cambridge - I mean, if I'm going to apply, it does mean that I'd like to have a chance of getting in. But, I don't see why if there are two courses that I really really like, I shouldn't be able to apply to the less competitive one. Which is not the one I like less of the two, by the way.

To mousy...hmm, that I don't really know what to do. The thing is, all three fascinate me. They really do - and I'm having a hard time trying to choose between the three. Come on, don't a lot of people get confused at this stage? And even later, I suppose...and I did say in my previous post that I am completely dedicated to ASNC - I repeat that I would never think of applying to a course (which I'm going to be doing for 3/4 years) if I wasn't completely passionate about it.

About modern languages...I've done a LOT of them - I'm competent in French, German and Greek, and can sort of speak Italian. I have some other qualifications for it though - B2 for French and German...(for the European Common Framework). I thought that was sufficient in place of a language A-level, but I'd like to know if it isn't...because then I should do a modern language at A-level. It would be useful too if I decided to apply to History instead...

Reply 8

Les_Miserables

OP

thomasjtl

there is space on the CAF to write an additional personal statement, so you can talk about stuff specific to your cambridge application, i think. There is on the oxford form.

This is presumably where you'd write about your specific interest in asncs- since this course probably isn't offered in many places, many applicants will be applying to history/archeology/social anthropology courses elsewhere, so cambridge to some extent will expect this. However, applying for a subject vastly different is not highly recommended.

People are quick to jump on people who they think are just interested in going to cambridge, which seems rather unfair a lot of the time. You're not gonna get in if you're not passionate about your subject, but i don't see whats wrong with choosing a less competitive course in a similar subject area, that you think looks really interesting, especially when it's a slightly unusual course.

Thank you

You're one of the few who understood me :smile:

Reply 9

spin

2

I only know one asnac. She's in her second year. I asked how she was finding the course and she just pulled a face and changed subjects. Not sure quite what that means...

Reply 10

Lottie

9

Les_Miserables

I originally wanted to apply for History... I'm passionate about both Politics and History, but the SPS course in Cambridge really didn't appeal to me...

I appreciate that this is not the comment you were looking for but I'm really into history & politics too and found that Cambridge's history course had plenty of things in it that I was interested in.

If you're only in Year 12, it's early days yet so you have plenty of time to work out what you're interested in and make an informed decision about which course to apply for next autumn.

Reply 11

FadeToBlackout

15

ASNaC is massively different to many other subjects; for astart, it's such a small topic. At Clare, for example, there's one ASNaC per year and so they tend to socialise a lot with other ASNaCs. The have ASNaC Pubbe on a regular basis, which involves much quaffing and recreation of ancient drinking rituals. I know quite a few of them and they're nice people.

As a course and in lectures it'svery much oriented towards primary sources, but not just documentary ones- also things like coins and the archaeological remains. You could see it as like interdisciplinary history mixed with an element of language skills. It compares I think in terms of style most with Classics, i.e. studying the History through a lot of the texts, learning the language and culture, etc.

In some ways I wish I'd appliedtodoit, because it is a massively interesting course- I've found that the History course uses very little if any primary sources, whereas Classics and ASNaC use a huge amount- the latter even more than the former- to give you a massive connection to the past. I was considering switching to it, but don't have the language skills.

Anyway, enough rambling. It's the lack of language qualifications at A-Level that worries me a little; as far as I'm aware you have to have some, or at leastbe able to prove that you hve the ability to learn ancient languages in a short space of time.

Les Mis: I notice that you're not doing any languages at A Level? Although it is *possible* to do ASNaC without ever studying any languages (the options include Anglo-Saxon, Middle English, Old Norse, Old Irish, Old Welsh, Welsh, Gaelic, Modern Icelandic...etc.), it is extremely unusual. Just warning you, therefore - lots of the ASNaCs are essentially funky linguists.

Oh, come ON, you WANTED to say "cunning" rather than funky, didn't you... :p:

Reply 12

Lottie

9

FadeToBlackout

Oh, come ON, you WANTED to say "cunning" rather than funky, didn't you... :p:

Brilliant comment! :biggrin:

Reply 13

epitome

11

Les Mis: If you're fairly proficient in that many languages, then I wouldn't worry too much about qualifications! Just mention it properly on your PS when you come to writing it. The language element is the bit I'd certainly find the hardest, but if you've the skills to take all of it on board, go you! :smile:

I just thought I'd better mention it, as some people are surprised at the language element.

FadeTo Blackout: My mistake - "cunning", naturlich! :wink:

(Nah, I prefer "funky"...I mean, come on, it's sodding Icelandic and Wesh and stuff, innit!) :biggrin:

Reply 14

mousy

14

Les_Miserables

Yeah, I know. I'd kinda like to reply to everyone. First off, I do want to get into Cambridge - I mean, if I'm going to apply, it does mean that I'd like to have a chance of getting in. But, I don't see why if there are two courses that I really really like, I shouldn't be able to apply to the less competitive one. Which is not the one I like less of the two, by the way.

To mousy...hmm, that I don't really know what to do. The thing is, all three fascinate me. They really do - and I'm having a hard time trying to choose between the three. Come on, don't a lot of people get confused at this stage? And even later, I suppose...and I did say in my previous post that I am completely dedicated to ASNC - I repeat that I would never think of applying to a course (which I'm going to be doing for 3/4 years) if I wasn't completely passionate about it.

To the op: I wasn't trying to have a go! I understand completely, I was very confused throughout year 12 what subject I wanted to study at uni, it varied from english to maths! But once I took time to really research the courses and think about what I wanted, I knew that english was for me. But don't worry yet at this stage, you have plenty of time to consider the options :smile:

Reply 15

Les_Miserables

OP

Thanks so much for all the replies - they're great!! I found it interesting to see how the history course doesn't have much to do with primary sources, and that it has a lot of politics. The latter made me very happy :smile:

To mousy: English to maths, huh :p:

anyone with the ability to consider maths as a university subject has my respect. Fact.

Reply 16

FadeToBlackout

15

Les_Miserables

Thanks so much for all the replies - they're great!! I found it interesting to see how the history course doesn't have much to do with primary sources, and that it has a lot of politics. The latter made me very happy :smile:

To mousy: English to maths, huh :p:

anyone with the ability to consider maths as a university subject has my respect. Fact.

*muddies the waters*

Well, you only have to take one political history paper ever- and that's all I did. I'm far more of a cultural and social historian than a political or constitutional one. The lack of primary sources isn't built into the course at all; if I so wanted I could almost base every single week's essay on primary sources, but it's hastle and I couldn't be bothered. If you so wish you can use a massive amount of primary sources, even though it's not as built into the course as it is with ASNaC. And of course with a dissertation you can base the entire thing on in-depth analysis of primary sources; AND there's the Themes and Sources paper that really does involve the study and use of primary sources.

Hehe, bet that confused matters! :wink:

The History degree is massively flexible in certain ways, and so don't think of it as rigid and derivative whereas ASNaC is flexible.

Reply 17

Jerby

Quick question, fadetoblackout, if you see this. Is it possible to do multiple political and constitutional papers? I read they like you to do the corresponding economic and social, but would it be possible to do both on 1450-1750 (I think that was roughly it), and just the modern (C20th) political one in isolation? Also, in the economic and social papers, can you decide a particular emphasis out of the two approaches? Thanks.

Reply 18

FadedJade

15

I believe the department has less than 30 people a year, and a quarter of the first years are at Pembroke. Unfortunatley thats all i can tell you about the subject, but I do have access to these people if there's no one on here that can help you :smile:

Reply 19

FadeToBlackout

15

Jerby

Quick question, fadetoblackout, if you see this. Is it possible to do multiple political and constitutional papers? I read they like you to do the corresponding economic and social, but would it be possible to do both on 1450-1750 (I think that was roughly it), and just the modern (C20th) political one in isolation? Also, in the economic and social papers, can you decide a particular emphasis out of the two approaches? Thanks.

Yep. Generally the first year has the PolCon and EconSoc papers, and then the European one. If you choose right you can fulfil all your Tripos requirements in the first year.

Once you get on to second year you can do whatever papers you like if you've fulfilled the requirements, or a couple that you like that fulfil them. So you can take the C20th political one if you like in isolation in your second year if you want to. From talking to friends, teh EconSoc paper is a lot more Soc than Econ, and I for one did a huge amount more social than economic history; I just looked at economic events in teh context of how they inspired the social history, for example by looking at how the economic events (and the sonsequent political decisions) of the 80s affected popular protest nd so on.