The Official 2018 Cambridge Applicants Thread

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>Grandmother give me guide book for applying to oxbridge and it has mock interview questions
>I take a vapid and rushed attempt to a few of the maths like I always do
>get annoyed when I get them wrong.
Going camping tomorrow- I need to put all this uni stuff out of my mind and dig into some good fantasy books because honestly my stress levels haven't gone down much since exams... When I get back or maybe a week after, gonna start full on doing stuff to improve my maths problem solving ability. Maybe I innately just don't have it or maybe my a-level has done a very poor job at teaching me those skills as well as being able to think abstractly. What sort of sources would you recommend to improve maths and physics problem solving? Start off with some MAT and PAT past papers then maybe try out some step 1 problems? Honestly a change of attitude would be the best way to stop my frustration. I should just seriously sit down with some questions, pad and pen ready and try and actually understand them rather than running ahead like I do with a-level questions because they are so easy and all the same.

Maths problem solving or physics problem solving? In my experience, these are quite different things. For maths, I'd personally recommend starting with AEA if you've covered C3 and C4, then moving onto either MAT or STEP I (whichever you prefer - these differ quite a lot in style). For physics, try Isaac Physics or IWantToStudyEngineering, both of which contain a range of problems of varying difficulty, and also the BPhO (AS/A2 challenge and also round 1). PAT papers are alright, but I found quite a lot of the questions to be fiddly and poorly phrased rather than interesting and challenging. Last November's NSAA Section 2 paper also had a couple of good questions that aren't too tricky and might be a nice place to start, but I'd advise saving the paper for a mock if you intend to apply for Natural Sciences.

Reply 1421

black1blade

Original post by Forecast

Yeah I'll be doing the natsci specimen and past paper late october :biggrin:

. Yeah I did the AS BPhO this year but only got a bronze because I didn't do any practice.

Reply 1422

fadinggigolo

Information about you:
- Which course(s) are you interested in?
Philosophy
- Which college(s) are you looking at?
Peterhouse and Trinity (really cannot decide if anyone could help me with this choice that would be fantastic!)
- What were your GCSE grades?
7A* 4A 1B
- What are your predicted AS/A Level grades? (if/when applicable)
IB - 7+7+7+7+7+6+3/2=43/44
- What are your extracurricular interests?
Films (everything from Woody Allen to Tarantino to Bertolucci)
Music (jazz (bebop and swing) to impressionist/modern classical music to rap)
-Please, any information about the general vibe of Trinity or Peterhouse would be helpful as I really like both and know the main differences, one is very small, the other very big, but not opinions on other aspects of the colleges.
Thank you

Reply 1423

Lelanor

I thought I'd introduce myself on this thread

- Which course(s) are you interested in?
Computer Science!

- Which college(s) are you looking at?
I'm pretty sure I'm going to apply to Newnham - I stayed in the college for a night and looked round and I really liked it. The accommodation, garden, atmosphere and location were very appealing.

- What were your GCSE grades?
I think it was 10A*, 2A? plus a few other qualifications

- What are your predicted AS/A Level grades? (if/when applicable)
Predicted A* in maths this year, think I probably managed this
I don't have official predicted grades for other subjects but I'm thinking probably A in Spanish and A or A* in Computer Science and Further Maths

- What are your extra-curricular interests?
I've done a robotics competition, Silver D of E, been part of a youth council, a few other things

- A random and fun fact about you!
Idk I'm kind of boring

I've just started working on my personal statement, and gave one of my teachers a draft last week to look at. I'm glad to finally start the application process although I probably should have thought about wider reading a bit sooner.

Reply 1424

fadinggigolo

Original post by fadinggigolo

Also, it would be very nice if anyone could give advice of the general gist of the thread or how to navigate through this mammoth of a thread for newcomers.
Thanks again!

Reply 1425

Trapmoneybenny

Original post by Banana00

Thanks for this - any contributions are most welcome! :h:

Hi! i jist finished my AS-level i came out with relatively good grades: A1 in chemistry, B1 in Physics(i had a bad day, honest) and i'm predicted an A1 in mathematics we'll find out the actual result on the 17th of august. My teachers recognise i have potential to be an oxbridge candidate and i am applying to Queen's college to study engineering in the university of cambridge.
I have major doubts about that B1 in physics and how it will affect my chances, could you please offer any advice.

Reply 1426

username1388745

Does anyone have screenshots of a previous SAQ form? I'd like to start thinking about my responses now, instead of during the busy period after school submits my UCAS application. I realise that the 2018 one may be a little different from 2017.

Reply 1427

Zacken

Original post by delta7

http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/saq.pdf

Reply 1428

username1388745

Original post by Zacken

http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/saq.pdf

Thanks, Zacken, but I meant the actual form, not just the Guide.

Reply 1429

Doones

Original post by delta7

Thanks, Zacken, but I meant the actual form, not just the Guide.

The guide includes a number of screenshots and afaik every single field.

It's basically as good as you would need.

The 2018 version will be up soon.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 1430

Zacken

Original post by delta7

Thanks, Zacken, but I meant the actual form, not just the Guide.

Huh? I fail to see why you need screenshots. The guide contains all the questions in the SAQ (look at page 9 onwards), ergo, you gain the same information by looking at screenshots as you do by looking at the questions in the guide - they're even in order!

Reply 1431

username1388745

Original post by Doonesbury

The guide includes a number of screenshots and afaik every single field.

It's basically as good as you would need.

The 2018 version will be up soon.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Thank you, Doonesbury. That's perfect, then. I had thought that the form contained more questions than are mentioned in the Guide.

Reply 1432

trythis

If anyone's applying for Computer Science, I got an offer for 2017 entry, though I wasn't able to take it up. Glad to help out if anyone has any questions about applying :smile:

Reply 1433

AdHominem

There are two of us who'll be applying to Cambridge from my school (for different subjects). We went on the open day together and both decided, independently of one another, on Queens'. Certain members of the school are trying to push us into applying to different colleges.

Opinions?

Reply 1434

username3012046

Original post by AdHominem

Both apply to Queens.

Reply 1435

username1388745

Yes, our school also asks students to arrange among themselves to apply to different colleges. But I've seen college websites that declare, "If it is felt that a candidate is worth an offer of a place, it is irrelevant whether or not there are other applicants from the same school."

Reply 1436

username3012046

Original post by fadinggigolo

Also, it would be very nice if anyone could give advice of the general gist of the thread or how to navigate through this mammoth of a thread for newcomers.
Thanks again!

I can't really advise on Peterhouse v Trinity as I've never been into either. As both are in the city it really is a case of deciding whether you would prefer big or small - think about whether you like the idea of getting to know everyone in your year or whether the possibility of having more students studying your subject in your college appeals to you. Maybe look at accommodation in both colleges to help you make a decision? If all else fails just stick a pin in a map - your college won't completely determine your experience of Cambridge.

As for navigating the thread I think the most useful feature on a big thread like this is the 'tools' button at the top, which allows you to search the thread. You can search philosophy or Trinity or Peterhouse to see what has been said about them on the thread as opposed to doing a site-wide search.

Good luck and congratulations on picking a wonderful subject area! (-theology offer-holder)

Reply 1437

AdHominem

Original post by zippidee

Both apply to Queens.

Original post by delta7

Yes, our school also asks students...

Thanks guys. Having seen Queens', I wasn't willing to apply anywhere else, to be honest.

I think they're just being overly cautious.

Reply 1438

Doones

Original post by AdHominem

Apply to the college you like, in the knowledge either one or both of you may be pooled elsewhere anyway... (20% of offers come from a different college).

:smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 1439

ukn1122

Hello, I am thinking of applying to Cambridge but I am scared of STEP as I will study maths at uni. I have 5A* 2A 1C for IGCSE (C in English) and probably 4A for AS. I believe I will be predicted A*A*A in maths further maths and economics. Do you think I stand a chance of getting an offer, as well as doing well at STEP? I was always good at maths and at the moment I find what we do very easy but it's just AS.