Cambridge Classics Students and Applicants

im-no-superman

http://www.classics.cam.ac.uk/current-students/faculty_handbook/

Scroll down to the Part 1A section and you will find all the info you need- numbers of lectures/classes etc.

Thanks, that was really helpful. :smile:

Reply 41

KSmith129

Hoping to study Classics at Cambridge beginning 2012. I have no GCSE foreign language and was wondering whether, compared with someone applying for the same four-year course with GCSE French for instance, I would be at a disadvantage when applying.

At A Level, I study Eng Lit, History, Biology and Geography. Is there any advice Cambridge classicists could offer in terms of boosting my application; perhaps self-studying Latin or a modern foreign language. I go to a state school in the north east, which doesn't doesn't offer Greek or Latin.

Reply 42

Minerva

17

Original post by KSmith129

Hoping to study Classics at Cambridge beginning 2012. I have no GCSE foreign language and was wondering whether, compared with someone applying for the same four-year course with GCSE French for instance, I would be at a disadvantage when applying.

At A Level, I study Eng Lit, History, Biology and Geography. Is there any advice Cambridge classicists could offer in terms of boosting my application; perhaps self-studying Latin or a modern foreign language. I go to a state school in the north east, which doesn't doesn't offer Greek or Latin.

Unless you had absolutely no opportunity to take a GCSE in a modern language (and this was made clear in your reference) you'd be at a considerable disadvantage. Indeed, even if the lack of opportunity was taken into account, I would expect them to have some concerns about establishing your aptitude for studying foreign languages. (I know nothing about the Classics course at Cambridge but would be amazed if you didn't have to do at least some work in the original language/s.) I might, as the admissions tutor, be slightly reassured if you were offering Classical Civilisation, but only slightly. Given that, my advice would be look into the possibility of taking a recognised course in Latin, perhaps by distance learning. You will also need to consider how you will convey in your personal statement your interest in the subject and how you have pursued and developed that interest.

Reply 43

Hipparchia

6

Original post by KSmith129

Hoping to study Classics at Cambridge beginning 2012. I have no GCSE foreign language and was wondering whether, compared with someone applying for the same four-year course with GCSE French for instance, I would be at a disadvantage when applying.

At A Level, I study Eng Lit, History, Biology and Geography. Is there any advice Cambridge classicists could offer in terms of boosting my application; perhaps self-studying Latin or a modern foreign language. I go to a state school in the north east, which doesn't doesn't offer Greek or Latin.

The Faculty website says the following:

Like its three-year counterpart, the four-year course focuses on training classicists who can engage directly with texts in the original languages. Therefore, candidates should be able to demonstrate language-learning ability, through, for example, good results in a modern language at A level or GCSE. (source: http://www.classics.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/four-year-degree/)

To me it seems like you should have a chance, so long as you can prove your aptitude at language learning in another way. Have you got any foreign language experience? You need to be able to prove not only that you can learn languages, but also that you like learning languages. In the four year course, you will have to read your set texts in the original for at least three years, so you need to be absolutely sure you actually like learning languages as there is no way to avoid them!

If you have any questions about the course at Cambridge drop me a PM, between me (3 year course) and my boyfriend (4 year course) we can answer any questions you might have about the first three years :smile:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 44

JP20

For the four year course, people that had done Latin before were given a Latin aptitude test at interview, and people that hadn't were given a general language aptitude test to see how good they were at working with an unfamiliar language. Based on that, I wouldn't think not having a modern language qualification would rule you out, but having one would certainly help, if not only for being good practice for the apt. test.

In the meantime, you could try learning some basic Latin, and if you can say in your application that you've worked through a couple of books of the Cambridge Latin Course, that'll definitely be looked upon favourably.

Reply 45

Fruito'Underworld

Offer for Classics (4 year) at Newnham for 2012. Anybody else get an offer for Classics this year?

Reply 46

Aesc

11

Original post by Fruito'Underworld

Offer for Classics (4 year) at Newnham for 2012. Anybody else get an offer for Classics this year?

Hiya, King's 4-year offer holder here :smile:

There's a Facebook group doing the rounds with more people (if you're on Facebook, that is)

Reply 47

wildmoon

Do any current students know if this pre-term Greek Week still goes on?

Reply 48

candyfloss3456

Anybody here doing/done the X2 paper, prostitutes and saints?

Reply 49

CocoTango

Hullo,

I would like to read classics at Cambridge. I know that there is a 4 year course available and it says that applicants do not need any specific subjects, especially if one hasn't had the "chance to study latin or greek at school." Well, I go to a comp. college and there was a chance for me to study classical civ. or latin at college. Only, I didn't take either of those subjects last year NOT because I wasn't interested in them but because I was ill and knew that I'd have to teach myself most of the AS course and so I wanted to stick to things I knew ie. I chose history, maths and french (all of which I'd studied at GCSE). Does that all sound reasonable? I'm worried they'll pick holes in my application and infer that I haven't been interested in classics all that long :/

Thanks. Really worried. :colondollar:

Reply 50

hogwartian1993

9

Original post by CocoTango

Hullo,

I would like to read classics at Cambridge. I know that there is a 4 year course available and it says that applicants do not need any specific subjects, especially if one hasn't had the "chance to study latin or greek at school." Well, I go to a comp. college and there was a chance for me to study classical civ. or latin at college. Only, I didn't take either of those subjects last year NOT because I wasn't interested in them but because I was ill and knew that I'd have to teach myself most of the AS course and so I wanted to stick to things I knew ie. I chose history, maths and french (all of which I'd studied at GCSE). Does that all sound reasonable? I'm worried they'll pick holes in my application and infer that I haven't been interested in classics all that long :/

Thanks. Really worried. :colondollar:

If you have a reason for not picking them (a valid reason, supported by your tutor) then I don't see any reason why not? Since you have French at AS/A2 level, which shows language aptitude, I don't see why they wouldn't consider you. If you qualify for the Extenuating Circumstances form then I would definitely submit that and explain your circumstances. It does sound reasonable to me, but I'm not an admissions tutor.

Reply 51

megxmas

2

So I've applied to Homerton college to study Classics, and I know that one of the entry requirements is a test at interview, and I was wondering what it might entail? If I'll need to do some swotting up before hand? Many thanks to anyone who can help me!

Reply 52

Robertus

6

Hey, any Classicists around applying for 2015 entry? I just recently received an interview invitation for the 4 year course at Peterhouse. :smile:

Reply 53

*Corinna*

16

Original post by Robertus

Hey, any Classicists around applying for 2015 entry? I just recently received an interview invitation for the 4 year course at Peterhouse. :smile:

Congratulations!! I am a PhD student at Peterhouse (in Classics :tongue:

) and I think it's an awesome college. I also happen to think that the 4 year course is amazing :tongue:

Good luck with your interview!

Reply 54

Robertus

6

Original post by *Corinna*

Congratulations!! I am a PhD student at Peterhouse (in Classics :tongue:

) and I think it's an awesome college. I also happen to think that the 4 year course is amazing :tongue:

Good luck with your interview!

Amazing!

Yeah, I really like the look of the college. I did kinda choose it on a whim though; I wanted a really old one with nice buildings and Peterhouse fit the bill. :P

I love the 4 year course too! It was a big selling point for me, since I want to learn both Latin and Greek but had no opportunity to do the A Levels. Oxford would have only let me pick up the second language halfway through the course, so I figured going for Cambridge was a given. Plus I just prefer the feel of the university in general. :biggrin:

Reply 55

*Corinna*

16

Original post by Robertus

Amazing!

Yeah, I really like the look of the college. I did kinda choose it on a whim though; I wanted a really old one with nice buildings and Peterhouse fit the bill. :P

I love the 4 year course too! It was a big selling point for me, since I want to learn both Latin and Greek but had no opportunity to do the A Levels. Oxford would have only let me pick up the second language halfway through the course, so I figured going for Cambridge was a given. Plus I just prefer the feel of the university in general. :biggrin:

Great! I hope you have a great time at your interview!

Reply 56

Thucydides96

Original post by Robertus

Hey, any Classicists around applying for 2015 entry? I just recently received an interview invitation for the 4 year course at Peterhouse. :smile:

Yes, I've got an offer from St John's :smile:

Congratulations to your offer btw :wink:

According to this post there is only one other future Cambridge Classicist on TSR (also from Peterhouse), so we are a bit underrepresented ...

There are no exams before the interview for the 4 year course, right?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 57

Robertus

6

Original post by Thucydides96

Yes, I've got an offer from St John's :smile:

Congratulations to your offer btw :wink:

According to this post there is only one other future Cambridge Classicist on TSR (also from Peterhouse), so we are a bit underrepresented ...

There are no exams before the interview for the 4 year course, right?

Congratulations to you too!

Haha, I know of at least one more (also from Peterhouse!), plus there were definitely a few around pre-interviews that may or may not have been accepted. :smile:

If you want to meet some more Classicists you should come join our Facebook group! :biggrin:

(https://www.facebook.com/groups/1563275407250134/)

Nah, no entrance exams for 4 year. We just had a 25 minute "language aptitude" test, which was basically a one-on-one interview with a language specialist that tested our ability to grasp basic linguistic concepts.

Reply 58

Thucydides96

Original post by Robertus

If you want to meet some more Classicists you should come join our Facebook group! :biggrin:

(https://www.facebook.com/groups/1563275407250134/)

Thanks, I'll definitely do :smile:

Original post by Robertus

Nah, no entrance exams for 4 year. We just had a 25 minute "language aptitude" test, which was basically a one-on-one interview with a language specialist that tested our ability to grasp basic linguistic concepts.

Lucky you! We had to translate a Latin and a Greek piece of text without a dictionary and the Greek one was quite hard. I'd even like to email the professor who interviewed me to find out what it actually ment, but that might look a bit strange :biggrin:

.

Reply 59

Robertus

6

Original post by Thucydides96

Lucky you! We had to translate a Latin and a Greek piece of text without a dictionary and the Greek one was quite hard. I'd even like to email the professor who interviewed me to find out what it actually ment, but that might look a bit strange :biggrin:

.

Oooh, that sounds tough! I've been studying Latin and Greek extracurricular since September, so I think they decided to give me a slightly different test to the other 4 year applicants. Mine was looking at some sentences in each language and having to decipher them based on the shared grammar and derivative words in each of them. I managed to work through a lot of it without help, and the guy congratulated me at the end, so I was quite pleased with myself. :biggrin:

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