Can I get into Cambridge? And a few questions.
I am currently in year 12
I study English lit, History, Psychology and Religious Studies.
I want to be a barrister and would very much like to get into Cambridge.
My GCSE’s were:
English lit - 8
English Lang - 7
Maths - 6
RS - A
Geography - A
Business studies - A
Science (triple) A,B,B
French - C
I’m not sure if my GCSE’s are good enough for Cambridge. I am also not sure if my A level subjects are good either and which one I should drop next year for a better chance to do law at Cambridge.
I’m also a bit confused as to how the college thing works in Cambridge. So can some explain that to me.
Sorry for writing a lot I’m just really stressing about University and my grades and i am just so confused about it.
I study English lit, History, Psychology and Religious Studies.
I want to be a barrister and would very much like to get into Cambridge.
My GCSE’s were:
English lit - 8
English Lang - 7
Maths - 6
RS - A
Geography - A
Business studies - A
Science (triple) A,B,B
French - C
I’m not sure if my GCSE’s are good enough for Cambridge. I am also not sure if my A level subjects are good either and which one I should drop next year for a better chance to do law at Cambridge.
I’m also a bit confused as to how the college thing works in Cambridge. So can some explain that to me.
Sorry for writing a lot I’m just really stressing about University and my grades and i am just so confused about it.
Original post by Yahye_Y
I am currently in year 12
I study English lit, History, Psychology and Religious Studies.
I want to be a barrister and would very much like to get into Cambridge.
My GCSE’s were:
English lit - 8
English Lang - 7
Maths - 6
RS - A
Geography - A
Business studies - A
Science (triple) A,B,B
French - C
I’m not sure if my GCSE’s are good enough for Cambridge. I am also not sure if my A level subjects are good either and which one I should drop next year for a better chance to do law at Cambridge.
I’m also a bit confused as to how the college thing works in Cambridge. So can some explain that to me.
Sorry for writing a lot I’m just really stressing about University and my grades and i am just so confused about it.
I study English lit, History, Psychology and Religious Studies.
I want to be a barrister and would very much like to get into Cambridge.
My GCSE’s were:
English lit - 8
English Lang - 7
Maths - 6
RS - A
Geography - A
Business studies - A
Science (triple) A,B,B
French - C
I’m not sure if my GCSE’s are good enough for Cambridge. I am also not sure if my A level subjects are good either and which one I should drop next year for a better chance to do law at Cambridge.
I’m also a bit confused as to how the college thing works in Cambridge. So can some explain that to me.
Sorry for writing a lot I’m just really stressing about University and my grades and i am just so confused about it.
I wouldn’t look in to it as the people you’re competing with will have achieved mostly A*’s at GSCE’s
Original post by Yahye_Y
I am currently in year 12
I study English lit, History, Psychology and Religious Studies.
I want to be a barrister and would very much like to get into Cambridge.
My GCSE’s were:
English lit - 8
English Lang - 7
Maths - 6
RS - A
Geography - A
Business studies - A
Science (triple) A,B,B
French - C
I’m not sure if my GCSE’s are good enough for Cambridge. I am also not sure if my A level subjects are good either and which one I should drop next year for a better chance to do law at Cambridge.
I’m also a bit confused as to how the college thing works in Cambridge. So can some explain that to me.
Sorry for writing a lot I’m just really stressing about University and my grades and i am just so confused about it.
I study English lit, History, Psychology and Religious Studies.
I want to be a barrister and would very much like to get into Cambridge.
My GCSE’s were:
English lit - 8
English Lang - 7
Maths - 6
RS - A
Geography - A
Business studies - A
Science (triple) A,B,B
French - C
I’m not sure if my GCSE’s are good enough for Cambridge. I am also not sure if my A level subjects are good either and which one I should drop next year for a better chance to do law at Cambridge.
I’m also a bit confused as to how the college thing works in Cambridge. So can some explain that to me.
Sorry for writing a lot I’m just really stressing about University and my grades and i am just so confused about it.
1. GCSEs are good enough
2. History and English Lit will be the preferred subjects from your choices.
3. When you apply, you pick a college. This is where you spend most of your time at. It's where you'll live and spend a lot of your time at (unless you choose privat accom somewhere else).
you GCSEs will not be amazing (average at best) compared to others
but as long as you get 3 A* in Alevel and do a load of impressive things you should be fine
and you need to be very very passionate about your degree
but as long as you get 3 A* in Alevel and do a load of impressive things you should be fine
and you need to be very very passionate about your degree
Ignore what others above have said about your GCSE grades not being good enough. Cambridge do not have minimum GCSE requirements. Your grades are also looked at in the context of your school (so, if your school generally performs poorly but you've done well, this is good).
As long as you're on track to achieve the standard offer at A-Level (A*AA) you stand a chance.
Come to an open day, look at subject masterclasses, check out the website and also applytoCambridge.com (the student alternative prospectus). There is also #cambtweet and @cambtweetlaw on twitter to see what day to day student life is like, and where you can tweet questions.
To help your application, read around your subject - this could be books, magazines, articles etc. Don't read for the sake of it, but things that you genuinely enjoy and relate to your chosen subject (if you don't enjoy this then you might want to consider your subject choice...).
As for college choice, it's not that important - they're all much more similar than different. It's mostly about where you will live during your studies. Again, come visit on an open day and have a look around! And check out the pages on colleges on the alternative propsectus website
As long as you're on track to achieve the standard offer at A-Level (A*AA) you stand a chance.
Come to an open day, look at subject masterclasses, check out the website and also applytoCambridge.com (the student alternative prospectus). There is also #cambtweet and @cambtweetlaw on twitter to see what day to day student life is like, and where you can tweet questions.
To help your application, read around your subject - this could be books, magazines, articles etc. Don't read for the sake of it, but things that you genuinely enjoy and relate to your chosen subject (if you don't enjoy this then you might want to consider your subject choice...).
As for college choice, it's not that important - they're all much more similar than different. It's mostly about where you will live during your studies. Again, come visit on an open day and have a look around! And check out the pages on colleges on the alternative propsectus website
Why are people so eager to put others down when it comes to asking if they're good enough?
Your GCSEs are fine. Cambridge don't care too much. It's all about the a levels, PS, pre interview test.
Personally I'd say do all four. Although it's not a requirement 4 a levels always looks better than 3 right? You'd be surprised by how many here have done 4 as opposed to 3 but that might just be survivorship bias and not actually a causality.
Your GCSEs are fine. Cambridge don't care too much. It's all about the a levels, PS, pre interview test.
Personally I'd say do all four. Although it's not a requirement 4 a levels always looks better than 3 right? You'd be surprised by how many here have done 4 as opposed to 3 but that might just be survivorship bias and not actually a causality.
About the college thing ... there are 30 odd colleges in Cambridge, many of them right in the centre of the city, others of them a little bit out of town (or, in the case of Girton and Homerton, a healthy cycle ride out of town). You become a member of your college as soon as you arrive and "matriculate"; but you don't become a member of the university until you graduate.
Your college is your "base". It is where you will live for at least two of your years of study, and at some colleges you can "live in" for all three years. At Magdalene in my day (rather a long time ago) only a third of second year undergraduates had rooms in college; but I was one of the lucky ones. At most colleges you can choose either to prepare your own meals or to eat in the communal dining rooms with your fellow students. All colleges have "formal hall" evening meals. At most college this is not available every night; but at a few it is. These are wonderful occasions and build a great sense of community.
There are sporting and social clubs and societies within each college, as well as university societies. Your social life is likely to revolve around a mixture of college and university societies.
Lectures and examinations are organised by the university. Supervisions are organised by your college. Supervisions involve a small group of students (between 1 and 6, but most usually 3 or 4) having a 1 hour seminar with a senior academic in their subject. They will not all be in your own college, but many of them will. The other students in your seminars will generally be from your college, but there will be times when you attend mixed supervisions, with students from other colleges.
Different colleges have different traditions relating to a large number of aspects of college life. These are constantly evolving, however. You become part of your college; you inherit the traditions which have been shaped by those who have studied there before you, and you will add your own contribution before passing them on to those who come after you.
It is very true that the different colleges have more things in common that they have things that distinguish them from one another; but the distinctions are nevertheless important. So if you are able, it is well worth taking the time to visit the colleges that you are interested in (you mention Catz, for instance ... right in the centre of town on King's Parade. Tourist central. Some people love that, others hate it. Which are you? Girton, on the other hand, scarcely sees a tourist all year, but is a long ride out of town. WIll you relish that, or will you hate puffing up and down Castle Hill twice daily?). Some colleges are very sporty, and the college social life is dominated by the rugby and boat clubs; others are less so. They all get pretty excited about the Bumps, however ...
Cambridge is a wonderful, intense, life-changing experience. Very few who have won a place there ever look back on it with anything but the fondest recollection. It may be a damp little town on the edge of the Fens ... but WHAT a town; and WHAT a university! (And they never built cars there, either ... )
Your college is your "base". It is where you will live for at least two of your years of study, and at some colleges you can "live in" for all three years. At Magdalene in my day (rather a long time ago) only a third of second year undergraduates had rooms in college; but I was one of the lucky ones. At most colleges you can choose either to prepare your own meals or to eat in the communal dining rooms with your fellow students. All colleges have "formal hall" evening meals. At most college this is not available every night; but at a few it is. These are wonderful occasions and build a great sense of community.
There are sporting and social clubs and societies within each college, as well as university societies. Your social life is likely to revolve around a mixture of college and university societies.
Lectures and examinations are organised by the university. Supervisions are organised by your college. Supervisions involve a small group of students (between 1 and 6, but most usually 3 or 4) having a 1 hour seminar with a senior academic in their subject. They will not all be in your own college, but many of them will. The other students in your seminars will generally be from your college, but there will be times when you attend mixed supervisions, with students from other colleges.
Different colleges have different traditions relating to a large number of aspects of college life. These are constantly evolving, however. You become part of your college; you inherit the traditions which have been shaped by those who have studied there before you, and you will add your own contribution before passing them on to those who come after you.
It is very true that the different colleges have more things in common that they have things that distinguish them from one another; but the distinctions are nevertheless important. So if you are able, it is well worth taking the time to visit the colleges that you are interested in (you mention Catz, for instance ... right in the centre of town on King's Parade. Tourist central. Some people love that, others hate it. Which are you? Girton, on the other hand, scarcely sees a tourist all year, but is a long ride out of town. WIll you relish that, or will you hate puffing up and down Castle Hill twice daily?). Some colleges are very sporty, and the college social life is dominated by the rugby and boat clubs; others are less so. They all get pretty excited about the Bumps, however ...
Cambridge is a wonderful, intense, life-changing experience. Very few who have won a place there ever look back on it with anything but the fondest recollection. It may be a damp little town on the edge of the Fens ... but WHAT a town; and WHAT a university! (And they never built cars there, either ... )
Original post by PQE
quite weak GCSEs - not one top grade? I think they would pass on ur application given the many students who apply with better grades
Wow thats a snobby and wrong. Cambridge admissions have stated that they do not heavily focus on GCSEs (it's more of an Oxford thing to do). And how can you call A's and B's weak GCSE grades?
You have the proffered A Level subjects such as History and English Lit. Cambridge do not focus heavily on GCSE grades like Oxford does and if you have good A Level grades thats what matters most. However Law is extremely competitive especially at Cambridge, so it might be tough but I would say you have a chance of being accepted if you have the AS/Predicted grades, strong PS and anything else to back you up as an applicant.
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