Ask an Admissions Tutor XIII 18 June - 12 July

OP

Original post by Snoozinghamster

Hi, not quite about admissions but will there be an ask an AT regarding the summer pool and results day?

Hello and thanks for the question. Yes, @Peterhouse Admissions usually run a very helpful thread in the run up to results day.

Reply 3

Snoozinghamster

21

Original post by Murray Edwards Admissions

Hello and thanks for the question. Yes, @Peterhouse Admissions usually run a very helpful thread in the run up to results day.

Thanks, glad to know that that will be there!

Reply 4

Doones

21

Tagging in some forum posters with recent questions about Cambridge admissions...
@KingCamembert, @sadiadventures, @RWA1Ker, @harry.r90, @ovo192

Folks, I suggest you ask your question again in this thread :smile:

And if you weren't aware there's also the official 2019 Applicants thread here:
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4411262

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 5

Dragolien

8

How much does involvement in the relevant Olympiads help with your application?

Reply 6

squadt_

6

I have just finished my A level maths exams, but I feel I have only gotten an A. Is it still possible for me to get an offer for physical natsci? It's unlikely that I have, but if I got a B grade, would that rule me out completely? It's also worth mentioning that this year's cohort was very unusual so it might mean it's harder to get the higher grades than normal.

Also how does Cambridge view resists for A Level maths in my situation? If I still got an offer, would the offer then contain A Level maths at A*?

Thanks in advance

Reply 7

Kazo11

12

Hi,
for engineering would we be at a disadvantage if we are taking 3 A levels (Maths, Further Maths, Physics)?
Also what would you recommend for practice for the ENGAA?

Thanks

Reply 8

HelloHello!

9

Who was Murray Edwards? Very 'interesting' name...

Reply 9

username1865079

14

Original post by HelloHello!

Who was Murray Edwards? Very 'interesting' name...

It’s not a name of one person but three.
https://www.murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk/about/brief-history

Reply 10

HelloHello!

9

Original post by vincrows

It’s not a name of one person but three.
https://www.murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk/about/brief-history

Wow, £30 million, no wonder they have a college named after them. Good on them :smile:

Reply 11

OP

Original post by Dragolien

How much does involvement in the relevant Olympiads help with your application?

Hello and thank you for your question. Involvement in Olympiads is always a good sign of super-curricular engagement and, as such is welcomed. A good performance is never going to be enough on its own to obtain an offer but it is often part of a successful applicant's profile. That said, huge numbers of successful applicants have either never done any Olympiad or have not performed brilliantly in them. In short, it's a useful extra but not in any sense a condition for success.

Reply 12

OP

Original post by HelloHello!

Who was Murray Edwards? Very 'interesting' name...

Good question - it's actually three people! :smile:

The Murray bit is for Dame Rosemary Murray, the woman who founded the College (New Hall as it was known then). The 'Edwards' recognises the donation to the College by the Edwards family, specifically Dr Ros Edwards (an alumna of the College) and her husband Steve, in 2008.

A brief history of the College can be found here for those who are interested.

EDIT: I see @vincrows has got there before me! :smile:

Like most Oxbridge colleges that aren't named after Saints or Jesus Christ, we're named after a combination of our founder and/or chief donor!

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 13

OP

Original post by squadt_

I have just finished my A level maths exams, but I feel I have only gotten an A. Is it still possible for me to get an offer for physical natsci? It's unlikely that I have, but if I got a B grade, would that rule me out completely? It's also worth mentioning that this year's cohort was very unusual so it might mean it's harder to get the higher grades than normal.

Also how does Cambridge view resists for A Level maths in my situation? If I still got an offer, would the offer then contain A Level maths at A*?

Thanks in advance

I think this answer will be of interest to @Kazo11 too as the Admissions Forum (basically the group of all the Admissions Tutors at the different colleges) has been discussing the issues raised by both of you recently. A form of words is about to 'go live' on the University website literally in the next day or so. When it does, I shall update this post to point you towards it. Once it's there, I'll be happy to answer any follows up you have on it. Hope that's ok, I just don't want to reformulate the answer when what we produced was done so after a long discussion about what the appropriate response should be to performance in A Level Maths in Year 12 and to Maths, FM and one other subject.

Reply 14

RedGiant

22

Hi, how much attention do you pay towards school/college references? Are there any particular things that you look for?

Reply 15

a__

8

Original post by Murray Edwards Admissions

Hello and thank you for your question. Involvement in Olympiads is always a good sign of super-curricular engagement and, as such is welcomed. A good performance is never going to be enough on its own to obtain an offer but it is often part of a successful applicant's profile. That said, huge numbers of successful applicants have either never done any Olympiad or have not performed brilliantly in them. In short, it's a useful extra but not in any sense a condition for success.

So would you say that even if you didn't do very well on olympiads you should still put it on your application? For example, would getting a bronze be seen as a "That applicant didn't have the acedemic standart to acheive ... award" or is it more of just a good sign to show you are willing to participate and complete extra challenges outside of school?

Reply 16

OP