[Official] Cambridge Computer Science Applicants 2020

Hi. Just wanna ask if there is any difference in CTMUA and TMUA? If we are sitting for the CTMUA, do we register for the TMUA for this? If not, how do I register for the exam?

Hi. Just wanna ask if there is any difference in CTMUA and TMUA? If we are sitting for the CTMUA, do we register for the TMUA for this? If not, how do I register for the exam?

You need to register specifically for the CTMUA. The paper is identical but I’m pretty sure they have advanced marking deadlines for the CTMUA so they can send out interview invites in time.

what do u mean 'register specifically' ?

1) A^99A*A*A*A*A*A*A*A*
2) Maths A*, Further Maths A*, Physics A*, Computer Science A*
3) Great course, teaching style looks interesting

5) Looking at Imperial and Bristol, maybe Warwick.
6) I went to Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial and Bristol
7) Done a few projects here and there. Messed about with making phone apps. Looking at ML/AI and reading some other books.
8) TMUA seems interesting, some challenging questions. Don't know if I would've preferred CSAT more. Only regretting not starting to look at these admission tests earlier

What do you guys think would be a respectable CTMUA score in the end? What would be appealing to Cambridge. Looking at the past years there seems to be a spike at 9.0 - doubt I'm going to reach those marks rn, how do you guys recommend revising for it - I've just looked at some of the past papers?

Hi. Just wanna ask if there is any difference in CTMUA and TMUA? If we are sitting for the CTMUA, do we register for the TMUA for this? If not, how do I register for the exam?

Tbh I'm not sure either I don't think they are the same although they will probably be quite similar.

im not in year 13 but i have a question about the CTMUA

when do we take it? the same year we apply?

Keep in mind some colleges ask for CSAT at interview and if you are pooled to one which does not, they won't take it into consideration so ask yourself whether you want to go through the hassle of CSAT preparation.

I went to Christ College yesterday and spent a day there in relation to admissions and this information is directly from their Admissions Officer. The TMUA is administered by Durham and after completion, they are the first to receive your results. When you get your TMUA scores, you then choose which universities to send them to. However, the CTMUA is very different and not just the C at the start. The CTMUA is administered by Cambridge and is sat on the same day as the TMUA, the papers are also identical.

One main difference is that because Cambridge admin the test, they are the only university that will receive your score and applicants will not be informed of their performance, unlike the TMUA. If after the admission process, you wish to know how well you did you can ask them then but during the admission process, Cambridge and only Cambridge have knowledge of your CTMUA performance and this helps them to deselect for the interview as well.

The registration cycle begins on September the 1st for TMUA and CTMUA, applicants are not able to register themselves. You must register through your sitting centre, for most this will be their schools. The CTMUA is free and has no registration costs, however, some schools ask for admin prices as the CTMUA is sat slap bang in the middle of the October half term. Deadline for registration is the 15th of October. Essentially, inform your schools you want them to register you for the CTMUA and provide them with the necessary personal information needed to make the application. Then come in on the 30th October and sit the test just like a normal exam and in exam conditions. MAKE SURE YOU DONT HAVE ANY HOLIDAYS BOOKED ON THE 30TH as this will cause you to miss out on the test.

Finally, regarding being made an interview. They invite around 70-80% of applicants for an interview, and the interview rate for Home UK students is significantly higher than for overseas students. The way they deselect for interview is if a students application seems weak and contains many red flags: GCSE grades on the low end of the spectrum, low predicted grades, low TMUA performance. They only interview applicants that they feel would actually be capable of completing the course and obtaining an offer. Average Oxbridge students have 5 grades at 8/9/A* at GCSE, many will have either end of that as well. If your GCSE grades are good, predicted grades contain a couple of A*s and you perform well on CTMUA, in all likelihood you will be called for interview. Keep in mind some colleges ask for CSAT at interview and if you are pooled to one which does not, they won't take it into consideration so ask yourself whether you want to go through the hassle of CSAT preparation. ALSO, ENSURE THE FIRST TWO TO THREE WEEKS OF DECEMBER ARE KEPT FREE as interviews tend to be in the first fortnight of December and AO words 'it is unlikely they can reschedule an interview for one person' due to the sheer admin stress it causes.

Sorry this post is a bit long but should be useful and answers your questions : )

Thanks for this info, very useful.

Did the AO say anything about what kind of score they expect on the CTMUA?

Also, is the CSAT a pro or a con? I guess it’s an extra test but it could play out to your advantage if the interview doesn’t go well (according to their website). Are we at a disadvantage if our CSAT score is low?

If you do badly it's not going to help you, but at the same time if you do decent it can make up for a bad interview so I guess it's a roll of the dice. Personally I don't think I'm going to do it considering how I can barely do any of them.

According to the website, if the interview goes well, but your CSAT score is low, they will ignore it. Does anyone know how true this is, I assume they still are going to take the CSAT score into some sort of consideration regardless.

What do you guys think would be a respectable CTMUA score in the end? What would be appealing to Cambridge. Looking at the past years there seems to be a spike at 9.0 - doubt I'm going to reach those marks rn, how do you guys recommend revising for it - I've just looked at some of the past papers?

Don't think that makes sense; pooling happens after the interview.

What I mean is that only colleges that require the CSAT will be able to take it into consideration. Say for example you apply to trinity and get an interview and complete CSAT, but they fill their quota and place you in the pool and then another college picks you. If that college didnt ask applicant for CSAT, they cannot consider your CSAT score as part of your pooled application because all their other applicants didnt do CSAT and would not be fair.

Could you be pooled to a college that required the CSAT or would they not accept someone who only did the CTMUA?

As pooling is open to all colleges, either situation has a possibility of occuring. But depending on whether a college is usually oversubscribed, far more applications than places e.g. trinity Churchill etc, their capacity to accept applications from pool may be lower. You can confirm but if the colleges that require CSAT are more oversubscribed and they place you in the pool, you are likely to be up against normal CTMUA applicants.

One factor behind switching from the CSAT is the sheer admin stress behind it. CS applications are growing every year and for the colleges to mark all the papers takes a while, as it's not just correct or wrong but how your work through questions etc. The CTMUA is significantly easier to mark and still assesses an applicant's aptitude sufficiently. The main thing to keep in mind that it is a holistic application so a bad CSAT score may not be damning. They just want to make sure an applicant is mathematical adept at the end of the day.

The issue with the TMUA is I often get very close to the answer however get no credit due to a small mistake somewhere. This means that the result on paper can deceiving so I hope tutors consider the actual working.