The Big 'Which Cambridge College?' Thread

Hi,
I am a student from Serbia, and i want to apply for Cambridge univ. to study physics. I go to special Mathematical High school, so we do lots of maths, but my grade in maths is 4 out of 5, so i dont think that college like Trinity would admit me.

I know physics very good, and i am sure that i would do good in maths and physics interview, but because of my grades i will probably not attempt to go to Trinity, i will compete for another college at cambridge, i am asking you for witch college should i apply to get highest probability of getting admitted.

I would be grateful for any advice.

Reply 2161

M1F2R3

14

Cambridge is very competitive, saying that some colleges [Jesus, Trinity, Kings, Churchill, Emmanuel, Gonville and St. John's] are more competitive than say Wolfson, Robinson or Fitzwilliam.

Reply 2162

Viceroy

15

I don't know what it is, but I really want to get Christ's! I don't know what it is even. I just do. I put John's first because they have more funding for MPhils, but Christ's is just... where I want to be!! I have no words to describe why. It is just that way.

Reply 2163

AnonyMatt

15

Because of the pooling system, it really doesn't matter where you apply. If you're good enough, you'll be pooled and any college can take you if they want.

That said, nothing is perfect.

Reply 2164

Chewmeister

11

Doesn't cambridge offer natural science, not physics?

Reply 2165

L00dil0

Yes it does, but you have choice between natural sciences, and i want physics, i am asking you in which college is easiest to get into ?

Reply 2166

gethsemane342

11

Viceroy

I don't know what it is, but I really want to get Christ's! I don't know what it is even. I just do. I put John's first because they have more funding for MPhils, but Christ's is just... where I want to be!! I have no words to describe why. It is just that way.

It's because you're a person of excellent taste :wink:

Reply 2167

LabyrinthWonder

10

Hows the atmosphere/crowd at Trinity?

Reply 2168

Ice cubes are cool

For Physical Natural Sciences (:

Which one and why? I'm finding it really difficult to differentiate them.

Reply 2169

nuodai

17

The course is irrelevant really, you'll do equally well at either. You need to choose based on where you want to live for three years.

King's is beautiful and old, which has the downside of having a lot of tourists running around. Also, quite a bit of King's accommodation is off-site, although there's probably enough on-site for that not to be too much of a problem. It has a really nice bar, and hosts quite a few nice events like the King's Jest and the King's Affair. It has the reputation for being the left-wing college, and has one of the highest proportions of state school students in Cambridge. Its formal hall happens once per week, costs £14 a pop (relatively expensive) and sells out really quick, since guests aren't permitted (so people sell off their tickets to people from other colleges). Also, with the left-wing reputation comes various non-traditions, e.g. you don't wear gowns for anything (except maybe graduation).

Downing is newer, but still a good 200 years old or so. Its architecture is quite different from King's, and if you go there you'll see a lot of pillars and fewer tourists. The formals at Downing are still fairly hefty (£10 or so I think) but they're nice. There's a lot of accommodation on-site or nearby which is something you might want to take into consideration. You'll also find slightly more tories and private school students at Downing than at King's (but nowhere near as many as at, say, St John's). I don't really know that much more about Downing to be honest. Oh, and the bar isn't that great... it's a separate building with horrible seats in it, kind of like a portacabin, and it's pricey.

Both colleges are right in the centre of town (but at different sides of the town centre). They do almost identically academically in the Tompkins table (Kings was 14th and Downing 15th this year) and they're both roughly equidistant from where most NatSci lectures will be. NatSci practicals are located a couple of miles out of the town centre and are probably marginally closer to King's, but not so much that it would make much of a difference.

Hope this helps.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 2170

Viceroy

15

gethsemane342

It's because you're a person of excellent taste :wink:

Haha, yeah dude. I'm happy with my choice of leaving Christ's second, just because I suppose it's vaguely possible that, by some magic intervention, John's might give me some funding... But my heart will be at Christ's if I get John's (but I've got to get an offer first!!).

Reply 2171

Warrior King

17

Is there an open day or event for prospective graduate students at Cambridge? I've scanned the website but there doesn't seem to be any indication of such. If I get some free time in the next few weeks I might just pop down to Cambridge for a mini break and have a look around. I know they're the two most competetive college's but I really do have my heart set on either Trinity or St John's. I always aim high!

Can anybody tell me a bit more about the social scene at Peterhouse? Also is there a college more popular with MPhil Management and MBA students than others (excluding the mature and graduate only colleges)?

Reply 2172

getintooxbridge

Have a look at http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/statistics/ for the admissions statistics on engineering by college. It isn't a coincidence that the less established colleges are less picky (Homerton, Girton etc).

Reply 2173

emilY?

1

getintooxbridge

Have a look at http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/statistics/ for the admissions statistics on engineering by college. It isn't a coincidence that the less established colleges are less picky (Homerton, Girton etc).

What, in reference to the stats, do you mean by less picky?

Reply 2174

saster

11

getintooxbridge

It isn't a coincidence that the less established colleges are less picky (Homerton, Girton etc).

Pardon me, but this is well-established nonsense. TSR threads have exhaustively noted that none of the colleges is 'less picky' - some just have fewer high-calibre candidates applying in the first place, so they have to take, by the same admissions criteria, from the pool. It's why there is a pool.

Also, what exactly is meant by 'less established'? Fair enough, Homerton is a newbie, but Girton? So 1869 is somehow less established than who, Churchill (1958)? Fitzwilliam (1966)? Robinson (1977)? Sorry to pick holes, but if you want to sell yourself as helping people to get into oxbridge, you want to make sure your information is good.

Reply 2175

Beryl p

Help!!

I'm really stuck! I have narrowed down my college to either Clare or Queens. I have no idea how I got I down to those two but think I'll stick with them given the time I've got left to decide.

En suite is a must. Do both these colleges have en-suite for first years? (2nd & 3rd years would be nice :yep:

)

And food? What are the kitchens like or would it be best to go for the catered option?

And finally, I'm from a secondary mod - no one from my school has ever gone to Oxbridge. I don't want to stand out like a sore thumb so have ruled out some of the more 'posher' colleges. I've got no one to ask for advice so hoping someone on here can point me in the right direction.

Any advice would be greatfully received!

PS I'm doing history btw - am I choosing the right colleges?

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 2176

-jessica

I've narrowed it down to Clare college and Queen's college. I've read the prospectuses and both of them appeal to me. I can't afford to go and visit them, so was wondering if anyone here has, or can just give me some advice on which to choose?
Oh, and I'm applying for Phys NatSci, have AAAA at AS level and am predicted A*AAA.

Reply 2177

grovichik

9

-jessica

I've narrowed it down to Clare college and Queen's college. I've read the prospectuses and both of them appeal to me. I can't afford to go and visit them, so was wondering if anyone here has, or can just give me some advice on which to choose?
Oh, and I'm applying for Phys NatSci, have AAAA at AS level and am predicted A*AAA.

Okay tricky choice! Here's some things to consider - it depends what you like:

Distance:
Queens - closer to chemistry/materials than clare
Clare - closer to physics depo (I think), slightly closer to town centre (although I think they also have accomodation slightly further away).

Prettiness:
Queens - not strikingly pretty and it's quite hard to tell it's a college from the outside (in my opinion). Beside river :-)
Clare - really pretty. Also beside river :-)

People:
I've met people from both and they are equally nice

I don't think I could say anything bad about either so either choice will be good :-)

Reply 2178

-jessica

grovichik

Okay tricky choice! Here's some things to consider - it depends what you like:

Distance:
Queens - closer to chemistry/materials than clare
Clare - closer to physics depo (I think), slightly closer to town centre (although I think they also have accomodation slightly further away).

Prettiness:
Queens - not strikingly pretty and it's quite hard to tell it's a college from the outside (in my opinion). Beside river :-)
Clare - really pretty. Also beside river :-)

People:
I've met people from both and they are equally nice

I don't think I could say anything bad about either so either choice will be good :-)

Thankyou! I think I'm leaning towards Clare :smile:

Reply 2179

jaheen22

12

Go to Queen's because that's where all the cool people apply. :cool:

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