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The Big 'Which Cambridge College?' Thread

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Original post by ttankzhang
If you just want to go look at the colleges tell the porters you're a prospective student and they usually let you in.


Well I hope so otherwise my plans for those days will rest upon one mans decision haha!

Questions to everyone:
Are there any super competitive colleges that I would be wise to avoid?
Any huge colleges?
Colleges with the nicest libraries?
Ones with a high amount of Economics students?

Thanks, really helps me out
Reply 4421
Avatar for Igooo
Igooo
2
Queens, Corpus Christi, Pembroke or Peterhouse for Maths/Natsci?

Really need help as I am an international applicant and didn't have the chance to visit Cambridge.
Original post by EHZ17
Well I hope so otherwise my plans for those days will rest upon one mans decision haha!

Questions to everyone:
Are there any super competitive colleges that I would be wise to avoid?
Any huge colleges?
Colleges with the nicest libraries?
Ones with a high amount of Economics students?

Thanks, really helps me out


The idea of competitive colleges is sort of cancelled out by the pooling system, since if you're good enough to go to Cambridge but the competition for the college is too great you can get picked up by other colleges. The "less competitive" colleges pick up many strong candidates from the pool so aren't really that much easier to get into. Nevertheless, Trinity and John's strike me as having the most applicants each year.

Go look up the wikipedia for colleges or something and you can see how big each college is. Trinity, Homerton, Johns are probably the largest

No idea about the libraries. I know John's has 15 economists in my year which is the highest of any college.
Original post by ttankzhang
The idea of competitive colleges is sort of cancelled out by the pooling system, since if you're good enough to go to Cambridge but the competition for the college is too great you can get picked up by other colleges. The "less competitive" colleges pick up many strong candidates from the pool so aren't really that much easier to get into. Nevertheless, Trinity and John's strike me as having the most applicants each year.

Go look up the wikipedia for colleges or something and you can see how big each college is. Trinity, Homerton, Johns are probably the largest

No idea about the libraries. I know John's has 15 economists in my year which is the highest of any college.


Thank you, lastly, what is a preparatory study? I'm looking through admissions tests and I don't know what that would consist of and I don't know what 'test at interview' will test you on??..
Original post by Igooo
Queens, Corpus Christi, Pembroke or Peterhouse for Maths/Natsci?

Really need help as I am an international applicant and didn't have the chance to visit Cambridge.


What sort of things are you looking for? I will do my best as a Pembroke mathmo to try to sell the college to you but each of the four have their own flavour and without knowing what precisely you're after we can't fairly give you an answer.
Original post by EHZ17
Thank you, lastly, what is a preparatory study? I'm looking through admissions tests and I don't know what that would consist of and I don't know what 'test at interview' will test you on??..


This differs between colleges, but the one for John's is they send you an article a few weeks before and they'll just ask you questions about it. You don't get the article in the interview itself. Questions will initially be about the content, followed by your opinion of the content, and they'll pick on something you say and get you to elaborate. Other college tests will probably be similar.

There's probably a bit of maths testing, maybe logical reasoning, otherwise they'll just ask you about your interests in economics and get your opinion on recent events.
Original post by ttankzhang
This differs between colleges, but the one for John's is they send you an article a few weeks before and they'll just ask you questions about it. You don't get the article in the interview itself. Questions will initially be about the content, followed by your opinion of the content, and they'll pick on something you say and get you to elaborate. Other college tests will probably be similar.

There's probably a bit of maths testing, maybe logical reasoning, otherwise they'll just ask you about your interests in economics and get your opinion on recent events.


Thanks a lot, appreciate it
Original post by EHZ17
Well I hope so otherwise my plans for those days will rest upon one mans decision haha!

Questions to everyone:
Are there any super competitive colleges that I would be wise to avoid?
Any huge colleges?
Colleges with the nicest libraries?
Ones with a high amount of Economics students?

Thanks, really helps me out


As far as libraries are concerned, you'll be hard pressed to beat Trinity Hall's Jerwood:
The_Jerwood_Library,_Trinity_Hall_College_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1623902.jpg
Colleges with a 24hr library?

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Original post by Obiejess
Colleges with a 24hr library?

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See above.
Original post by Obiejess
Colleges with a 24hr library?

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I think most of them to be honest
Reply 4431
Avatar for mjr23
mjr23
5
Hey guys, having a bit of a dilemma choosing between Magdalene and St Catherine's ( although I am leaning towards the latter)...does anyone have any insight on particular good/bad points of either?
Original post by St. Brynjar
As far as libraries are concerned, you'll be hard pressed to beat Trinity Hall's Jerwood:
The_Jerwood_Library,_Trinity_Hall_College_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1623902.jpg


That looks cool. I've always liked the really old libraries.

I have narrowed down my list to these:

Clare College
King's College
Pembroke College
Selwyn College



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Original post by EHZ17
That looks cool. I've always liked the really old libraries.

I have narrowed down my list to these:

Clare College
King's College
Pembroke College
Selwyn College


Economics at Pembroke is a good combination. :ninja: :h:
Original post by EHZ17
That looks cool. I've always liked the really old libraries.

I have narrowed down my list to these:

Clare College
King's College
Pembroke College
Selwyn College

Posted from TSR Mobile


If you like old libraries, you might want to check out John's... tumblr_memaezKJkh1qb30dwo1_500.jpg
Reply 4435
Avatar for sr-96
sr-96
2
I'm having some difficulty choosing a college. I would like to study Economics:smile:
I would like to have an ensuite and self catering facilities :tongue:
Is there any colleges that someone could recommend?
Original post by alex_hk90
Economics at Pembroke is a good combination. :ninja: :h:


I heard pembroke have a good chef too?


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Original post by Viceroy
If you like old libraries, you might want to check out John's... tumblr_memaezKJkh1qb30dwo1_500.jpg


Thats amazing but I think Johns is too big and competitive


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Original post by EHZ17
I heard pembroke have a good chef too?


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Pembroke purportedly has a Michelin star chef. Whilst I can't tell you for certain if that is true, I can tell you our food is fantastic and definitely lives up to its reputation.
Hello :smile:
I'm planning to apply to Cambridge for 2015, to study geography but I need advice for which college to apply for.
I'd really like a grand old college, preferably with warm, traditional accommodation. I'd prefer a mix of genders, and a mid-sized college, not so small you know everyone's name, but not so big to feel intimidated. I'd like a college with pretty grounds, that backs into the river. I'm not too fussed about distance from the centre as I like walking. I think all colleges do 'part carted' but that is something I would want, and I'd like accommodation nfor the whole duration of the course :smile: oh also, wifi or internet is a must! Sorry for that long list! Any advice would be extremely appreciated, thank you,
Emily :smile:

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