How true are the stereotypes?

For anyone who is either at Cambridge or has applied there and been for an interview, how true are the stereotypes about most people being rich, from private/public school, snobby and total geniuses? Do you (if already there) or do you feel you would fit in there and be able to make friends easily? Also, do you find the workload and pressure unbearable or not too bad? I know this will vary a lot depending on the course, so please say which subject(s) you're studying. Does not being able to work part-time bother you?

Reply 1

Camford

12

There are very few true geniuses. The only one comes to my mind is Paul Jefferys. But I am yet to meet him.

Private public ration is about 1:1. Some of the rich kid can be annoying. And some people there are just pain in the arse.

Sum it up. Just like any university.

Reply 2

swishmasta

i havent been there but i chose "very true", dont know why though, it probably is.

Reply 3

lepiggywiggy

swishmasta

i havent been there but i chose "very true", dont know why though, it probably is.

So....basically....you're saying nothing more than "yes the stereotype exists". You can't say it "probably is true" if you've never been there, unless you're blindly following some pre-conceived idea i.e. a stereotype! Bit like me saying hmm do all Scottish people eat haggis, play bagpipes and wear kilts? Never been there, but yes, probably.

Reply 4

Katie J

10

kellywood_5

For anyone who is either at Cambridge or has applied there and been for an interview, how true are the stereotypes about most people being rich, from private/public school, snobby and total geniuses? Do you (if already there) or do you feel you would fit in there and be able to make friends easily? Also, do you find the workload and pressure unbearable or not too bad? I know this will vary a lot depending on the course, so please say which subject(s) you're studying. Does not being able to work part-time bother you?

Hmmm, this depends so much on personal background. I think most people are rich, or at least come from wealthy backgrounds even if poor students themselves. But, this is entirely from my own standing point; about as far from wealthy as you can get. This is also just an assumption and what you pick up on in general conversation and everyday life, I've only met one snob so far and even she is tolerable and learnt it doesn't impress people! No one talks about money, unless they're moaning about Sainsbury's prices!

What school people come from is irrelevant, very rarely been asked or have asked. From those that I know, only myself and two others I know have come from comprehensive schools, but it really is not important, some of my best friends went to the top private schools in the country! Some things are just plain obvious, but it doesn't matter, no one cares.

I don't know about genius people, I'm impressed by everyone really! No one's cocky or arrogant as there is always someone that's achieved more nearby! The really clever people (from the limited experience I have so far) aren't the ones you'd expect, they seem to either play it down, are quiet or are really busy people with everything going on not just academic work.

I'm an arch & anther, with stupidly large, but enjoyable, amounts of work! We're not known for being hard working but they seem to be doing all they can to destroy that image this year, but that could just be Newnham for you! It's manageable and good fun so not like people mind too much; sometimes I've wished there was a more time but if you didn't like the challenge you'd be in the wrong place.

Not working may be financially annoying but there is no way (unless you really were a super person) to fit in a job as well as study and have a life, I'd rather be doing fun things than working and work in the holidays instead, it's a sensible rule I think, you'd just burn out.

Think that's all...I miss Cambridge :frown:

Reply 5

k@tie

10

Camford

There are very few true geniuses. The only one comes to my mind is Paul Jefferys. But I am yet to meet him.

Private public ration is about 1:1. Some of the rich kid can be annoying. And some people there are just pain in the arse.

Sum it up. Just like any university.

TheOne (used to be on UKL) hangs out with Paul Jeffreys and says he's totally normal!

Reply 6

sam99

k@tieH

TheOne (used to be on UKL) hangs out with Paul Jeffreys and says he's totally normal!

He is.

Is TheOne at Trinity? Whats his/her name?

Reply 7

Poc ar buile

At least some Girton mathmos will happily admit to being stupid and to not liking the Jeffreys guy cos they said he's a bit pompous. Never met the guy myself though...

PS - Girton has a very cute mathmos! :wink:

Reply 8

Helenia

20

Absolutely not to the total genius thing - there are, however, a lot of people who are cleverer than you, and for some people (myself included) this comes as a bit of a shock to the system, getting used to being one of many rather than being outstanding. It's a little humbling (which is good!) but also fantastic to be "normal." There is a lot of pressure on us workwise, which I'm suffering under at the moment (especially as I really hate one of my subjects) but you can cope with it, even though everyone seems to crack up a bit in exam term.

As for being rich, no, absolutely not - I know very few people who are totally loaded, and even if their parents are, they generally don't flash it around much. There are a lot of people from private schools, but nobody bothers to talk about it apart from a few idiots who think it matters (from both sectors :p:

) and it's perfectly possible to fit in coming from a state comprehensive. It is predominantly middle class - not rich, but a lot of my friends are from at least relatively educated backgrounds, I don't know anyone from a truly awful comprehensive in the middle of the East End or anything - though there probably are some.

Generally though no, the stereotypes are not true.

Reply 9

JMP

2

k@tieH

TheOne (used to be on UKL) hangs out with Paul Jeffreys and says he's totally normal!

Who's Paul Jeffreys? Life story etc would be most appreciated; what's he done to deserve the title of a genius?

Reply 10

Squishy

11

I think the main stereotype about Cambridge that's true is that it's academically driven. Some colleges may seem quite lenient with the handing-in of work and so on but there are very few places where you can get away with doing absolutely nothing at all. When I visited a friend at another university it felt a lot less stressed work-wise.

I'm sure there are snobby people at Cambridge, but they tend to stick together as far as I can see. I've never had any trouble with them...most of the people I've met at my college have been really down-to-earth. Some kids are rich, some are poor, some are public school, some are state school...it all varies, just like at any other university.

I know Cambridge is unusual in not letting its students take paid work outside college without special permission, but you can work loads during the holidays and there's plenty of other stuff to keep you busy during term-time.

Speaking of Paul Jefferys, I've met him twice...once when I was at one of Körner's maths lectures (which were randomly recommended to me) and once on Rose Crescent when he was coming out of McDonald's...didn't talk to him either time but he seemed perfectly normal. I don't think I'd have even noticed him if I didn't know what he looked like, except that he has a really bulky nose!

Reply 11

Squishy

11

JasonPaver

what's he done to deserve the title of a genius?

10 A-grades at A-level and gold medals at the International Maths and Informatics (Computing) Olympiads this year.

If that doesn't scream academic overachiever, few things do. :wink:

Reply 12

JMP

2

Squishy

10 A-grades at A-level and gold medals at the International Maths and Informatics (Computing) Olympiads this year.

If that doesn't scream academic overachiever, few things do. :wink:

That's quite a haul, especially considering I feel under pressure doing 3. I want to know more about this boy, pictures, life biography, please, someone?

Reply 13

crazydaveuk

^^^ Does this mean being smart makes you some kind of spectacle, to be studied and poked at??

Doesn't seem fair to me... 0_o

Reply 14

gringalet

12

When I was at Trinity on the shadowing scheme this year, I was amazed at how "normal" everyone was – although I knew the state :tongue:

rivate thing was mainly a myth, I did think everybody would be fantastically clever, conversing in Aramaic and quoting obscure philosophers or something. This wasn't true at all – I mean, in a supervision type thing, I actually managed to answer a question that nobody else could get! Everybody is clearly very bright, good at and committed to their subject, but they're not gibbering geniuses wearing Mummy's knitted cardigans, or toffs from Eton. No doubt these people exist, but they're not the majority. The only negative thing I could really sense about Trinity was competitiveness, which really comes as no surprise; in any case, some people strive on it. I'm going to say 'not true at all', even though, of course, some do. I'd say I'm more between 'not really true' and 'not true at all', just to be difficult :smile:

Reply 15

Squishy

11

JasonPaver

That's quite a haul, especially considering I feel under pressure doing 3. I want to know more about this boy, pictures, life biography, please, someone?

Would you like his National Insurance number as well? :rolleyes:

Just Google "Paul Jefferys", you'll find something...I think most people spell that wrong. Jeffreys? Jefferies?

Reply 16

JMP

2

crazydaveuk

^^^ Does this mean being smart makes you some kind of spectacle, to be studied and poked at??

Doesn't seem fair to me... 0_o

Oh contraire! I won't study him, I will idolize his intelligence; surely there is nothing wrong with a bit of jealousy?

Reply 17

sixthirtythree

JasonPaver

Oh contraire! I won't study him, I will idolize his intelligence; surely there is nothing wrong with a bit of jealousy?

Hi - just to say that the official title of "Paulie's stalker" has been taken by me (and this has been confirmed by the godly PJ himself)

If you want, you can join the "We love Paul!" club (PM me) - we're also trying to get a deal signed with Paul to get him to promote calculators and the like. High chances of it being a great success - we'll throw in um, autographed photos of Paul at the IMO collecting his medal and such, for free. :biggrin: