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Official Cambridge Parents of Applicants thread 2023

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Original post by Astongirl
Good morning all, this is my first post so I’m delighted to find a Parents Forum in which to ask questions/ discuss relating to UCAS applications


I have two children navigating their way through 2023 applications, one of whom is applying to a Cambridge college.

They are registered to take their NSAA in October.

How should we as parents best support them for these tests?

*their school is also supportive I should add

Parents can be a great support to their children, just by encouraging them and making the application about them. I made sure that my sons had their favourite meals and studied until 9pm. The last hour was to do what they wanted ie watching fave tv programmes. Luckily we lived in a village so there wasn’t any nightlife or distractions

Look at how you can support your child with documentaries, outings to museums, podcasts that may interest them etc. Look at the test and see what it consists of. The German test was all about grammar, so the elder child’s teacher set him some sentences. The younger one needed to pass the bmat and it was so difficult that he needed help to improve especially speed wise. I found a system called bmat ninja which comprised of a lot of practice papers under timed conditions. This helped him improve a lot.

The worst thing your children can do is stick their heads in the sand about these tests. That means practice, practice practice. Everyone I know who got in did a lot of sample tests ( freely available on the Oxbridge websites). Find out strengths and weaknesses and where the easiest marks are and they will find their own techniques.
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by Astongirl
Good morning all, this is my first post so I’m delighted to find a Parents Forum in which to ask questions/ discuss relating to UCAS applications


I have two children navigating their way through 2023 applications, one of whom is applying to a Cambridge college.

They are registered to take their NSAA in October.

How should we as parents best support them for these tests?

*their school is also supportive I should add


To be honest I didn't do much in terms of my daughter's NSAA apart from not booking a holiday as it fell in the middle of half term! She sorted the prep herself - practicing using all the past papers she could get hold of and being as on top of the A levels as she could be. She did get let off some chores for the run up so she had plenty of time and no excuses.
Original post by ReadingMum
To be honest I didn't do much in terms of my daughter's NSAA apart from not booking a holiday as it fell in the middle of half term! She sorted the prep herself - practicing using all the past papers she could get hold of and being as on top of the A levels as she could be. She did get let off some chores for the run up so she had plenty of time and no excuses.

My sons have been using this excuse to get out of chores for years, lol
Daughter arrived Cambridge a week ago, and settling well. Busy meeting new friends. And exploring the College and Cambridge. As Krispy Creme in our city has been closed, she's so happy to get hold of the donut again. Everything is going smooth and well.
Original post by KKDDMOM
Daughter arrived Cambridge a week ago, and settling well. Busy meeting new friends. And exploring the College and Cambridge. As Krispy Creme in our city has been closed, she's so happy to get hold of the donut again. Everything is going smooth and well.

I am so glad she is happy and enjoying Cambridge
Original post by KKDDMOM
Daughter arrived Cambridge a week ago, and settling well. Busy meeting new friends. And exploring the College and Cambridge. As Krispy Creme in our city has been closed, she's so happy to get hold of the donut again. Everything is going smooth and well.

Excellent - I dropped my 3rd year daughter back there on Monday ready for pre-season lacrosse training. She was very glad to be back and is looking forward to a year of zoology intercalation before vet med gets clinical.
Original post by ReadingMum
Excellent - I dropped my 3rd year daughter back there on Monday ready for pre-season lacrosse training. She was very glad to be back and is looking forward to a year of zoology intercalation before vet med gets clinical.


Prsom. I am sure your daughter is looking forward to the clinical years at last!
Original post by KKDDMOM
Daughter arrived Cambridge a week ago, and settling well. Busy meeting new friends. And exploring the College and Cambridge. As Krispy Creme in our city has been closed, she's so happy to get hold of the donut again. Everything is going smooth and well.


How brilliant that she’s settling in well and enjoying College, I do hope you’re getting on ok with her away too

May I ask how you, as a parent, found the application process for Cambridge? We live in a geographically remote area of the UK and it feels quite daunting at the moment
Original post by Astongirl
How brilliant that she’s settling in well and enjoying College, I do hope you’re getting on ok with her away too

May I ask how you, as a parent, found the application process for Cambridge? We live in a geographically remote area of the UK and it feels quite daunting at the moment


3/10 - today is Matriculation Day! Hoping all freshers enjoy the day~

For me, I'm coping better than i thought. Yes, dinner time is quiet. And time difference with UK. So she might not respond to my whatsapp message. But I'm kind of use to it now. Cos she might not reply my message even in same time zone.

Cambridge is very convenient, can get whatever supplies and online as well. With shops, restaurants (all kinds of international cuisine, so less home-sick) all around, so for first time-living-out international student, it's absolutely fine. What's more. People are very nice and helpful in Cambridge. Not just College friends, but people she met are all very welcoming.

Think back about the application process. Yes, it's very stressful. There are many deadlines, and waiting times. I still remember the nerves and worries she has, when she hasn't yet received the test / interview emails, while others in TSR has updated their test / interview date. She then decided not to read TSR anymore.

As parents, I did worry about the workload. Cos school work, assessment, personal statement, UCAS application, local Univ application ...... will all happen together. I will have brunch with her outside, just enjoy, and stay away from the piles for an hour or two. And let her update me what happened, and what will happen.

We never have thought she can get into Cambridge. And now she did it. So everything is possible.
Original post by KKDDMOM
Daughter arrived Cambridge a week ago, and settling well. Busy meeting new friends. And exploring the College and Cambridge. As Krispy Creme in our city has been closed, she's so happy to get hold of the donut again. Everything is going smooth and well.

DD arrived 1st October. I dropped her off and stayed at an hotel for one night thinking she may need me to get some stuff in town. She didn’t. I miss her a lot ….
Original post by Theloniouss
Hello Parents! In order to ensure that the applicants thread is for applicants, I'm requesting that - short of good luck wishes on deadlines - the applicants' thread is kept applicants only. The enormous presence of parents last year, as well as their general contentiousness meant it didn't really feel like a thread for applicants.

However, it's only natural that many of you would like to discuss your childrens' applications, so this thread is now that place. Also check out the Cambridge Parents' Association.

Happy chatting :smile:

Cambridge Parents' Association thread mentioned above seems to have been closed?
Daughter is sick, she said is the Freshers' Flu, and got a bit of chesty cough. And she said nearly all her flat mates were sick, with cold. And other than lectures and supervision, she also tried new activities: rowing, fencing, k-pop dancing.

We will continue accommodation in College during break times. But most other students will return home. Do you know if Cambridge is very quiet then or still busy? Her friend from Oxford would like to visit her, as Oxford do not allow International student to stay during break as well. (We are very thankful to Cambridge in this respect) They do not have much idea what to do, they only thought of visit London. Any suggestion for the girls?
Depending on what they like there is certainly London - maybe a show if they like musical theatre and matinees are cheaper than evenings (and safer home travel). The London museums are usually free. There is sometimes an ice rink at the Natural History museum (I think it is this one) which looks pretty.
Quite a few students from years 2 and up don't leave immediately so there will be students around.
What will her friend be doing for the rest of her break when she won't be visiting your daughter? Maybe they could both visit more of England and be a tourist?
Original post by Oxford Mum
Parents can be a great support to their children, just by encouraging them and making the application about them. I made sure that my sons had their favourite meals and studied until 9pm. The last hour was to do what they wanted ie watching fave tv programmes. Luckily we lived in a village so there wasn’t any nightlife or distractions

Look at how you can support your child with documentaries, outings to museums, podcasts that may interest them etc. Look at the test and see what it consists of. The German test was all about grammar, so the elder child’s teacher set him some sentences. The younger one needed to pass the bmat and it was so difficult that he needed help to improve especially speed wise. I found a system called bmat ninja which comprised of a lot of practice papers under timed conditions. This helped him improve a lot.

The worst thing your children can do is stick their heads in the sand about these tests. That means practice, practice practice. Everyone I know who got in did a lot of sample tests ( freely available on the Oxbridge websites). Find out strengths and weaknesses and where the easiest marks are and they will find their own techniques.

Wishing all students taking their BMAT, ENGAA,
NSAA &TMUA this week the very best of luck (& hope their parents are also coping ;-))
Original post by ReadingMum
Cambridge Parents' Association thread mentioned above seems to have been closed?


Forgot about this, sorry :colondollar:
It's open again now
Does anybody know if the colleges have received the applicants TMUA results yet ?
Original post by Anonymous
Does anybody know if the colleges have received the applicants TMUA results yet ?


We haven't, no.
Original post by Peterhouse Admissions
We haven't, no.

Thanks so much 🙏🏼
Original post by Peterhouse Admissions
We haven't, no.

Poking my head around the door to say Hi!

Something just occurred to me reading this. Do you get the TMUA results automatically for Cambridge maths applicants who take the test for a reduced offer elsewhere or just the computer science applicants?

Thanks in advance.
Original post by Celerysoup
Poking my head around the door to say Hi!

Something just occurred to me reading this. Do you get the TMUA results automatically for Cambridge maths applicants who take the test for a reduced offer elsewhere or just the computer science applicants?

Thanks in advance.

Hello!

We only get them for applicants in subjects where we use the TMUA, so Computer Science and Economics. I'm not aware of us getting them for mathematicians - I've never received them in the past. They come to us in subject batches (i.e. we get all the Economics one together and all the Computer Science ones together) so I'm not sure where applicants for othewr subjects would fit into that. Even if we were to receive them, we wouldn't take them into account. Not every Maths applicant takes the TMUA, so it wouldn't be fair to mark down someone who took it and did less well, or favour someone who did brilliantly.

Hope this helps!

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