The Official Cambridge Applicants for 2024 Entry Thread

May i ask why college choice is more of an issue at Cambridge?

Certain colleges want different A levels or grades or have other different requirements.Trinity for example is very oversubscribed for Maths for example so there is less chance of being interviewed and therefore pooled me f you don't quite make the cut.
Oxford share out promising applications equally before interview.It also gives open offers to good applicants after interview.

I see. This would explain why some ask for at interview admissions tests and others don't and why the content of written work differs. If colleges have different requirements then how does the pooling system work fairly?

I suppose this does make sense in that the applicant who’s done more reading probably has a wider range of perspectives on a topic and/or knowledge about a broader range of themes or eras (this is history specific), which may then help them in the interview.

Yep, clearly the Cambridge interviewers and decision makers know what they are doing, as they managed to flush out the one candidate that had the wider and deeper knowledge, and I suspect greater enthusiasm for the subject. Can't be easy when you have say 8 applicants for every place, and they all have great Grades/PS/references and have typically done some practice interviews.

After a particular threshold, admission is down to luck and not ability anymore imho. A Professor once said that he could fill his class with unsuccessful candidates from China and India without impacting the academic quality.

I am sure he could have done the same with British candidates also.

After a particular threshold, admission is down to luck and not ability anymore imho. A Professor once said that he could fill his class with unsuccessful candidates from China and India without impacting the academic quality.

I think the Cambridge admissions team do a good job at selecting the best candidates, but the challenge is that there are so many brilliant candidates that the difference between someone who gets in and someone that doesn’t might be minuscule.

I do not think there is anything as the ‘best’ candidates at that level. After a certain threshold i.e. excellent academic record, brilliant interview performance and admission assessments, it is down to luck imho.

To some extent it would have to be subjective, wouldn't it? Although I'd like to imagine the interviewers do their very best to be objective, it's a human tendency to gravitate towards some people more naturally than others.

I’m aiming to study Physical NatSci at Cambridge starting 2024. I am really keen to take STEP to make my mathematical application stand out, and I will likely need to as I plan to apply for Maths at Bath and King’s whilst then applying for Physics at UCL, Imperial and Cambridge. For Physics at Cambridge I will need to take the NSAA exam. Will these two coincide or create any complications? Is this feasible? Thanks!

I’m aiming to study Physical NatSci at Cambridge starting 2024. I am really keen to take STEP to make my mathematical application stand out, and I will likely need to as I plan to apply for Maths at Bath and King’s whilst then applying for Physics at UCL, Imperial and Cambridge. For Physics at Cambridge I will need to take the NSAA exam. Will these two coincide or create any complications? Is this feasible? Thanks!

i don't know the dates of the exams

are they released?

1) Biology, chemistry, maths, EPQ
2)Natural sciences, has more breadth than just a single science and allows me to follow both biological and chemical routes, to hopefully specialise in zoology
3)all 9s
4)Oxford does not offer the breadth of natural sciences, and only offers biological sciences. I would rather enjoy learning both biology and chemistry and degree level, and then narrow my options over the years, as I think there is a huge overlap between biology and chemistry which would be useful in a future career
5)NSAA, summer
6)essay competitions, 3 online courses, applications for summer schools, work experience, reading, academic competitions
7) maybe go into zoological research/ zoological presenter
8)not sure- Pembroke, downing, Corpus Christi look nice but havent properly looked!

The NSAA dates are released, idk about STEP

Alright. Thanks. Since I’m applying to Maths at two places, I need to do it anyway. How would I go about letting Cambridge, Imperial and UCL (where I am applying for Physics) know? Is this even worth it?