Does the Tompkins Table Matter?

I'm currently looking at Cambridge Colleges to apply to one, and of the big factors for me is kitchens (as I like to cook). While I was looking at colleges that had good kitchens, I really liked the look of Lucy Cavendish. The only problem is that it is at the bottom of the Tompkins Table and has quite a relatively low % of students that end up getting a 1sts. While this is all a theoretical, do these types of stats actually end up mattering when you get to the university (obviously this would all be conditional of me getting in which is a bit of a long shot but)?

Thanks

(edited 9 months ago)

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

No.

/thread

Original post by artful_lounger

No.

/thread

No and also bear in mind Lucy only started admitting a 'normal' cohort from 2021. Prior to that it was only mature, women undergrads, and the first standard age undergrads was a smaller group in 2020 to cope with the additional people cos of COVID grades, who are only just graduating this year. So no one has any idea what the reality of Lucy will be now grades wise until at least next year and that's only one cohort.

But tompkins doesn't tell you how well you'd do, as an individual - much comes down your own work.

Reply 3

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by Paralove

No and also bear in mind Lucy only started admitting a 'normal' cohort from 2021. Prior to that it was only mature, women undergrads, and the first standard age undergrads was a smaller group in 2020 to cope with the additional people cos of COVID grades, who are only just graduating this year. So no one has any idea what the reality of Lucy will be now grades wise until at least next year and that's only one cohort.

But tompkins doesn't tell you how well you'd do, as an individual - much comes down your own work.

Not sure why you quoted me instead of OP but thank you for explaining in more detail :smile:

Reply 4

helicopterbrawl

7

I go to lucy! The accomodation is really bad though. If you live in college it's nice with kitchens but the rent is insanely high. Like literally the highest out of all colleges (or second highest I forget). You get moved out of college in second and third year to the worst accomodation you'll ever see. It has kitchens with ovens but I had a family of rats in mine this year and the kitchens flooded at the end. And the rent is still the highest at this place too. yeah, probs apply somewhere rich, haha.

Reply 5

ricardblue

1

Hi guys, considering some of the Cambridge colleges for the 2025 but would like to check latest Tompkins rankings.
Is this the latest https://www.studentgoodguide.com/apply-to-university/tompkins-table/

(edited 2 months ago)

Reply 6

Katie5555!

1

Original post by helicopterbrawl

I go to lucy! The accomodation is really bad though. If you live in college it's nice with kitchens but the rent is insanely high. Like literally the highest out of all colleges (or second highest I forget). You get moved out of college in second and third year to the worst accomodation you'll ever see. It has kitchens with ovens but I had a family of rats in mine this year and the kitchens flooded at the end. And the rent is still the highest at this place too. yeah, probs apply somewhere rich, haha.

Considering Lucy but can’t find that much online about it. Did your problems get fixed with the rats and flooding? How is the location for getting to classes? TIA!

Reply 7

Anonymous #1

Original post by tastierspoon460

I'm currently looking at Cambridge Colleges to apply to one, and of the big factors for me is kitchens (as I like to cook). While I was looking at colleges that had good kitchens, I really liked the look of Lucy Cavendish. The only problem is that it is at the bottom of the Tompkins Table and has quite a relatively low % of students that end up getting a 1sts. While this is all a theoretical, do these types of stats actually end up mattering when you get to the university (obviously this would all be conditional of me getting in which is a bit of a long shot but)?

Thanks

if you buzz off a good kitchen, I can safely say that downing has some great ones. my friends at christ's and claire who's kitchens are basically broom cupboards with just a hob and a microwave, and my mate at tit hall who just has a microwave are super jealous of my oven. no family of rats in ours either!
but yh as the others said going to a college that's super high on the table doesn't suddenly mean that you'll get good grades or vice versa, especially in a course like mine where none of the supervisions are within my college.

Reply 8

melancollege

17

The Tompkins Table makes no difference at all, I had to look it up to even know where my college stood in it (about halfway)

Reply 9

Anonymous #2

Yeah it matters a whole lot. You see when you graduate and if your college was ranked in the bottom 6 or 7, you have this big red stamp put on on your transcripts and degree certificate and thus employers and other institutions, the rest of society etc. will be warned that the college you went to ranked......

NO! It really doesn't matter where your college ranks. There are also rational reasons as to why some colleges like say Wolfson will rnak lower: their undergrads are mature students and generally for a whole host of reasons won't easily obtain firsts. Some colleges like Trinity have a larger student population so the statistics are skewed.

Which college you end up at won't affect the overall quality of the education you receive and will have zero bearing on future prospects. Sure some colleges might be more "attractive" to attend than others but you will find whichever college you end up at, you'll still have a great time and at the end of the day..... YOU'RE AT CAMBRDIGE!

I'm a graduate of St Edmund's myself aka Eddies. In fairness I received an offer very late in the cycle and thus many of the more popular colleges were already full. But for me to even say I was a Cambridge student and in the end a Cambridge graduate, and to graduate with my degree and a first/equivalent of a first, that's all that mattered. I'd rather have gone to the lowest ranked college at Cambridge, than to have not gone to Cambridge at all.

And here's one more thing to think about for you or anyone else who might be feeling irrationally upset that they got admitted to a perceived "less prestigious college" at Cambridge........... there are PLENTY of students out there who got rejected from Cambridge who would have taken that offer in a heartbeat.

My college might have ranked at the bottom of the Tompkins Table but I don't care, I get to forever have Cantab beside my name, and a Cantab email address.

Does the Tompkins Table Matter?

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