Do you really need to be crazy smart to get into cambridge?

10

Hey guys, I keep seeing in a lot of places on TSR and elsewhere of people which like crazy a level grades (like 5+ a levels and EPQ) as well as being able to score well in competitions like bmo etc. And I realise that these are people that would probably also be applying to the same unis as me. I want to study CS at cambridge and Math and CS at imperial. I would say I am pretty good at school I mean i do 4 a levels (math fm physics chem) and an EPQ and I am aiming for A*, but im not like crazy smart like I could only score a mediocre bronze in the UKMT SMC and I struggle doing questions that are outside a levels that you would probably be asked in an interview or admissions exam scenario. I do think I am very hardworking and I have a clear roadmap for the things I need to do to propose a competitive application but I feel like there will always be a lot of people just better. Im not trying to put those people down I admire their achievements a lot and understand the hardwork they must have put in but I just want to know if someone like me who is smart but not crazy smart could still get into top unis like cambridge while showing mostly passion for the subject with proof.

Thanks

Reply 1

mqb2766

21

Original post

by akashDTV

Hey guys, I keep seeing in a lot of places on TSR and elsewhere of people which like crazy a level grades (like 5+ a levels and EPQ) as well as being able to score well in competitions like bmo etc. And I realise that these are people that would probably also be applying to the same unis as me. I want to study CS at cambridge and Math and CS at imperial. I would say I am pretty good at school I mean i do 4 a levels (math fm physics chem) and an EPQ and I am aiming for A*, but im not like crazy smart like I could only score a mediocre bronze in the UKMT SMC and I struggle doing questions that are outside a levels that you would probably be asked in an interview or admissions exam scenario. I do think I am very hardworking and I have a clear roadmap for the things I need to do to propose a competitive application but I feel like there will always be a lot of people just better. Im not trying to put those people down I admire their achievements a lot and understand the hardwork they must have put in but I just want to know if someone like me who is smart but not crazy smart could still get into top unis like cambridge while showing mostly passion for the subject with proof.
Thanks

Youve a few posts asking about supercurriculars, tmua, programming, ... for cs/cambridge so you must have a reasonable idea about whats expected (your roadmap)? Its a cr@pshoot so something like 1 in 20, but you dont have to be crazy smart, whatever that means, but your passion has to be reflected in demonstrating your learning in the ps/tmua/interview.

Reply 2

Picnicl

17

Smart is relative and there aren't enough strikingly original geniuses in the world aged 18, who have the means or inclination to be in Cambridge / Oxford for 3+ years, to fill all the places at Cambridge / Oxford. And even if there were, they wouldn't necessarily want to study there. If Oxbridge were truly serious about only having the most capable scholars, they'd admit no undergraduates and only admit people to do masters who got first class degrees elsewhere. They don't because they're a) businesses. b) benevolent to some extent. c) are expected to offer undergraduate study.

(edited 1 year ago)

Do you really need to be crazy smart to get into cambridge?

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