Should I mention it?

I entered a Cambridge essay competition recently and unfortunately didn’t receive a commendation for it. Should I still mention it on my personal statement? And should this make me rethink my application to Cambridge in any way?
Thank you and if I’m being over dramatic then feel free to let me know.

Reply 1

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

20

Original post

by Anonymous

I entered a Cambridge essay competition recently and unfortunately didn’t receive a commendation for it. Should I still mention it on my personal statement? And should this make me rethink my application to Cambridge in any way?
Thank you and if I’m being over dramatic then feel free to let me know.

It makes no difference to your application to Cambridge save in that rare case where you win and apply to the same College/Subject and the Admissions tutor was also a judge - so pretty rarely. You can mention it if you want, but weigh up whether you have something more valuable to say or not. Your application isn't going to turn on this decision.

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

OP

Hi thank you for answering my post so quickly and for your advice. I’m slightly worried that by not doing an EPQ I haven’t got any evidence that I’ve done any academic writing before which is partly why I entered the competition (that and the question was really interesting). Baring that in mind should I use this essay competition on my statement as evidence that I have done some academic writing before even though it wasn’t successful or leave it off, in your opinion?
Thank you again so much for your help!

Reply 3

EternalStudent43

10

Original post

by Anonymous

Hi thank you for answering my post so quickly and for your advice. I’m slightly worried that by not doing an EPQ I haven’t got any evidence that I’ve done any academic writing before which is partly why I entered the competition (that and the question was really interesting). Baring that in mind should I use this essay competition on my statement as evidence that I have done some academic writing before even though it wasn’t successful or leave it off, in your opinion?
Thank you again so much for your help!

I’m starting at Cambridge in September (English lit), and I didn’t do an EPQ or any essay competitions. My personal statement just included my thoughts on books I’d read, and a Cambridge outreach scheme I participated in (as well as a sentence on extra curricular stuff not related to the subject). Somebody else in my class who also received an offer didn’t do an EPQ either (I think they maybe did an essay comp, but they didn’t win I don’t think).

Essay comps and EPQs are just examples of things you can include, but they aren’t mandatory. Personally, I would include the essay competition if you think you can effectively link it to the next thing you want to talk about in that paragraph (to create a good flow to the PS and show your ability to follow your interests in an in-depth way). For example, you could write briefly about why you found the question set for the essay comp so interesting, and then link this to other things you’ve done/read on the same topic. That’s just one example.

You could also consider whether you would be happy to talk about the essay comp at interview, and if not probably best not to include it.

Best of luck with it!

Reply 4

Plumywumy

6

Original post

by Anonymous

I entered a Cambridge essay competition recently and unfortunately didn’t receive a commendation for it. Should I still mention it on my personal statement? And should this make me rethink my application to Cambridge in any way?
Thank you and if I’m being over dramatic then feel free to let me know.

What subject do you want to do?

Reply 5

Anonymous #1

OP

Original post

by EternalStudent43

I’m starting at Cambridge in September (English lit), and I didn’t do an EPQ or any essay competitions. My personal statement just included my thoughts on books I’d read, and a Cambridge outreach scheme I participated in (as well as a sentence on extra curricular stuff not related to the subject). Somebody else in my class who also received an offer didn’t do an EPQ either (I think they maybe did an essay comp, but they didn’t win I don’t think).
Essay comps and EPQs are just examples of things you can include, but they aren’t mandatory. Personally, I would include the essay competition if you think you can effectively link it to the next thing you want to talk about in that paragraph (to create a good flow to the PS and show your ability to follow your interests in an in-depth way). For example, you could write briefly about why you found the question set for the essay comp so interesting, and then link this to other things you’ve done/read on the same topic. That’s just one example.
You could also consider whether you would be happy to talk about the essay comp at interview, and if not probably best not to include it.
Best of luck with it!

Hi thank you so much for your advice and congratulations on your place at Cambridge! I think I can link it to a book I’ve read so I think I will include it. Good luck!