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Columbia to University of Cambridge

Currently, I'm a freshman at Columbia University, but due to a deep interest in medieval Germanic languages, literature, and culture, I'm considering "transferring" to the University of Cambridge to study in the Anglo Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Department (ASNC). I realize that there is no such thing as a "transfer" program at Cambridge, so by transfer, I mean that I would apply this year in October to enter in October 2010. Meanwhile, I would remain at Columbia University, and probably drop out in January 2010 were I to be admitted to Cambridge. I have a few questions, and any help would be greatly appreciated.

My primary question is whether this is a viable option or not. If I were admitted to the university, I would be entering in 2010 as a 20 year old; would this be strange?

As far as the application goes, I'm having a little trouble getting a complete picture of necessary materials. Since I'd be coming from Columbia, would I need recommendations from professors? from my dean? Would I be submitting high school grades as well as college grades?

Are my college grades good enough? In my first semester at Columbia I got an A- GPA (Dean's List) after taking 24 credits (about 6 more than the usual number). I'm looking to do better in the second semester.

Based on what Cambridge's website says, it looks like I'll have to submit SAT and AP scores. I got 660 Math, 790 Writing, and 800 Reading. Good, bad?

As far as AP scores go, I've read that they only look at AP scores which apply to the discipline you'll be studying. However, my high school was very limited in its AP offerings and I only took US History, French, and Calculus AB. I received 4, 3, 4, respectively, but obviously, none of those subject areas relate to what I'd be studying at Cambridge. Any thoughts? In addition to those scores, would any other testing be necessary?

Finally, I entered college set on being a Classics major. Accordingly, I've studied Ancient Greek and Latin, and am still very much interested in Classics (not quite as interested as ASNC, though). Were I to remain at an American university, I would look to double major. However, no American university offers the depth of education or the renown of Cambridge's Department of ASNC. Is there anything similar to a "double major" at Cambridge, whereby I could study both Classics and ASNC? I don't think there is, but I'm just curious.

I'm sorry for the ridiculously long post! Thank you very much for any insights!

Reply 1

shyopstv

15

Mackeown

My primary question is whether this is a viable option or not. If I were admitted to the university, I would be entering in 2010 as a 20 year old; would this be strange?

This is the only question I am able to answer.

No, it would not be strange at all. A lot of people take gap years so start when they are 19 and you will only be a year older and there will be many students older than you. Most 18 year old students probably wouldn't even realise that you are 2 years older than them unless you tell them.

Reply 2

FadedJade

15

You should email the central admissions office with regards to questions about your grades. There's probably a few people about here that might be able to help but not many.

I can't answer any of the other questions either.

Reply 3

Supergrunch

10

Mackeown

My primary question is whether this is a viable option or not. If I were admitted to the university, I would be entering in 2010 as a 20 year old; would this be strange?

Not at all, as shyopstv says. Loads of people start at around that age.

Mackeown

Is there anything similar to a "double major" at Cambridge, whereby I could study both Classics and ASNC? I don't think there is, but I'm just curious.

There's nothing quite like a double major, though there are probably a few things you might be able to do - it might be possible to do a year or two of one then switch for your last year or so, or less drastically you may be able to import a classics module into ASNaC. But I'm not sure of the specifics for this kind of thing in these subjects; you should look on the subject websites and/or ask Cambridge about it.

I'm afraid I can't say much about the rest as I don't really understand the various American exam systems and don't know what grades Cambridge look for in them.

Reply 4

The West Wing

18

You can do a swap at Clare College. We have one person from Columbia each year reading a tripos subject for a year (usually in their third year of Columbia). My college sister did that, she's doing Part II philosophy.

Reply 5

Mackeown

OP

shyopstv

This is the only question I am able to answer.

No, it would not be strange at all. A lot of people take gap years so start when they are 19 and you will only be a year older and there will be many students older than you. Most 18 year old students probably wouldn't even realise that you are 2 years older than them unless you tell them.

Great, thank you!

FadedJade

You should email the central admissions office with regards to questions about your grades. There's probably a few people about here that might be able to help but not many.

I can't answer any of the other questions either.

Yep, I think I'm going to call the admissions office tomorrow, just so I can start getting things together.

Supergrunch

Not at all, as shyopstv says. Loads of people start at around that age.

There's nothing quite like a double major, though there are probably a few things you might be able to do - it might be possible to do a year or two of one then switch for your last year or so, or less drastically you may be able to import a classics module into ASNaC. But I'm not sure of the specifics for this kind of thing in these subjects; you should look on the subject websites and/or ask Cambridge about it.

I'm afraid I can't say much about the rest as I don't really understand the various American exam systems and don't know what grades Cambridge look for in them.

Ok, interesting, thank you. I think I'll send an email to the ASNC Department with some of these questions.

The West Wing

You can do a swap at Clare College. We have one person from Columbia each year reading a tripos subject for a year (usually in their third year of Columbia). My college sister did that, she's doing Part II philosophy.

Yep, I know that's a study abroad program that Columbia offers, but the problem is that I wouldn't have any of base of knowledge for ASNC prior to studying at Cambridge. As much as I love Classics, I'm really looking for ASNC to be my focus as an undergraduate. Thanks for the suggestion though!

Reply 6

Daniel Freedman

7

IIRC, the admissions tutor at Gonville and Caius is a director of studies in ASNC. Use this to your advantage :smile:

Reply 7

Mackeown

OP

Daniel Freedman

IIRC, the admissions tutor at Gonville and Caius is a director of studies in ASNC. Use this to your advantage :smile:

Ah, very interesting! Thanks for the tip!

Reply 8

Miam!

OK, you probably already know this, but just in case, I'll say two things:

-Columbia has an exchange programme with Cambridge. Every year at my college we have one or two exchange students from there. I don't know if this applies to all subjects but we've definitely had people doing different things (economics and natsci as far as I remember). So you could maybe come here for a year ont he exchange and do ASNAC.

-If transferring now is not possible for you, there's an ASNAC "conversion course" (if that's how they call it) of two years that you can take after an undergraduate degree at another university. I know an American guy doing it, I could put you in touch. He has the same profile as you as he majored in Classics in the US.

Columbia to University of Cambridge

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