This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

St Catz Cambridge

2

I am considering applying at St Catz for Economics. I wanted to find out about what people think of the college (facilities, food, accomodation etc) and also about how competitive it is for Economics. There are a few reasons why I particularly like this college:

1) Centrally located
2) Interview only for admission
3) Looks+ sounds good in the prospectus

I would really appreciate if people can share their opinion about the college and especially in relation to Economics.

Does the college really prefer Further Maths? (for Economics)
What is the private/state ratio? (I am at an Independant school)
Does 'interview only' make it any easier to get into?

Thanks

Reply 1

Willa

11

bluebird

1.Does the college really prefer Further Maths? (for Economics)
2.What is the private/state ratio? (I am at an Independant school)
3.Does 'interview only' make it any easier to get into?

Thanks

1. If they say they do, then they do, they wouldnt lie. But if you didnt have the option to do it at your school then they wont hold it against you...nor if you show the mathematical competancy to handle the course
2. From the people I know at the college, it's pretty average (I think the average is about 55:45 private:state
3. No. If anything it makes it harder cos it all rests on the interview. It may be easier cos you dont have a test, but if you screw up the interview you've blown your chance. If you screw up the interview but did well on a test, they'd probably be more considerate of that!

Reply 2

C4>O7

5

bluebird

Does 'interview only' make it any easier to get into?

Well it doesn't change the applicant :tongue:

lace ratio! Do you mean does it make it easier for weaker applicants to get places ahead of stronger applicants?..unlikely.

Reply 3

figgetyfig

2

Hi... I'm a first year at Catz (engineer though, not economist). I heard it was very competitive in my year for Economics, like 90 applicants for 10 places or something, but my year might have been a one off.

All the economists I know are better at maths than I am (bear in mind I'm an engineer), I think most of them did further maths, I didn't. If they say they prefer it, chances are they do. I cant remember what they said for engineering, I think they said it was useful but not essential, but 2 out of 8 of us engineers didnt do further maths and got in.

i'd say private/state school is about half and half.

apply for catz because its amazing, not because you want to get in easily.

as for your other questions, facilities/food/acommodation are pretty average for a cambridge college, there are a million things I could say, if you have any specific questions about stuff then feel free to ask and I will answer them.

Reply 4

Splinter

i know someone who is a first year at catz for eco right now, and he is ludicrously clever. Didnt study eco before, but read loads and loads around the subject. So i would understand that its competitive.
Didnt someone on TSR this year get into Catz?

Reply 5

rockindemon1

which first year economist do you know? The one outstandingly clever economist is yuri who could have walked a 1st months ago.

Reply 6

yumi

bluebird

I am considering applying at St Catz for Economics. I wanted to find out about what people think of the college (facilities, food, accomodation etc) and also about how competitive it is for Economics. There are a few reasons why I particularly like this college:

1) Centrally located
2) Interview only for admission
3) Looks+ sounds good in the prospectus

I would really appreciate if people can share their opinion about the college and especially in relation to Economics.

Does the college really prefer Further Maths? (for Economics)
What is the private/state ratio? (I am at an Independant school)
Does 'interview only' make it any easier to get into?

Thanks

St Catz is a lovely college if u don't care much about the size. I got an offer from them to read Economics.

I only picked up Further Maths(for M1,P4 & P5, was going to do P6 but the school doesn't teach it this year) in the Upper 6th. They didn't mention anything about Further Maths either on their prospectus or during interviews. I'm not quite sure whether they are really concerned about Further Maths but I think they'd like to see that u'r competent on Maths.
Also I suggest u do some Further Pure Maths modules. It will definitely be helpful when u start the Maths part of the course. I've looked one of the Maths books they recommended on the reading list. Most of them are P4 P5 stuff(integration of implicitly defined function etc)and there's also a bit about Matrices which is in P6.

Don't know about the private/state ratio. I'm at an independent school in England but then I'm an overseas student.

Interview-only can be an advantage if u'r not confident about doing an admission test or discussing ur essay. Personally one of the reasons I chose Catz is because I didn't really wanna spend too much time preparing admission tests.

As for how competitive it is, according to their reply to my friend's e-mail, for 2005 entry there were 7-8 applicants per place for Economics.

Hope it helps. :smile:

Reply 7

groovy_moose

1

I got in this year, but for deferred entry. i thought the college was lovely when i went, but it's just as well really because it was a fairly random decision on my behalf... :rolleyes:

Reply 8

bluebird

OP

2

Thanks everyone-that was really helpful.

I am really confused as to which college i should choose. To be honest i am fairly good at Maths at the moment ( AS) but then again its very easy. I reckon i could get 295+ in Maths AS but cant do further maths at school (too late). Do you think i should FM in the Summer myself? I am really keen to do Economics because i am very interested in the subject and regularly read the FT. I really dont want to sit another exam to get into Cambridge (e.g. TSA) so for me its either a school essay or just an interview. I guess an essay would allow me to prepare before the interview. Could someone tell me what the essay should be about.

Which college had the least applicants for Economics last year?
(i.e. where are the chances best)

+ What is an interviewer looking for from an Economics applicant? (briefly)

Thanks to everyone who replied to my earlier posts- it is such a great help reading about other peoples experiences.

Bluebird

Reply 9

groovy_moose

1

Which college had the least applicants for Economics last year?
(i.e. where are the chances best)

You've got to remember that they won't take people unless they genuinely think they're good enough becasue they canhave the pick of the bunch. Even if an individual college gets fewer applications one year then there is always the pool system to even it out - they don't have to take anyone who applies there...

Reply 10

amateurish

4

groovy_moose

You've got to remember that they won't take people unless they genuinely think they're good enough becasue they canhave the pick of the bunch. Even if an individual college gets fewer applications one year then there is always the pool system to even it out - they don't have to take anyone who applies there...

also, a college can have hardly any applicants for a subject one year and then loads the next because everyone thinks 'ooh look! they didn't have any applicants, i'll apply there'. so you can't really predict it - much better to just pick somewhere you like the look of. :smile:

Reply 11

bluebird

OP

2

What does it mean by 'preparatory study at interview' and 'test at interview'

What is the difference between the two?

Is it worth considering the method of assessment?

Reply 12

Splinter

rockindemon1

which first year economist do you know? The one outstandingly clever economist is yuri who could have walked a 1st months ago.

the guy from my school that went was Michael Zoubaida. I mean i dont know how he is doing at university, but he was very clever at school.

Reply 13

Lillith Grimore

bluebird

What does it mean by 'preparatory study at interview' and 'test at interview'

What is the difference between the two?

Is it worth considering the method of assessment?

For law you do a prep study thing at interview (I mean, you've already done LNAT, it would be unfair to do another stupid test *rambles incoherently about the pointlessness of LNAT...*) which means that half and hour before your first interview you're given a number of written scenarios (I had three) and a piece of law of apply to each situation (mine was about liability). In the subject scepific interview they then discuss this with you, just to see how your mind works - they'll maybe give you extra pieces of information to see if that changes your viewpoint. Basically (for law anyway) they want to see how well you can argue, how logically you can rpesent an argument and how you can adapt your view according to useful/useless pieces of information.

Test at interview is generally a written test, often the TSA (thinking skills assessment) which is a mix of critical thinking and logic problems. I wouldn't pick based on what they say they're going to do at interview personally - a friend of mine was considering Downing and Sidney for NatSci and picked Sidney becuase there was no test. They gave him a test anyway.

Reply 14

yumi

Just to let u know, they did ask me to read a copy of Financial Times 30 mins before my interview. I had to choose one article and discussed it with my interviewers.

Reply 15

Mike1086

Lillith Grimore

I wouldn't pick based on what they say they're going to do at interview personally - a friend of mine was considering Downing and Sidney for NatSci and picked Sidney becuase there was no test. They gave him a test anyway.

Yeh, I'd echo this. I've heards stories about people expecting no test and getting them, and vise-versa. Just go for whichever one you like best.

St Catz Cambridge

Related discussions

Articles for you