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how can I fulfill my dream of going to Cambridge?

I have just finished yr 11. I would really love to go to Cambridge University and study mathematics, it would a dream come true. I just wanted to know if there is anything I could do now during my summer holidays to prepare for applying to Cambridge. Should I be involving myself in lots of activities, reading specific books? I just want to do all that I can to get in. :smile:

Also, what GCSE grades would be required? Could you get in with no A*s, few As majority of Bs and a few Cs, even if you've acheived the required A*AA grades at A level?

Reply 1

Crimsonchilli

12

seriously
go do the DofE
and get loads of other random qualifications (life guard, sailing instructor for example)
To get into cambs you need a life aswell as intellect.
so yeah, as you said, loads of activities.

Reply 2

bluemax

16

you need alot of extracurriculars. I dunno for sure wht you need to do in the summers if you're planning to do maths.

Reply 3

Running Riot

I went to Cambridge and I have to say it's fairly easy to get in.

I got 3 Bs and 3 Cs (I took 6 A levels at once) but because I have a mental disorder (not diverging which one) they let me in anyway.

Reply 4

jcb914

11

You DO NOT need a lot of extra curricular activities! It's been said countless times on this forum - the sole criterion is academic potential/achievement. The best thing you can do is spend your summer learning as much maths as you can. Your interviews will be spent discussing mathematical problems, any chat about your life interests/hobbies/extra curriculars will be merely incidental and will not influence their decision to give you an offer. Their decision will be based on your grades/module scores (achieved and predicted) and on how well you answer/think through the maths questions they discuss with you at interview. And, to a lesser extent, the quality of your PS and reference.

Reply 5

Adam92

13

Running Riot

I went to Cambridge and I have to say it's fairly easy to get in.

I got 3 Bs and 3 Cs (I took 6 A levels at once) but because I have a mental disorder (not diverging which one) they let me in anyway.

Why don't I believe this?

I know someone who knows someone who had a mental disorder, and was predicted AAAA and didn't get an offer.

Reply 6

emilY?

1

Woah with the misinformation.

"Extracurriculars" and DofE etc etc. show "spare capacity", as does having a part time job. They are not prerequisite for entry.

Edit: beaten to it by jcb914 :p:

Reply 7

SouthernFreerider

12

research the STEP. make sure you dont underestimate the time it takes to prepare, the difficulty, etc..

i used my summer after yr11 to reaad a few maths books (recreational, not theory). well that was all the maths prep I did. good to just chill a bit and go hardcore later on.

I can recommend a few books if you want, I read like 10 overall, haha. stuck about 6 on my personal statement and did actually get asked about quite a few at interview.

basically, best read books and such to motivate yourself and just "know" maths better ya know. going to the biggest sixth form in the country, I saw about 15 or 16 people at least apply for cambridge maths. 2 (including me) got offers, and it was pretty clear why. I reaad a whole bunch of books, and I did more than just what the curriculum expected. the same goes for the girl that got an offer too. being very good at maths (and willing to work hard) is a prerequisite, but its not a sufficient condition to get an offer.

feel free to pm me if you need any specific advice or anything budd.

Reply 8

TruckBear

15

Crimsonchilli

seriously
go do the DofE
and get loads of other random qualifications (life guard, sailing instructor for example)
To get into cambs you need a life aswell as intellect.
so yeah, as you said, loads of activities.

Just not true. They only really care about proof of academic ability and academic potential.

Reply 9

Running Riot

Adam92

Why don't I believe this?

I know someone who knows someone who had a mental disorder, and was predicted AAAA and didn't get an offer.

Well maybe they don't have the same mental disorder as me.

The interviewer was very impressed with me, that's all I have to say.

Reply 10

Aaaaaaaargh!

16

Running Riot

I went to Cambridge and I have to say it's fairly easy to get in.

I got 3 Bs and 3 Cs (I took 6 A levels at once) but because I have a mental disorder (not diverging which one) they let me in anyway.

I detect phail.

So you have a mental disorder...why did you do 6 A levels at once then? :eek3:

But the above noob isn't worth talking about in this thread, so back on topic:

Get involved with you community as well as stuff in school. Oxbridge like "all round good eggs" :P

Reply 11

SouthernFreerider

12

o yeah, everyone saying about ECs is just plain wrong when it comes to maths.

the usefulness of it all is dubious even in other subjects. but with maths especially its ALL about ability and potential.

the only proper EC I put down on my personal statement was that I president of the "maths society" at college. which they asked about. but I didn't bother putting down:
managing director of young enterprise,
debating society,
physics society,
paid sports photographer,
all my sports team stuff.

most of it is seriously irrelevant.

i cant comment at EC relevance to medicine, etc... but for maths, it really doesn't matter.

Reply 12

Running Riot

Aaaaaaaargh!

I detect phail.

So you have a mental disorder...why did you do 6 A levels at once then? :eek3:

But the above noob isn't worth talking about in this thread, so back on topic:

Get involved with you community as well as stuff in school. Oxbridge like "all round good eggs" :P

I'm an over-achiever. I was put forward a year at school. The mental disorder is not related to my academic ability.

Reply 13

emilY?

1

Running Riot

I went to Cambridge and I have to say it's fairly easy to get in.

I got 3 Bs and 3 Cs (I took 6 A levels at once) but because I have a mental disorder (not diverging which one) they let me in anyway.

Adam92

Why don't I believe this?

I know someone who knows someone who had a mental disorder, and was predicted AAAA and didn't get an offer.

Cambridge and Oxford able to go much, much further in looking at each application as a whole due to funding. Each applicant can be considered uniquely, and the merits of each noted. There are no hard and fast rules, especially where CSAS is concerned.

Reply 14

crazybored

Running Riot

I went to Cambridge and I have to say it's fairly easy to get in.

I got 3 Bs and 3 Cs (I took 6 A levels at once) but because I have a mental disorder (not diverging which one) they let me in anyway.

I assume you mean 'divulging'...

Reply 15

Tipareth

5

Running Riot

I'm an over-achiever. I was put forward a year at school. The mental disorder is not related to my academic ability.

If it doesn't affect your academic ability, then why would they take it into account?

From my experience, if you have mental health issues, you still need pretty perfect grades anyway.

Reply 16

username102860

10

Why do people who know nothing about the process continue to perpetuate silly little myths such as the importance of ECs? It's just exacerbating this culture of misinformation surrounding Oxbridge.

As for the OP, if you score outstanding UMS in your Maths A-Level and are extremely good at Maths, then yes, you stand a chance.

Reply 17

Robbie10538

9

Read around the subject
Go over basic A-level stuff early, the sooner you can look at harder maths questions i.e. step, aea, oxford aptitute test, olympiad the better- (you probably wont be able to do these for a while though)

go to cambridge

Running Riot

I went to Cambridge and I have to say it's fairly easy to get in.

I got 3 Bs and 3 Cs (I took 6 A levels at once) but because I have a mental disorder (not diverging which one) they let me in anyway.

statistically untrue.

how can I fulfill my dream of going to Cambridge?

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