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Discover why Cambridge is a top 5 university in the world with small-group teaching, superb graduate prospects, and a supportive collegiate system. Learn about the application process, assessments, and personal statement tips. Prepare for interviews and explore resources available to help you succeed.
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Applying to Cambridge Kathryn Singleton • Schools Liaison Officer • St Catharine’s College
Why Cambridge? • One of the top 5 universities in the world • Be taught by leading experts • Small-group teaching (‘supervisions’) • Excellent graduate opportunities, irrespective of degree discipline • Life-long careers service • Academic, pastoral and financial support • In the UK’s top 5 universities for extra curricular activities • Most students guaranteed university accommodation for full degree!
Collegiate System • Around 30 Cambridge Colleges • UCAS will ask you for a preferred College • A College is like a mini campus, providing a base for students: • Accommodation, dining and recreation • Organise supervisions (All exams and all other teaching take place in the department with students from other colleges) • Facilities for academic study • Academic and pastoral care (college nurse, director of studies, tutor, counsellor, student committee)
What are we looking for? Academic ability and potential Subject requirements Suitability for chosen course Particular backgrounds Genuine subject interest – motivation and enthusiasm Particular school types Irrelevant extra-curricular activities
Application Process • SAQ (Supplementary Application Questionnaire) 22nd October UCAS Application 15th October Written work and pre-interviewassessments Decision (yes/no/ pooled) January Interview + assessment December
What is assessed? A lot is taken into account: • Academic record: • Typical A-Level offers: A*AA for arts and A*A*A for sciences • Personal statement • School or college reference • Submitted written work, if requested • Assessment results • Interview • Contextual data • Extenuating Circumstances Form: • medical condition • significant caring responsibilities • recent bereavement / family illness • other disruption to your education – ask us!
Personal Statements Personal statements go to all the Universities you apply to through UCAS – should be general and about the subject, rather than specific course/uni Why you want to do the course: • Explain your enthusiasm for subject • Future plans (if any) • How your academic study has prepared you • Other preparations – work experience, training, responsibilities, extra reading • (Extracurricular activities) Cambridge Admissions Tutors’ advice: • Literate, simple, focused • Truthful • Individual, reflective, invites questions See UCAS website for their guide to personal statements
Interviews • Enthusiasm for your course • Discuss information you gave in your personal statement and SAQ • Other relevant interests, reading, news, submitted work • Thinking about new concepts, using skills from school • Problems, texts, articles • Evidence of how you think, not what you know • Don’t worry if you find it challenging! Check out the University of Cambridge’s YouTube channel for example interviews and lots of advice
Keep in touch with St Catharine’s College (Catz) Kathryn Singleton (Schools Liaison Officer): @Caths_SLO SLO@caths.cam.ac.uk Unfortunately Catz doesn’t admit undergraduate students for: Architecture, Education, History of Art, or Linguistics caths.cam.ac.uk/schools for a copy of this PowerPoint