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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 in your subject Small-group teaching Excellent graduate opportunities, irrespective of degree discipline
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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 in your subject • Small-group teaching • Excellent graduate opportunities, irrespective of degree discipline • UK’s best university careers service • Academic, pastoral and financial support • Guaranteed university accommodation for your full degree!
Why Cambridge? • Over 800 university clubs and societies • Over 80 sports • Music and Arts • Student-run newspapers and magazines • In the UK’s top 5 universities for extra curricular activities
Why Cambridge? Excellent and varied teaching style Lectures Seminars Practicals Independent study Other students Supervisions
Collegiate System • Around 30 Cambridge Colleges across the city • 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 other teaching takes place at department with students from other colleges) • Facilities for academic study • Academic and pastoral care
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 Choose course and college 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 • Typical IB offers: between 40 and 42 points out of 45, with 776 in Higher Level subjects • Personal statement • School or college reference • Submitted written work, where requested • Assessment results, where required • Interview • Contextual data • Extenuating Circumstances Scheme: • 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
Find out more • Catz • Open Days • 7th July • 8th Sept • 15th Sept • Book via the Open Days page of our college website: caths.cam.ac.uk University Open Days 5th July 6th July Book via undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk Schools Liaison Officer (Me): @Caths_SLO SLO@caths.cam.ac.uk caths.cam.ac.uk/schools for a copy of this PowerPoint Unfortunately St Catharine’s doesn’t admit undergraduate students for: Architecture, Education, History of Art, or Linguistics!