Tom Wilks Schools Liaison Officer Clare College Cambridge

Tom Wilks Schools Liaison Officer Clare College Cambridge Applying to Cambridge The Truth, not the myths

MYTH 1 – You have to be a Genius to go to Cambridge I am not a genius! You must be bright, have a genuine interest and curiosity for your subject and be performing in the top few percent Any student capable of AAA* at A-level should be considering Cambridge!

MYTH 2 – You have to be posh to go to Cambridge, I won’t fit in there There is no typical personality type at Cambridge, students always find a niche People come from all sorts of backgrounds Different Schools Different Beliefs Different Countries and Places Different Backgrounds Cambridge is no different from any other University – you will always find plenty of like-minded people

MYTH 3 – There is bias against certain school types in the admissions process Recent figures show that 91% of teachers underestimate the proportion of State School students at Oxbridge The numbers are usually between 50% and 60%. School type IS NOT looked at in the admissions process. A student's academic achievement is placed in the context of their school. We cannot admit students who do not apply!

MYTH 4 – The odds are stacked against me! The odds of getting a place at Cambridge are about 1 in 4. Many other Universities have far more applicants per place Remember that you have 4 other choices on your UCAS form! It is impossible to get in if you do not apply!

University Admissions Stats

MYTH 5 – Cambridge only select people who are all-rounders (i.e. good at everything) We select on academic ability alone. No amount of extracurricular achievement will make up for a poor academic record. Enthusiasm, knowledge and interest of your subject are far more important. We are far more interested in whether or not you will excel at your chosen subject than in other areas.

MYTH 6 – You must be confident and eloquent to succeed at interview Quiet people often perform well at interview. The interviews are designed to test your thinking skills, not your speaking skills. As long as you can put across your knowledge and enthusiasm you will be fine. The best preparation for interviews is to get used to speaking about your subject outside of lessons.

MYTH 7 – There’s so much work you don’t have time for any fun Cambridge students participate in a huge range of activities outside their studies. Sports Drama Music And other activities you may not even have heard of.... Cambridge has more students societies than any other UK University…

CambridgeFlava Camera - The Cambridge Film Journal CU Campaign Against Depleted Uranium Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq Campus Children's Holidays Cambridge Canadian Club CU Card Playing Society CU Caving Club CU Ceilidh Band CU Central Asia Society CU Central European Society CU Chabad Jewish Society CU Chamber Choir Cambridge Chamber Opera Company CU Chemical Engineering Society Chess Club CU Chinese Chess Society Cambridge Chinese Corps CU Chinese Cultural Society CU Chinese Orchestra Society CU Chinese Society Chinese Students and Scholars Association in Cambridge CU Choose Life CU Christian Drama Society Christian Graduate Society Christians in Unity in Cambridge Christmas in Cambridge CitizenCAM Society - The Alternative Classical Drama Society CU Clay Pigeon Shooting Club CU Clinical Students Society Clio - Cambridge University History Society The CNY Trust CU Cocktail Society CU College Republicans CU Colombian Society CU Comics and Animation Society CU Commonwealth Society CU Concert Band CU Conservative Association Contact CU Contemporary Dance Workshop CU Croquet Club Crusaders Cricket Club CU Curling Club Cymdeithas Y Mabinogi (Welsh Society) CU Society for the Philosophy of Mathematics and the Mathematical Sciences CU Photography Society CU Physics Society CU Polyglossia - The Cambridge University Modern Languages Journal CU Pool Club CU Cypriot Society CU Dance, Drama And Live Entertainment Society (CUDDLES) Cambridge Dancers Club Diplomacy Society CU Diving Club Cambridge University Drag Hounds CU Duke of Edinburgh's Award Society CU Dutch and Flemish Society East Africa Cambridge CU Energy Network Engineering World Health Engineers without Borders - UK CU English Society CU Entrepreneurs CU Environmental Consulting Society CU Society for Ethnomusicology European Theatre Group European Union Society Expeditions Society FaCE-CU Theatre Fair Trading Society CU Faith Forum CU Family Society Cambridge Filipino Students' Society CU Film and Television Society CU Finnish Society CU Fire Troupe CU First Aid Society First Move Theatre Society Fisher Society Fitzwilliam Museum Society Footlights Dramatic Club Forum for Political Economics CU French Society CU Frontiers Society CU Gaelic Athletic Club CU Gaming Society German Society CU Ghanaian Society Gilbert & Sullivan Society The Cambridge Globalist Society CU Go Society Gog Magog Molly CU Graduate Dining Society CU Graduate Lawyers Society CU Graduate Mathematics Society CU Strong & Humorous Women Student Action for Refugees (STAR) CU Student Alliances Student Community Action CU Student Green Belt Project Cambridge Student Law Review Cambridge Student Liberal Democrats CU Student Pugwash Society Student Run Computing Facility Cambridge Graduate Orchestra CU Graduate Publication Society CU Gray's Inn Association Guild of Change Ringers CU Handel Opera Group Cambridge Hands-on Science CU Harry Potter Society CU Hellenic Society CU Heraldic and Genealogical Society Herodoteans CU Hillwalking Club CU Himalayan ELST Society CU Hindu Cultural Society CU Hispanic Society Hong Kong and China Affairs CU Humanism Society Iberia Society CU India Society CU Inner Temple Society Inter-Varsity Folk Dance Festival Intercollegiate Christian Union CU International Development CU International Education and Training Cambridge International Studies Association CU Investment Club CU Iraq Society CU Ireland Society CU Irish Dancing Society CU Islamic Society CU Israel Society CU Italian Society CU J.E. Searle Society CU Japanese Interdisciplinary Forum CU Jazz Orchestra Society CU Jewish Society Jiu-Jitsu Club CU Jugglers' Association CU Karate-Do Shotokai CU Kendo Society CU Kenya Project CU Kickboxing Society CU Korean Society CU Kosovar's Society CU Krishna Consciousness Society Cambridge Kuidaore CU Kung Fu Club Welcome International Students CU Wilderness Medicine Society CU Wine Society CU Wireless Society CU World College Society Cambridge Wu Shu Kwan Society CU Yoga Society CU Social Documentary Film Society ABACUS CU Acrobatic Martial Arts Society Cambridge Active Christian Transformation (CAMACT) CU Aikido Society Alabaster Productions Amateur Dramatic Club CU American Stage Tour CU Amnesty International Amoral Sciences Club CU Andean Archaeology Society Anglo-Japanese Society CU Arabic Society Archaeological Field Club Archaeological Review from Cambridge Archimedeans Architectes Sans Frontieres Cambridge CU Art Society Cambridge Asclepion CU Asia Law and Business Association CU Asian Exchange Association of Cambridge Studies Astronomical Society CU Athletic Cartwheeling Society CU Australian and New Zealand Society CU Automobile Club Baha'i Society CU Ballet Club CU Bangladesh Society CU Baroque Ensemble (CUBE) CU Basic Life Support Group CU Belarusian Society CU Biological Society Biology in Business CU Blind Wine Tasting Society Blue Hug CU Bobbin Lace-Making Club CU Bosnian Society CU Brass Band Society CU Breakdance Club CU Bridge Club Bridge Programme (FOCUS) CU Buddhist Society CU Business School Club CU Calligraphy Society Cambridge Futures CU Labour Club CU Law Society CU Society for Women Lawyers CU Lawyers Without Borders CU Life Extension and Rejuvenation CU Life Saving Club CU Light Entertainment Society CU Lindy Hoppers CU Lion Dance Troupe CU Literature Society Cambridge Societies All these Societies!

MYTH 7 – Cambridge is an expensive place to go to University Cambridge charges the same tuition fees as the majority of other Universities The bursary scheme and financial support is the most generous in the country There are little or no transport costs, you get 3 years of college accommodation, the terms are short and entertainment is very cheap Cambridge can work out being one of the cheapest of the higher tier Universities in the UK in which to live and work

MYTH 8 – Gowns must be worn at all times This isn’t Harry Potter! Although the colleges differ in their policies, the most that will be expected is that you wear your gown for formal dinner in hall – you don’t have to wear it for lectures!

The Truth… Cambridge is… a World-class University a great place to learn, with small teaching groups well equipped with state-of-the-art facilities the University with the lowest drop-out rate in the country full of bright, motivated and interesting people from all kinds of backgrounds