Oxbridge Admissions - Profiles

Application

University: Cambridge

College (if made an open application, allocated college): Newnham

Course: Classics

Year in (not for!) which you applied: 1996

Final outcome: offer made

Applicant

Qualification: A-levels

When did you apply in terms of your qualification? pre-qualification

Are you a home/EU/overseas applicant? N/A

What is your country of origin? N/A

What type of school/college do/did you attend? Independent - selective

GCSE or a similar equivalent taken: yes (9 A*,2 A)

A-levels

A2: Chemistry (A at AS; predicted A; gained A at A2)

A2: French (A at AS; predicted A; gained A at A2)

A2: Latin (A at AS; predicted A; gained A at A2)

A2: Mathematics (A at AS; predicted A; gained A at A2)

Details about the offer

Type of offer: conditional

Specific conditions: A in Latin

Other conditions: AAB

Have you accepted the offer? yes

Have you applied to other universities you consider very close, 'on par' or even better than oxbridge? (Ivies, Sorbonne, LSE..others for different subjects) N/A

Have you met the offer? offer met

Decisions about the application

For what reasons did you apply to Oxbridge?

Because they are they best universities

How did you decide between Oxford and Cambridge?

Cambridge has a broader Classics course, I like the town better and my brother was at Cambridge

Why did you choose this college/make an open application?

Loved the atmosphere when I came to look round, really nice gardens, good kitchen facilities, right opposite the Classics faculty (and all arts Faculties), college strong in Classics

Preparation

Did your school/college give you any extra tuition or help prior to your interview or application? no

Not much

Do you have any advice for future applicants in terms of preparation?

Be able to talk about your A level set texts if doing A level Latin/Greek, read up something else in case you are asked what else interests you. Be prepared to engage in general intellectual debate. Remember that what they are looking for is your potential (both academically and as a whole) not what you know/do now.

Interview

Did you have to sit any pre-interview exams (LNAT/BMAT/..)? no

Did you have to submit any written work prior to the interview? yes

An essay, which I had to write specially, but I don't think it was very important in the selection procedure.

Did you have to take any exams as part of your interview(s)? no

How was/were in general your interview(s)?

I had three interviews, each with one person in their rooms. All the interviewers were polite and non-threatenting: it sounds odd but it was actually quite an enjoyable experience, although I was very nervous.

What questions were you asked during your interview(s)?

Everything from "Why do you want to do Classics" to whether childhood was an artificial construct. A mixture of Classics related and general questions.

What did you wear to your interview(s), and why?

Jacket and skirt, because I wanted to look as though I'd made an effort.

Impressions

What was your general impression of the college that you applied to/any others you visited?

Very civilised college, but not pretentious or stuffy, really friendly outgoing students,

If seen, please describe the college accommodation eg. size of rooms, facilities.

Rooms in good condition, size variable but often big with quality furniture, excellent kitchens, clean bathrooms, beautiful grounds, all on one site including sports facilities.

How was the food provided by the college?

Good

Special diets catered for.

How did you find the tutors in the college?

Down to earth and approachable

Generally, what were the college students like (from what you saw of them)?

Really friendly, people were there to show applicants round and they hosted coffee parties in the evening.

Final stage

Please describe what happened when you received the letter/the call telling you whether you had a place or not.

I was very happy, because I'd got a place and the offer was AAB.

Looking back

If you were to re-live that year of your life again, would you still apply?

Yes, because I've had a wonderful time in Cambridge.

What advice do you have for potential applicants based on your experiences?

Newnham's a great college, and it doesn't matter that it's women only because it means that you socialise more outside of college and get to know a wider range of people.

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