How I got into Cambridge – students head home to share tips with school pupils during Conference series

sb726 — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 10:13:28 +0000

̽��ֱ��annual Oxford and Cambridge Student Conferences series is taking place across the UK this month (March) - and will give accurate, up-to-date information to potential applicants and offer them the opportunity to meet current students at both universities.

̽��ֱ��Conferences will take place in Edinburgh, Swansea, Birmingham, Aintree, Newcastle, Lisburn and Epsom between 15-28 March.

Cambridge students are actively involved as volunteers in initiatives to increase the number of applicants from state schools and other under-represented groups, and they are keen to return to their home areas to talk to and encourage potential applicants.

Blane Jones, 19, is a former pupil at Coleg Gwent at Crosskeys near Newport. He is in his first year studying English at Robinson College and will be attending the Liberty Stadium event in Swansea on Monday 18 March.

He said: “These conferences are such a good idea – the background information you can get is priceless when it comes to applying. I applied to Cambridge because, for me, the course content was the best in the country.

“My advice for those applying would be to enjoy the process. ̽��ֱ��interview is intellectually challenging, but essentially just a really interesting conversation. You need to grab the whole process by the collar and just go with it.”

Juliette Thomas, 19, is a former pupil of Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School in Sutton Coldfield. She is studying Modern and Medieval Languages at Jesus College and will be helping at the Conference in Birmingham on Tuesday 19 March.

She said: “When I was at school I went to the Conference in Birmingham and I met loads of people from the area that seemed really normal and didn’t fit the ‘Cambridge stereotype’ I had in my mind.

“My biggest tip for getting into Cambridge is to do as much research as you can. Read both the prospectus and the alternative prospectus, and the ̽��ֱ�� website, and if you have any specific admissions queries, email Cambridge Admissions Office. Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� Student Union’s (CUSU) website also features an ‘Ask a Student’ email address run by student volunteers.

“Also, don’t believe the myth that Cambridge is more expensive than other universities - there is funding for students that might find themselves in financial difficulty.”

Matthew Coombes, 20, is a former pupil of Lord Lawson of Beamish Academy in Gateshead who will be at the Newcastle event at St James' Park on Thursday 21 March. He is in his second year studying Land Economy at Homerton College.

He said: “It’s great to go back home to speak to students who are in the same position I was a couple of years ago. I want to tell them about my own experience and encourage them to apply.

“My tip for applying to Cambridge is to make sure you can talk knowledgeably about your subject. And be resourceful if needs be. I wasn’t able to find suitable work experience in my field of study, so instead I read as much as I could in the journals I could find in Newcastle – it meant I was able to discuss the ideas with confidence during my interview.”

Ruth Augarde, 21, is a former pupil of Durham Johnston Comprehensive School. She is in her second year studying engineering at Peterhouse and will also be at the St James' Park event.

She said: “My advice would be to research your course thoroughly. Find out about the content, how the supervision works. Engineering obviously isn't something you can study at A-level, so when I was in Year 12 I was able to find out more about the Cambridge course by attending this Conference.

“I was so keen on my course and studying at Cambridge that the distance between home and Cambridge wasn't a big concern for me. I'm so glad I applied - there are so many people from so many different backgrounds here."

Sessions for students will give an overview of courses available at Cambridge, how to make an application, student life and finance, and the interview process. Admissions tutors will be available to talk to both pupils and teachers.

Rachel Lister, Head of Student Recruitment and Widening Participation at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, said: “Each year, staff and students from both Cambridge and Oxford Universities hit the road and head out to all corners of the UK to try to encourage more teenagers to consider applying for the range of courses they offer.

“At each venue we go to, we invite schools from the area to bring their pupils along to ask questions and learn more about life at two of the country’s leading Universities. It’s always satisfying to inspire young people to apply, who may have previously thought a place at Cambridge or Oxford was beyond their reach.”

̽��ֱ��conferences will take place at seven large venues in the UK. For directions to each location and detailed schedules go to www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/events/student-conferences

Edinburgh - Friday 15 March 2019, Corn Exchange – 9.30am to 3.30pm
Swansea - Monday 18 March 2019, Liberty Stadium – 9.30am to 3.30pm
Birmingham - Tuesday 19 March 2019, Edgbaston Cricket Ground - 9.30am to 3.30pm
Aintree - Wednesday 20 March 2019, Aintree Racecourse - 9.30am to 3.30pm
Newcastle - Thursday 21 March 2019, St James’ Park - 9.30am to 3.30pm
Lisburn, NI - Tuesday 26 March 2019, Lagan Valley Island - 9.30am to 3.30pm
Epsom - Wednesday 27 March 2019 & Thursday 28 March 2019 - Epsom Downs Racecourse - 9.30am to 3.30pm

Thousands of Year 12 pupils will learn about life at Cambridge during a series of events at major UK venues – and get tips on securing a place from local students who are already studying at the ̽��ֱ��.

It’s great to go back home to speak to students who are in the same position I was a couple of years ago. I want to tell them about my own experience and encourage them to apply.

Matthew Coombes, Land Economy undergraduate at Homerton

Last year's Conference in Newcastle

̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright © ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – as here, on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.

Yes

Cambridge outreach films triumph again at the Eventia IVCA awards

sjr90 — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:40:58 +0000

Last year “Cambridge in Numbers” won the IVCA Gold Award for Best Post Production.

This year “My Cambridge” took two IVCA Bronze Awards, for Best Film and Best Photography.

“My Cambridge” features three current Cambridge students, who share their stories in their own words.

Engineering student Bryn Pickering came to Cambridge from Bethesda, North Wales. At Cambridge, he has worked as a mentor and a student ambassador in order to inspire and encourage other state school students to apply.

Asked why he volunteered for the film, Bryn said “I am passionate about widening participation in Cambridge. I hope that sharing my experience will give students an insight into what it’s really like applying and then being at Cambridge, so that they’ll be ready to look more into the possibility of Cambridge as a ̽��ֱ�� choice.”

Another of the students in the film, Heather McKay, from Ayrshire, told student newspaper Varsity, “As I’m from a state school myself, and had very few contacts to help me through my own application process, I thought it sounded like a project that was right up my street.”

Commenting on the awards, James Brown, Production Manager at Contra, the digital agency commissioned by the ̽��ֱ�� to create the film, said "It has been a real pleasure working alongside the ̽��ֱ�� throughout this project.

“Eventia IVCA currently host the largest corporate communications awards ceremony in Europe, so we were delighted not only to have been nominated in two of the toughest categories, but to leave with awards.

“We're delighted that Cambridge were thrilled with the double-award winning film.”

Rachel Lister, Head of Student Recruitment and Information for the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, and Jess Bond, Schools & Colleges Liaison Officer, collected the awards on behalf of the ̽��ֱ��.

Rachel said: “Our students are our best ambassadors. They give up their time to share their stories with young people from their home towns, their old schools, and from similar backgrounds to their own, encouraging them to see beyond the stereotypes.

“’My Cambridge’ features just three of these stories. We hope that prospective students who watch this film will go on to find out more about Cambridge and make their own minds up about whether to make us one of their university choices.”

“ ̽��ֱ��film has received very positive feedback and we are delighted that “My Cambridge” has been recognised by the IVCA.”

Watch "My Cambridge" here.

“My Cambridge,” one of the ̽��ֱ��’s series of films promoting the unique features of undergraduate life at the collegiate ̽��ֱ��, has won two IVCA Bronze Awards.

Our students are our best ambassadors.

Rachel Lister, Head of Student Recruitment and Information.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence. If you use this content on your site please link back to this page.

Yes

̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge - Rachel Lister

How I got into Cambridge – students head home to share tips with school pupils during Conference series

Cambridge outreach films triumph again at the Eventia IVCA awards