I’m applying to Cambridge… what do they want from me?

First off, don’t panic! Many people have the idea that admissions tutors are measuring you against some kind of “ideal Cambridge student” blueprint, but this is absolutely not true. Cambridge is made up of a wide variety of students, with varying interests, backgrounds and ideas; the aim of the admissions process is to get a sense of who you are, how well you’re suited to your chosen course, and whether Cambridge is the right place for you to flourish.

One tricky thing about the UCAS system is having a one-size-fits-all personal statement – not ideal when you’re applying to five different courses! Universities are aware of this, so don’t worry. You can use the relatively short UCAS personal statement to succinctly convey your motivations for choosing your broad subject area and outline how you have prepared yourself to embark on further study. Shortly after you’ve submitted your UCAS application, you'll be sent a separate email to complete Cambridge’s online Supplementary Application Questionnaire (SAQ). Here is your chance to explain exactly why this particular course is such an exciting prospect, and how your experience would be a great addition to next year’s cohort. I’d say don’t be afraid to think a little outside the box – if there’s a slightly quirky reason for your subject choice, feel free to mention it (provided it’s relevant, of course)! Cambridge interviews are a taste of the university’s supervision system, which sees students regularly meet, either individually or in small groups, with their supervisors to discuss course material more deeply. The interview is a good indicator of whether this style of teaching is right for you, and is an opportunity for interviewers to understand your thought process. Here you can think out loud and show the interviewer how you are approaching the problem, even if you don’t necessarily get to a perfect answer – prospective students need to be teachable and able to communicate with their supervisors, but certainly aren’t expected to know it all already.