to think this Cambridge college could have made more effort?

[nandio]

DC was invited to a Cambridge college essay competition winners' lunch. The food was excellent although the event was underwhelming. No photos were taken for the website (previous winners are on there), no college tour was organised and the certificate looks like a primary school kid formatted it.

My reason for posting is that my DC really wanted to attend this college and I'm now wondering if they should reassess.

Does it not really matter in the grand scheme of things or is it a red flag for how this college might operate on a broader level?

Does anyone have any similar experiences to post about?

Assuming they haven’t changed in the last 20 years brace yourself for disappointment at the actual degree certificates from Cambridge should your son go there. DF took one look and commented that the 10m swimming certificates he handed out in assemblies were more impressive 😂

They could have maybe done a bit of a tour of grounds, chapel and a typical room but like others have said it won’t add much to what you can see on line or just from arriving at the college for the lunch.

In terms of should he still apply there that’s impossible to answer as there is so much to consider when picking a college - typical entry requirements, location, funding available, typical room costs, directors of studies etc.

Ultimately it will be your child who has to attend the college in question, not you (if they are accepted - it's not clear if they already have been).
So they have to make the decision - not you.

In terms of open days you will find that Oxbridge isn't going to try and sell itself because as others have said it doesn't have to.

I have to say that the effort made by all the colleges we visited in July at Oxford was immense - the students really sold their colleges well.

The dept. talks (I was sent to the parents' one when my niece went to the students' talk for her subject, as accompanying adults were not allowed in for space reasons) stressed how competitive it was, mind.

It made me intensely jealous of them, I have to admit!

Thanks for the reassurance; I'm so glad I posted rather than continue with a niggling doubt.

DC will go ahead and apply to this college and not attach any significance to how the event was handled.

bloody mumsnet

OP I 'get you'. When a person, especially a young person, works hard and gains an award given by one of the most prestigious universities in the world, it's a bit of a let down if the event feels a bit unconvincing. Nobody rational would say the college owed the children anything, but why bother hold a competition if all one will get is a free meal and token certificate that doesn't feel special.

No I wouldn't use the trip as a basis for (de)selection.

You’re having a wobble! When’d did you get accepted?

'but why bother hold a competition if all one will get is a free meal and token certificate that doesn't feel special.'

Because writing the essay, which will take you a bit beyond your A level thinking, will be an intrinsically valuable exercise and if you are fortunate enough to win it will look great on your personal statement and be a massive confidence boost if you need one.
Who apart from your proud parents and granny is going to even look at the certificate?!

I'd imagine the certificate was definitely an afterthought as i wouldn't really expect one for something like that.

Top universities expend a lot of effort on selling themselves in all sorts of ways eg outreach events, political lobbying. So yes it does sound like they dropped the ball slightly in terms of a glamourous event. But in terms of the academic value of doing the essay, the most valuable thing was to hold the competition and possibly some feedback on the essay?? That's what i would have wanted.

'weren't expecting the red carpet treatment, just something a little slicker. I've seen FE colleges do a better job of selling themselves'

No Cambridge College needs to 'sell itself'.

This isn't the University of Wolverhampton you're talking about.

The name Cambridge belongs in the bracket as Harvard..

It sounds like the main thing that you would have liked is a photo of the award being presented which could have then gone up on the website/school's website, I think that was a reasonable expectation actually, and it's a shame they didn't do that. Visiting the college, the meal, the tour, the paper certificate (that's what you get as a graduate, a piece of paper!) all sound fine.

No bearing on what it will be like to be an undergrad there, the two things aren't related.

If it's Churchill or Murray Edwards, they're hardly shining pieces of architecture to tour round are they?