Cambridge and beyond - application numbers since Covid

[Willow678]

DC is interested in Cambridge and so we’ve been looking at the application stats by college since 2019. Obviously Covid /TAGS upset numbers of applicants and acceptances significantly for most unis but it is still a bit of a shock to see application numbers go up by 50-100% for the course DC is interested in between 2019 and 2022 (2022 being the worst) so chance of getting a place has literally halved in some cases.

Are acceptance rates expected to return to re covid levels or is this it from now on?

thanks !

More competitive from now on I'm afraid. Combination of increased demand for uni plus growing numbers of 18 year olds.

18m more people in the UK than when I was born here too does not help. That is another reason we don't have enough homes for students or others to rent too, just so many people more. 1m a year immigration (500,000 net immigration) too

Which course/subject @Willow678 ?

@Malbecfan
Hsps
2019 - 1089 applications for 237 offers
2022 - 1482 applications for 188 offers
some colleges much bigger % increase although small numbers obviously

Is your DS thinking of applying in 2023, Willow678? Yes, some subjects do seem to have seen a significant increase in applicants in recent years - HSPS being one of them, also Geography.

Don't forget, grade inflation in 2020, 2021 and 2022 will have meant many more had the grades to give it a shot. Overall applicant numbers do generally creep up slightly year on year, but not as sharply as in those years - particularly the 2021 cycle.

Is your DS applying from the independent or state sector?

Also if you Google - 'UCAS 2022 Early Applications Statistics,' you can see these are already published by UCAS in various charts - inclusive or exclusive of medicine applications. It does look like overall early applications are slightly up again on last year, though there no telling how this will play out for specific courses.

@pa1ace thanks. Yes planning to apply this year for 2024, state sector . Hsps does appear to have increased disproportionately- I guess it will be interesting to see if the numbers are still this high for 2023 entry

I think you just have to work on the assumption that for HSPS, there are about 10 applicants for every place. It helps to be realistic probably. Anything he can do to boost his application - eg. essay competitions - will help his application to stand out. Is he going to do an EPQ?

@pa1ace yes - trying hard to come up with an equally attractive plan b! Just a pity there’s been such a massive change in numbers for that subject. Currently has a place on an outreach programme which gives one ‘supervision’ a month with a Cambridge tutor in your subject. Hope that will be beneficial, amongst other things.

@Willow678 the outreach programmes are really good. DD was involved in a couple of them as an undergrad and was very happy when some of her mentees got interviews.

As the saying goes, you have to be in it to win it, and your DC has just as good a chance as anyone else. Make sure they have lots of relevant things in their personal statement and stick around here.

Is this HSPS OP?

Oh sorry - missed that you said that. My DS applied last year and it was certainly popular on MN. I guessed from your figures it was HSPS!

I think it's because it is now seen as a Cambridge equivalent to PPE. It was less popular a few years ago because it was new.

Happy to share state school DS's experiences if that helps. We think he possibly chose the wrong college but also that the info online is a bit misleadingly cosy.

@Malbecfan thanks , yes worth a try! Like I said we just need an attractive plan b to take the pressure off.
@Piggywaspushed thanks will pm you