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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Cambridge college choice - tactical

277 replies

eggsbenedict23 · 11/09/2023 15:52

Is there any point looking at admission statistics for Cambridge colleges to see where is more likely to get in?

Is it worth choosing colleges tactically or does the pooling system eliminate this need?

My idea is that for Economics Trinity and Kings would be very very popular choices.

OP posts:
at49 · 19/09/2023 16:11

@Blodwen9
thanks. That’s a more reassuring way to look at it. I don’t know how involved I should be. I don’t think I ever get the balance right but the school wants to get all the PS and paperwork in by Friday so I guess it’s best they stick with their choice at this late stage

Blodwen9 · 19/09/2023 17:12

@at49 fwiw I share your pain! Dd has chosen a college which have historically only taken one in seven of their applicants. Her (less able) class mate has gone for the college who have historically chosen one in two.

he’s chosen without seeing the college

I’m hoping it’ll all come out in the wash!!

Leemum17 · 19/09/2023 17:19

Feel very similarly, it's hard to ignore those odds! There's also the in person vs online interview factor which might skew the numbers this year. Gut feel is more will apply to colleges with in person interviews but interested in other people's thoughts on this?

mondaytosunday · 19/09/2023 17:43

@Leemum17 my daughter would prefer in person interview for sure, but her bigger concern was that her favourite college is one of the few requiring a written assessment for her chosen course.
In the end, after visiting last Friday, she decided that she liked the college enough to accept the interview and assessment requirements.

Original poster
eggsbenedict23 · 19/09/2023 21:16

My son wants to do an in person interview for sure and spend the night

OP posts:
Hope4534 · 19/09/2023 21:31

Also worried that the small number of colleges offering in person interviews will mean they get many more applications (Dd favouring one of these for other reasons). Is anyone likely to prefer online?

mondaytosunday · 19/09/2023 21:54

Those having to travel a ways I suppose @Hope4534. Do you think it makes that much of a difference? My daughter was slightly disappointed but certainly wouldn't change her choice just based on that.

Hope4534 · 19/09/2023 22:11

@mondaytosunday i fear that there will be a significant preference for in person which means it may not be a good idea for DD to apply there .

mondaytosunday · 20/09/2023 00:28

@Hope4534 I guess I wasn't clear - her preferred college does online interviews. And it asks for a written assessment- one of only seven that do. Maybe both those factors will work in her favour!

ErrolTheDragon · 20/09/2023 11:32

Is anyone likely to prefer online?

I'd have thought so - we live in the north so getting to interviews was a significant amount of time and cost. Online may be preferable for kids who aren't so physically confident or feel more comfortable on their own turf. The interviewers will be well used to doing things online by now and be aware of the possibilities of technical glitches etc. I'm actually quite surprised that kids now, who are presumably very familiar with doing things online, would particularly prefer in person interviews.

Whenwillglorioussummercome · 20/09/2023 11:56

There will be many applicants who apply without any thought at all to success rates, so I don't think it's something to get tied in knots about at all. It seems to be, at best, an inexact science, and probably meaningless, given that no college is going to accept a weaker candidate (in their eyes - and this really is a subjective process in many ways) simply because they don't have many applying directly to that college.

ErrolTheDragon · 20/09/2023 13:06

My DD would not have put in an open application because she was adamant she did not want an all female college, for example, and preferred one was a decent balance between STEM and humanities.

Mine too. But then, when she got her pool offer from Murray Edwards - you've never seen someone do a 180° turn so quickly, working out all the positives!

Jaxx · 20/09/2023 13:35

The online/in person interview is tough to judge. Based on the History course, where applications to Trinity doubled I thought it made a big difference, but I have just checked the stats and across all courses applications were only up 10% and that doesn’t seem too out of line with normal year to year variations.

Prior to the open day my son said he’d prefer an online interview. Having changed his college choice he now sees the advantages of in person interviews 🙄. What will be will be.

Malbecfan · 20/09/2023 18:14

DD was pooled - the first she knew of it was opening the offer letter from a different college. We visited it in February half term, completely on spec and she loved it, accepted it, got the grades and had 4 great years there (Covid aside but even then this college was great about allowing her back). At her graduation, the Head of Admissions for NatSci in her college sought us out to tell us what a good choice he made in picking her from the pool.

The bike issue: I've written this before but we bought DD's from our local recycling centre for £8. DH put new brakes on it and in 2020 put new mudguards on. The lock was recommended by someone & came from Sports Direct. It's a hideous shade of pink which combined with the rust is an interesting combo. Her college put an official metal sticker thing on it. It lived in the college bike shed for 4 years until she moved to a house. If you can get a bike beforehand, it's probably a good idea. DD has a really nice bike at home - when she finally leaves C she will probably sell the pink/rusty one.

DD joined the Lido for swimming this summer and quite enjoyed it. She has been known to swim in the Cam in December (bloody idiot) but since the recent sewage issues has refrained. She and DH go to our local Christmas Day sea swim so it's not surprising.

@Girtonian makes some good points but don't worry about what to wear for an interview. They want students to be comfortable - DD wore jeans and a hoodie. DD was well aware of the sister colleges at O because one of her closest schoolfriends had an offer from there and they thought it would be great to go to sister colleges. Friend missed her offer, although has done amazingly and ended up doing a masters at C, so she and DD see each other regularly.

One of DD's orchestra friends from home went to Girton, mainly because he is autistic and he and his parents thought it would be better for him living a bit further from the hustle and bustle. It worked well for him.

Sorry, I can't see who it was, but I had a student go to Fitzwilliam for NatSci the year before DD went. He absolutely loved it. I last saw him as DH and I were trudging through Eddington to catch the bus to DD's college for our only formal dinner to date in Feb 2020. A cyclist skidded to a halt and shouted "hello Mrs Malbecfan, how nice to see you. Are you visiting DD?" It was great to catch up.

Girtonian · 20/09/2023 18:23

Very fair point @Malbecfan. I liked going to choose myself a new top in my favourite colour as part of feeling mentally prepared and boosting my confidence. I had friends who did similar, or borrowed dad's lucky socks, or Granddads special tie, as a boost. But shopping for brand new formal wear isn't necessary, and I shouldn't have given the impression it was, so I apologise to anyone reading who I misled. Just go with whatever leaves you feeling confident and comfortable.

HewasH2O · 20/09/2023 19:09

Online interviews also remove the impression created at some colleges/subjects that everyone knows everyone else. It also means that you're not waiting in a room with other candidates discussing what they were asked and how they responded.

mondaytosunday · 20/09/2023 19:56

@ErrolTheDragon my daughter wants all girls - but she says Murray Edward is just too ugly (I don't think so). But if that's where she ends up she'd be delighted to just be at Cambridge.

Original poster
eggsbenedict23 · 20/09/2023 20:22

mondaytosunday · 20/09/2023 19:56

@ErrolTheDragon my daughter wants all girls - but she says Murray Edward is just too ugly (I don't think so). But if that's where she ends up she'd be delighted to just be at Cambridge.

Might I ask why she wants all girls?

There's Newnham college as well

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 20/09/2023 20:57

she says Murray Edward is just too ugly (I don't think so).

It's got some nice gardens though, where the students are positively encouraged to walk (sprawl, whatever) on the grass, pick herbs etc.

mondaytosunday · 20/09/2023 22:25

@eggsbenedict23 yes she's applying to Newnham. She went from a mixed school to all girls for Sixth form and just liked it better Obviously there will be boys at Cambridge, but she'd rather not live with them! She has a brother, it's not like she doesn't know boys!
She also likes the pro female ethos, that Millicent Fawcett was one of the founders, that the gardens are lovely and you can walk/sit/lie on the grass! I thought she'd be put off by the modern entrance and the possibility of living in modern halls (she has MS, though is not disabled in any way, she might be put in an accessible room). It's also across from the Sidgewick site. I thought she'd love Pembroke, but actually the lighter painted formal halls at Newnham were more her thing (she said they were less oppressively masculine). And the library is beautiful. And Emma Thompson went there!

PandaPacer · 21/09/2023 05:47

So much thought has gone into colleges by the looks.

My DS chose his college because it's the closest to Itsu. 😱

Not that he'll be able to afford to eat there more than once in a blue moon!

ErrolTheDragon · 21/09/2023 09:33

Grinone of the positives DD discovered about ME was closeness to Aldi, which is a bit more sensible!
Her cousin cited proximity to the Sainsburys bakery counter as one of the pros of her college.

mondaytosunday · 21/09/2023 11:11

Food is very important to students! I can't remember which uni it was but on the campus tour all the two guides seemed to talk about was where the nearest Sainsbury's/Coop/Aldi was!
When I was at uni the four student food groups were:
Cereal
Beer
Pizza
Uncooked cookie dough (this was the US)

Angeldelightful · 21/09/2023 11:27

I chose my college because it had been in a film and I thought it would be full of movie-star lookers

It was full of dweebs (not that the movie stars would have been interested in me anyway)

Don't choose a college like I did

Supercat100 · 21/09/2023 13:11

mondaytosunday · 20/09/2023 22:25

@eggsbenedict23 yes she's applying to Newnham. She went from a mixed school to all girls for Sixth form and just liked it better Obviously there will be boys at Cambridge, but she'd rather not live with them! She has a brother, it's not like she doesn't know boys!
She also likes the pro female ethos, that Millicent Fawcett was one of the founders, that the gardens are lovely and you can walk/sit/lie on the grass! I thought she'd be put off by the modern entrance and the possibility of living in modern halls (she has MS, though is not disabled in any way, she might be put in an accessible room). It's also across from the Sidgewick site. I thought she'd love Pembroke, but actually the lighter painted formal halls at Newnham were more her thing (she said they were less oppressively masculine). And the library is beautiful. And Emma Thompson went there!

Remember that Murray Edwards isn't a women's college though. It accepts trans women and those who identify as non-binary, irrespective of sex, so there will be biological men there too. I'm not sure what Newnham's policy is (and it's a great college) but be careful to check it out if she specifically wants an all female environment.