HSPS at Cambridge

[Mumster40]

Hello! Looking for advice/ guidance from any parents with DC studying Human Social and Political Science at Cambridge. My DD loves the look of the course and is on track with her A Level grades. I know how ridiculously competitive it is so I’d be grateful if anyone would share top tips/ super curriculars etc. Which colleges should she look at etc. Thank you!

Is she state or private?

I honestly don’t think colleges matter too much.

Private

She should be able to access a lot of help from school, but then again being private doesn’t guarantee it.
i don’t have direct experience of HSPS at Cambridge (I wanted my DC to apply but they didn’t) but I do have experience of a very similar course at Cambridge. I would say that they need to read as much about the subject as they can, maybe volunteer with your local MPs office. One of my DC did this and found it really fascinating.

Agreed that the college is almost the last thing to think about - consider an open application? I did encourage ds to look at colleges that seemed to have a bigger group in his subject, and when he got there they’d only taken two people in his year!

Having said that, Id always encourage female candidates to look seriously at Newnham, I think it’s a great option these days.

And if she knows areas of the curriculum she is particularly attracted to, look for Fellows who research in that area and consider applying to their colleges.

Have a DS in first year at Cambridge. HSPS is a great course and he briefly considered applying for it, but actually went for a different course in the end.

HSPS is very competitive with an acceptance rate of about 12 percent - or to put it another way, 88 percent of those who apply don't make it. That's no reason NOT to apply, but it's important to go in with your eyes open and not put all your eggs in one basket. DS has friends who were interviewed and didn't get offers, or (even worse tbh), got an offer but didn't make the required grades. Be aware that they sometimes make higher than minimum offers for private school applicants (which is fair really).

Don't worry too much about colleges. Your dd should go to an open day, wander about and go with what feels most appealing. About a quarter of applicants are pooled anyway - and everyone loves where they end up! Good luck.