Access at Jesus

Zoe Duck: Natural Sciences »

“The newspaper proceeds to tell us how Cambridge is full of posh ‘hoity toity’ croquet players … In fact, from my experience I haven’t met all that many. Cambridge is also full of a significant proportion of state-schoolers, northerners and people who are from otherwise quite poor backgrounds.”

Being from two states schools in the North, and wanting to apply to Cambridge, you think about all the stories you read in the newspaper every August about how suchabody from such a school got 5 As at A level and didn’t get in Cambridge because they were from a state school. The newspaper proceeds to tell us next how Cambridge is full of posh ‘hoity toity’ croquet players who all went to Eton or Harrow. Well of course, some of its students are, but by no means all of them. In fact, from my experience I haven’t met all that many. Cambridge is also full of a significant proportion of state-schoolers, northerners and people who are from otherwise quite poor backgrounds. If there is any kind of elitism going on it is because everyone at Cambridge is intelligent, and entrants must be selected on intelligence. It is more of an academic elite where it doesn’t matter what your background is as long as you have the capability to cope with life at Cambridge because it is hard work. It is also a lot of fun too.

Depending on which subject you study there will be different amounts of work but there will always be time at the end of the day to relax, go clubbing, catch up with your friends, or spend time doing whatever it is you enjoy (probably by joining some of the numerous societies both your college and university have to offer). By far the most overworked students are medics and natural scientists, who tend to have lectures every day, and about 3 or 4 practicals a week. On top of that there are supervisions, a 1 hour meeting with either a lecturer or a graduate student discussing the previous week’s lectures and setting you work as well as answering any questions you may have. This type of teaching is unique to both Oxford and Cambridge and I think they are very useful. Supervisions tend to be in groups of 1-4 but most are with 2 or 3 people so it’s not too scary but it’s quite close to one-to-one teaching!

I chose to come to Cambridge for the obvious reason, that it is one of the best universities in the country. If you tell someone you have a degree from Cambridge, for example, a potential employer, that will count for a lot. I was told this at some of my interviews by other universities so I’m not just making it up!! Another plus point for Cambridge is the College system. Whereas in most other universities you live in halls or on campus, at Cambridge you live in a college who is responsible for your accommodation, supervisions and general well being. You will have a director of studies to keep your work in check and organise supervisions, and a personal tutor who you can see for anything else you feel you want to talk about.

Personally, the last year I spent in Cambridge has been utterly amazing. I have a very varied circle of friends; a friend from a state school in Yorkshire, a friend from a private school in St.Albans (some posh place down south), friends from around London, Cheshire and who are actually from the Cambridge area itself – you can see the variety!

All in all, Cambridge is a great place, Jesus especially, and there really is something for everyone. So if you think you are good enough at your subject, apply!!! What have you got to lose?

Patrick Gordon: Natural Sciences »

“… I felt I shouldn’t really turn down the chance to go, but wasn’t sure what to expect until I got here.”

Hi, I’m Paddy, a first year Physical Natsci. I’m from a state school in Northern Ireland, play hockey, and have always wanted to enjoy Uni. I chose Cambridge because I felt I shouldn’t really turn down the chance to go, but wasn’t sure what to expect until I got here. I didn’t need to worry – I’m loving it! Fresher’s Week (yes, there actually is a proper fresher’s week) was awesome, I went on everything from pub crawls and clubbing, to barbeques and posh dinners (really surreal and loads of fun)! And pretty much everything in between. Whatever, you’re into, you’ll love fresher’s week, and everything continues right through term. I met loads of great people who are now good friends, that’s one of the great things about Jesus; the year is pretty big so there are going to be lots of people with the same interests as you.

Gemma Grass-Orkin: Archaeology & Anthropology »

“Sceptical, hesitant, unsure? Then why not apply! It’s the complete and utter cliché, but really you have nothing to lose…”

Sceptical, hesitant, unsure? Then why not apply! It’s the complete and utter cliché, but really you have nothing to lose. All those little niggling doubts, forget them. If you have any curiosity or desire to study in Cambridge I’d advise that you apply. Don’t be intimidated by the grandeur. At the end of the day, if you have the opportunity to exploit its resources you should grab it with two hands. If my first term here has taught me anything it is to really think before judging a book by its cover. Both in terms of the people and the place, Cambridge has surprised me. It hasn’t fulfilled its stereotype in a traditional sense. Everyone at every university is an individual; and in this respect Cambridge is no different. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter what school you went to or where you’re from. You come to Cambridge to work incredibly hard and play incredibly hard. Whatever background you’re from, you have the opportunity to get involved in all aspects of college and university life and meet some amazing people while you do. Furthermore, if you do find everything gets a bit much, the college system provides a comprehensive network of support to fall back on.

Cambridge is a challenge. It is also unique. If you’re reading this website you should give it a chance. Don’t let the fear of an interview prevent you from spending three years having, what I foresee will be, an experience of a lifetime.

Cambridge is unlike anywhere or anything I experienced in 8 months of travelling, and a world away from the inner London comprehensive where I spent my school years. It has everything to offer. The workload is intense, but with an enthusiasm for your subject and a passion for exploiting everything that the college and university has to offer, days will extend in length and sleep will be discarded! Cambridge life is a juggling act. With time and practice it all comes together!

Salman Shaheen: Social & Political Sciences »

“Studying here challenges all of the stereotypes that you might imagine. It may be an uphill struggle to come from a state school, but it is definitely one worth making.”

Just six short weeks into my first term at Cambridge and already I’m trying to juggle writing two essays a week, organising anti-war events in town, staying politically active, writing poetry, making music, going to Union debates, waking up in time for lectures, keeping up an active social life and still finding time to sleep! But I’m still alive, just about! The weeks have flown by so quickly, but then time does fly when you’re having fun! I’ve met some wonderful people here, made some amazing friends and I’m really enjoying the course.

Half-Pakistani, long haired, state school educated, hippy philosophy, left-wing ideology; I don’t exactly fit the stereotypes of Cambridge! But then Cambridge isn’t a stereotype. I must admit that, despite my brother having studied at Jesus some years before, I was not entirely convinced that the stereotypes wouldn’t be true. But between drunken medics, non-PC communists and eccentric boaties, those images have been safely dispelled! Some of my best friends are even… C*nservatives!

Coming from a state school in rural Suffolk, it seems a world away from Cambridge. But both my school and family were very supportive of my application. State schools often don’t prepare you for Oxbridge in the same way that private schools can. I think that you certainly have to work harder, and you have to do it for yourself. You need to be committed, but that is no bad thing. In many ways, I feel that the additional independent study that I needed to do to get into Cambridge, has actually prepared me very well for my course here.

I applied to do SPS at Cambridge because I have a keen interest in politics, and the forces that shape the world we’re living in, which are rooted in the social sciences. The course here, I found quite unique in the papers that we study, and very engaging. And no, SPS is definitely not a doss subject! I hope in the future to combine my interest in politics with my love of writing; and the course is doing much to inform both my writing and my political activism. If anything it has made me even more left-wing!

To study in such a beautiful environment amongst such wonderful people is one of life’s great experiences for me. Studying here challenges all of the stereotypes that you might imagine. It may be an uphill struggle to come from a state school, but it is definitely one worth making.

Clare Southworth: Modern Foreign Languages – French and Russian ab initio (from scratch) »

“I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive about coming to Cambridge…”

I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive about coming to Cambridge. Where I live, there are still a lot of misconceptions around; at times I was almost ashamed to admit where I was going to university in case people thought I’d ‘sold out’. And, apart from the usual worries about coming to university, there was still a part of me that feared that I’d be thrown in amongst some rich social elite who would look down on me because of how I talked or where I was from. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Of course, you are amongst an elite, but only in the sense that they are some of the most talented and intelligent people around. Incidentally, the only problem I’ve had with my accent is someone not understanding when I said the word bucket (I think it’s supposed to be pronounced backit!). Seriously though, my friends are from a huge range of backgrounds and it’s fascinating to meet people from so many different places around the country, and even around the world. I have not met one single unfriendly or snobbish person, there probably are some somewhere, but if they do exist, they’re certainly in a minority.

Cambridge itself is a wonderful place to live and the whole experience is amazing. I’m not going to lie to you, you will have to work hard, but it’s not unmanageable and the opportunities for things to do in your spare time are second to none. Since being here I’ve taken up rugby and ballroom dancing and joined the University Concert Band and the Cambridge Union. I have also volunteered to work with children who are learning English as a second language. There really is something for everyone and there is no better place to do it than Jesus College. I have it on good authority (i.e. friends from other colleges) that Jesus is one of the best and most beautiful in Cambridge. Writing this in my room, I can look out across the rugby pitch (great on match-days!) from one window, and from the other, I can see the sun shining on the chapel and the neat lawns of Chapel Court. I think it’s perfect – sports pitches on site, a newly refurbished bar (that even shows rugby league matches), one of the best college libraries in Cambridge and Sainsbury’s just around the corner! There are plenty of shops, pubs and a couple of clubs within easy walking distance, but it’s not so close to the town centre that you get hordes of tourists traipsing past your bedroom window.

Studying languages was also the perfect choice. I’m finding the Russian quite hard work – going from almost no knowledge of the language to post A-level standard in a year is a bit of a challenge, but it is so rewarding when I can look at Russian websites and begin to decipher what they say. Learning languages gives you the chance to explore and experience a completely different culture, and I cannot wait to live and work for a year in Russia and France. The Cambridge system also has a huge support network for anyone who is struggling with work or anything else.

Basically, I would encourage everyone to apply here. Ignore any horror stories you have heard about interviews; no-one is going to ask you to throw a brick out of the window or put you through any ridiculous test like that! I really enjoyed my interviews, even though I thought one had gone hideously wrong. It’s easy to put yourself down and believe you’re not good enough to get in to Cambridge, but that’s just pointless. It’s for them to decide who is or is not good enough, and if you don’t try you’ll just be left wondering and wishing.