How to Apply For Cambridge
Submitting an application to study at Cambridge is a very exciting thing. Your entire future is about to play out in front of you, and that’s amazing. However, how do you decide what Cambridge college you should be going for? After all, there are plenty of them.
Open Applications?
You should genuinely consider submitting an open application if you either don't know where to apply or you don’t have a particular preference. If you do this, then the university staff will make a decision for you. This does mean that you will be allocated a provider with lower application levels in some cases, which can exclude you from Cambridge.
Lectures
The university that you choose to apply to will definitely be influenced by where your lectures will be held. If your primary objective is to get to classes on time, then living far away from the campus might not be the best decision. However, you may also like this balance, because it means that you can effectively engage with normal life as soon as you get home.
Your primary consideration should just be transport links. You need to think about how public transport works in the area, how much it costs, and factor this into a monthly budget.
Facilities
It’s important to explore what facilities are available when it comes to applying for a university. Each institution has different facilities, and this will influence your decision. Some have free access to the Internet, others have sports and leisure.
It’s important to make sure that they have the facilities that will work for you, whether this is things like music, practice rooms or access to a study area.
Accomodation
It’s usually the case that you live, either near or on the campus for the entirety of your degree. For some students, this is, but others will need to provide alternative accommodation. Universities like Cambridge often pride themselves on providing a comprehensive solution for students.
The bulk of your accommodation will be close to the city centre, so you can get around quite easily. However, it’s also worth noting that contracts for accommodation are shorter than private accommodation, sometimes only being as long as 26 weeks.
There are also a bunch of college owned houses and flats all around the city. This makes it easy for you to find accommodation that works for you.
If you live in provided accommodation, then you will have access to a shared dining and kitchen area, and there are arrangements available for students who need different accessibility.
Extracurricular
There are plenty of different extracurricular activities that you can choose from while you are studying. The great thing about places like Cambridge is that it has some of the broadest educational and extracurricular facilities in the world.
There are music groups, drama, clubs, sporting groups, history groups, pretty much anything you can think of is available. because this is one of the most elite educational institutions in the world, it attracts culture from all across the globe.
Open Days
If you want to make a proper decision about whether or not a certain university is right for you, then you should definitely visit. The open day is a great way to get a feel for how the place operates, and whether or not it’s a good idea for you.
You might even find out that somewhere you thought was best for you just isn’t what you wanted it to be.
Open days can be a great resource, because they give you a lot of different choices. It’s important to check out a few guides on how open days function, and also to check when the next one is.
Finances
Finances are an important part of any education journey, but life at Cambridge gets quite expensive. You should start looking for things like scholarships and bursaries. There are actually a lot of different potential financing support that you can get, so it’s worth checking all of the different options.
There are often also music awards that can be given for people who have a high level of education or ability, but you should make sure that you ask about that well in advance. It’s often only applicable if you actually plan to study music, so keep that in mind.
Universities like Cambridge and Oxford are notable for being particularly cautious about the idea of students taking on part-time jobs during their study. They feel that it interferes with education, which is why they try to provide a more comprehensive support system.
Other People’s Opinions
One of the best ways to work out what kind of university is best for you is by speaking to other people. Try and talk to some of the more current students at the university to get a proper idea of how the education is there. If you know somebody that went to Cambridge, it can be a good idea to speak to them and gain their insights.
It’s important to try and get some understanding of what other people think and have gone through while studying at Cambridge. This is the best way for you to make a comprehensive decision, because it’s real testimony from people who actually studied. Something you should never do, however, is make a decision based entirely on the opinion of someone else. If your friend says that you should study at Cambridge, then consider it, but don’t do it, just because they have said so.
Final Thoughts
Cambridge is a great university to study at, but you need to make sure that you have thought about it carefully before you commit to a decision. Taking the time to study at Cambridge will definitely give you a great degree, and a wonderful experience, but you need to be sure that it is right for you. These are all important considerations to keep in mind, so it’s worth taking the time to explore whether or not it’s best for you.