Tag: cambridge university

Categories
University Admissions

Cambridge University: Murray Edwards College

Founded at a time when there were roughly 11 male students for every female student at the university, Murray Edwards remains one of two female-only colleges at Cambridge (the other: Newnham).

History

Founded as New Hall in 1954, the college has benefited from the philanthropy of various institutions since its conception. In 1962, members of the Darwin family donated their home, ‘The Orchard’, and, in 2005, alumna Rosalind Edwards and her husband Steve Edwards donated £30 million, securing the college’s future and changing its name to honour the first president, Dame Rosemary Murray, and their benefaction. The college’s buildings (architected by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, known primarily for their design of the Barbican in London) combine classicism with modernism, but have been met with mixed reactions: an anti-modern art group once graffitied footsteps walking over the dome of the college.

Inside Perspective

The jewel in Murray Edwards’ crown is the ‘Women’s Art Collection’. Comprising over 600 works by around 300 artists, it is the largest collection of female artists in Europe. However, unlike a ‘conventional gallery’ these artworks are hung all around the college, providing its students with the opportunity to study and socialise beneath them. The college’s active JCR (Junior Common Room: common room for undergraduate students) is also involved with the collection, as well as running quintessential Oxbridge social events. A treasured tale of Oxbridge history, students once invited one thousand people to a party at the college, which filled the entirety of Fountain Court. Featuring an illuminated fountain and waterways, and flower displays in summer, this is a central spot for studying as well as rest and recuperation. The college’s dining area, colloquially called ‘the dome’, is also home to a rising servery, upon which DJs sometimes play during special events.

Notable Alumni

Murray Edwards’ most notable alumni is the astrophysicist Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell: whilst a PhD student at the college, and a researcher as part of the university’s radio astronomy group, she discovered the first four pulsars. Other alumni include Claudia Winkleman (TV presenter) and Joanna MacGregor (concert pianist). Honorary fellows include the artists Eileen Cooper and Maggi Hambling, and the composer Thea Musgrave.

Rankings

In 2022, Murray Edwards came 27th in the Tompkins Table, out of a total 29 colleges, with a score of 63.9 and 20.8% of its students achieving a First.

Contact Think Tutors

Choosing the right Cambridge college is heavily dependent on the personality, subject, and specific interests of each individual student in relation to the specific lecturers and teaching provisions of each individual college. Navigating these challenges can be particularly tricky but Think Tutors’ elite tutors and mentors can help you to make the right decisions, enable you to achieve the highest grades, and equip you for the interview process. Please contact us to find a tutor to help your child enter Murray Edwards at the University of Cambridge.

Categories
University Admissions

Cambridge University: Magdalene College

Perfect for those favouring the ‘traditional’ Oxbridge experience, Magdalene was deliberately built in opposition to the town centre, therefore secluding its then students from the commotion and temptations of town.

History

Founded in 1428, Magdalene College has an august history of alumni, buildings, and traditions. As with many Oxbridge colleges, there have been numerous twists and turns in its architectural and managerial developments over the years. However, its motto, garde ta foy (Old French for “keep your faith”), coined by Thomas Audley (Lord Chancellor under Henry VIII), remains firm and is fondly used by students today. These students number roughly 400 at undergraduate level and 200 at graduate level, making the college one of the smaller at the university. Magdalene’s buildings account for its undeniable charm, and central to this is the Pepys Library, containing original manuscripts of the namesake’s diaries as well as thousands of books suiting the diverse academic needs of the college’s members.

Inside Perspective

Magdalene’s hall is unique in that it is the only Oxbridge college to rely solely on candlelight. Highly effective, especially in winter, this reminds its diners of an earlier time. The college, in its modern-day figuration, both cuts across major roads in Cambridge (Chesterton Road and Magdalene Street) and extends along the river. This stunning juxtaposition benefits the pragmatic needs of its illustrious boat club as well as the aesthetic needs of all its dwellers. The pronunciation of the college’s name is a source of confusion for many, with “Mawdlin” being correct. It’s sister college in Oxford contributes to further confusion, being spelt without the final ‘e’ (i.e. Magdalen College) but still being pronounced the same.

Notable Alumni

Notable alumni include Bamber Gascoigne (TV presenter, known for University Challenge), Clemency Burton-Hill (broadcaster), John McPhee (writer), John Simpson (journalist), Julian Fellowes (screenwriter), Katie Derham (TV newsreader), Sir Michael Redgrave (actor), Monty Don (television presenter and writer), and Samuel Pepys (diarist and politician). Between 2012 and 2020, Magdalene’s Master was Rowan Williams (former Archbishop of Canterbury), and it’s previous fellows include C. S. Lewis (author and theologian).

Rankings

In 2022, Magdalene came 18th in the Tomkins Table with a score of 67.49 and 28.5% of its students achieving a First.

Contact Think Tutors

Choosing the right Cambridge college is heavily dependent on the personality, subject, and specific interests of each individual student in relation to the specific lecturers and teaching provisions of each individual college. Navigating these challenges can be particularly tricky but Think Tutors’ elite tutors and mentors can help you to make the right decisions, enable you to achieve the highest grades, and equip you for the interview process. Please contact us to find a tutor to help your child enter Magdalene College at the University of Cambridge.

Categories
University Admissions

Cambridge University: Wolfson College

Situated in south-west Cambridge, Wolfson College is a less traditional college, catering for mostly postgraduate students but also ‘mature’ undergraduate students, identifying itself as being particularly cosmopolitan and friendly.

History

Originally founded as ‘University College’ in 1965, the impetus for the college’s inception was the rising tide of graduate students pursuing research at Cambridge in the wake of World War Two. In 1973 the college was renamed as ‘Wolfson College’, recognising the monetary contributions of The Wolfson Foundation, a large UK charity that finances excellence in the arts, humanities, and sciences. The college adopted ‘Ring True’ as its motto. As of 2015, fifty years after its inception, the college was host to approximately 650 full-time students, 200 part-time students, 123 Fellows, 79 Emeritus Fellows, 22 Visiting Fellows, 33 Honorary Fellows, 1 Bredon Fellow, 83 Research Associates, and 300 Senior Members.

Inside Perspective

The college admits mostly postgraduate students but also ‘mature’ undergraduates (aged 21 and above) with around 15% of its students studying for undergraduate degrees. Its location in the southwest of Cambridge makes it perfect for those students keen to escape the city (leafy suburbs and the charms of Grantchester are only a short sojourn away) but also for bookworms who will benefit from being close to the University Library. In keeping with its less traditional identity, the college hosts formal dinners but the wearing of gowns is simply encouraged (rather than being compulsory) and the absence of a ‘high table’ means that fellows and students sit together, sharing in scrumptious food and scholarly conversation. Students from across Cambridge migrate to Wolfson for their popular live comedy night, nicknamed the ‘Wolfson Howler’. Performers for these events include fledgling student comics alongside internationally-recognised names; in recent years the Wolfson Howler has been graced by Dane Baptiste, Ed Gamble, Fern Brady, Phil Wang, and many others. The college is well suited to students longing for more than just libraries and bedrooms, boasting a large performance venue (which houses multiple concert series), a conference centre, and extensive gardens situated across ten acres. The college has one foot in the past and one in the present, and this manifests in its architecture: for example, the thin slices of granite that comprise the main building’s entrance hall were originally used for London Bridge.

Notable Alumni

Notable alumni of recent years include Carrie Lam (Former Chief Executive of Hong Kong), Eric Monkman (University Challenge team captain and competition finalist), and a plethora of internationally-recognised politicians.

Rankings

In 2022, Wolfson came 21st in the Tomkins Table with a score of 66.4 and 27.6% of its students achieving a First.

Contact Think Tutors

Choosing the right Cambridge college is heavily dependent on the personality, subject, and specific interests of each individual student in relation to the specific lecturers and teaching provisions of each individual college. Navigating these challenges can be particularly tricky but Think Tutors’ elite tutors and mentors can help you to make the right decisions, enable you to achieve the highest grades, and equip you for the interview process. Please contact us to find a tutor to help your child enter Wolfson College at the University of Cambridge.

Categories
University Admissions

Cambridge University: Christ’s College

Christ’s College is just a stone’s throw from Cambridge Bus Station, and yet there is a sense of magical quiet when you enter. Gorgeous gardens hidden behind Restoration-period architecture speak of the scholarly depths of this esteemed college.

History

Founded in 1437 as ‘God’s House’, the college has been described as ‘the first secondary-school training college on record’. In 1875, Christ’s College Rugby Football Club was founded by the father of modern anthropology, Alfred Cort Haddon. Today, the college houses the Master, Fellows from a myriad of disciplines, and approximately 450 undergraduate and 250 graduate students.

Academic Prowess

The Tompkins Table (created in 1981) is an annual ranking reflecting the average undergraduate grades of students across all colleges. On aggregate, Christ’s came first during the first twenty years of the table’s existence. Statistics aside, Christ’s has a reputation for the very highest academic standards.

Inside Perspective

Unlike many other Cambridge colleges, Christ’s buttery is separate from its hall, and this serves to heighten the sense of occasion when its students join together for formal dinners. After the annual Scholars’ Dinner, students hold hands while dancing around the Mulberry Tree at night. Only 5 Cambridge colleges can boast of a swimming pool, and Christ’s College is one of them. Known as the ‘Malcolm Bowie Bathing Pool’, and dating from the mid-17th century, this is considered to be the oldest outdoor swimming pool in the UK. The other four colleges with swimming pools are Clare Hall, Corpus Christi, Emmanuel, and Girton. The Marguerites Club, one the oldest surviving College societies, was originally only open to sports captains, but is now known as a drinking society that recognises sporting excellence more broadly. Christ’s College Association Football Club has won the inter-collegiate competition more than any other college.

Notable Alumni

Through history Christ College’s former students have risen to the top of many fields, but particularly famous alumni include John Milton (poet and civil servant), William Paley (clergyman), Charles Darwin (biologist, geologist, and naturalist), J Robert Oppenheimer (theoretical physicist), Simon Schama (historian and TV presenter), Rowan Williams (Archbishop of Canterbury), and Sacha Baron Cohen (actor and comedian).

Rankings

In 2022, Christ’s came 1st with a score of 76.4 and 46.1% of its students achieving a First.

Contact Think Tutors

Choosing the right Cambridge college is heavily dependent on the personality, subject, and specific interests of each individual student in relation to the specific lecturers and teaching provisions of each individual college. Navigating these challenges can be particularly tricky but Think Tutors’ elite tutors and mentors can help you to make the right decisions, enable you to achieve the highest grades, and equip you for the interview process. Please contact us to find a tutor to help your child enter Christ’s College at the University of Cambridge.

Categories
University Admissions

Cambridge University: Sidney Sussex College

A wisteria-adorned stone wall is famous for separating this charming and intimate college from the hustle and bustle of Cambridge’s thriving city centre.

History

Founded on Valentine’s Day 1596, Sidney Sussex College is known as the newest of the old colleges. In chronological order of their founding between 1284 and 1596, these ‘old colleges’ include Peterhouse, Clare, Pembroke, Gonville and Caius, Trinity Hall, Corpus Christi, Magdalene, Christ’s, King’s, Queen’s, St Catherine’s, Jesus, St John’s, Trinity, Emmanuel, and Sidney Sussex. Since 1768, there has been a flourishing of colleges including Homerton, Downing, Girton, Fitzwilliam, Newnham, Selwyn, Hughes Hall, St Edmund’s, Murray Edward’s, Churchill, Darwin, Wolfson, Lucy Cavendish, Clare Hall, and Robinson.

Undergraduate Study

At Sidney you can study the full range of undergraduate degrees available at the University of Cambridge. These include ASNC (Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic), Archaeology, Architecture, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Classics, Computer Science, Design, Economics, Engineering, English, Geography, History, History and Modern Languages, History and Politics, History of Art, HSPS (Human, Social, and Political Sciences), Land Economy, Law, Linguistics, Mathematics, Medicine, MML (Modern and Medieval Languages), Music, Natural Sciences, Philosophy, PBS (Psychological and Behavioural Sciences), Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion, and Veterinary Medicines. That being said, certain subjects at Sidney tend to be more oversubscribed than others, and Think Tutors have the inside track on how to increase your chances of acceptance at this prestigious college.

Musical Prowess

The college is renowned for its choir (The Choir of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge) who sing for a number of Choral Evensongs and Latin Choral Vespers throughout the week. Generous choral scholarships serve to celebrate the musical talent of students, who also have frequent opportunities to make professional recordings and tour internationally.

Notable Alumni

Through history Sidney Sussex’s former students have risen to the top of many fields, but particularly famous alumni include Oliver Cromwell (Lord Protector), David Owen (Foreign Secretary), Sir David Lidington (Minister of State), Stuart Corbridge (Vice-Chancellor of Durham University), and Carol Vorderman (media personality).

Inside Perspective

Colloquially known as ‘Sidney Sainsburys’, Sidney is loved for its location in the middle of town, just a couple of metres from Sainsburys! However, the food at Sidney Sussex College is regularly voted by students as the best of any college, and bi-weekly ‘formal dinners’ provide an excellent three courses in august surroundings for about £10. There are a large number of student societies, specifically at Sidney, that cover most academic, musical, sport, and other interests. The Sidney Sussex College Boat Club has performed exceptionally well in recent years, winning the Marconi Cup in 2020. The college’s history society, known as ‘Confrat’ for short but ‘Confraternitas Historica Dominae Franciscae Comitis Sussexiae’ in full, is reputed to be the longest-running student history society in Europe.

Rankings

The Tompkins Table is an annual ranking reflecting the average undergraduate grades of students across all colleges. In 2020, Sidney Sussex came 16th with 27.62% of its students achieving a First. In 1st place, 46.1% of Christ’s students achieved a First, and in last place, 29th, 16.91% of Lucy Cavendish students achieved a First.

Contact Think Tutors

Choosing the right Cambridge college is heavily dependent on the personality, subject, and specific interests of each individual student in relation to the specific lecturers and teaching provisions of each individual college. Navigating these challenges can be particularly tricky but Think Tutors’ elite tutors and mentors can help you to make the right decisions, enable you to achieve the highest grades, and equip you for the interview process. Please contact us to find a tutor to help your child enter Sidney Sussex College at the University of Cambridge.

Categories
Uncategorized

Personal Statements: Fresh Eyes, New Insights and Why Second Opinions Matter

Unbiased Feedback:

 

 

Friends, family, or mentors can offer unbiased feedback on your personal statement. They are not emotionally attached to your writing and can provide honest critiques to help you refine your narrative.

Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses:

 

Second opinions help you identify the strengths of your personal statement and areas that need further development. This feedback helps you showcase your best attributes and address any potential shortcomings.

Diverse Perspectives:

 

Different reviewers bring diverse perspectives and experiences. These insights can enrich your personal statement, making it more relatable and appealing to a wider range of readers. The more people who review it, the more insight it will accumulate.

The Role of a Tutor in Personal Statement Guidance

Subject Expertise:

 

Tutors specialising in your chosen field can provide valuable insights into crafting a personal statement that aligns with the expectations of your desired course. They can guide you on emphasising relevant experiences and showcasing your passion for the subject.

Tailored Feedback:

 

A tutor can provide feedback that’s specifically tailored to your academic and career goals and help to harness your experience at A-Level or IB level in writing. They can help you align your personal statement with the programme’s requirements and highlight your suitability as a candidate.

Structural Guidance:

 

Tutors offer guidance on the overall structure and flow of your personal statement. They can help you organise your content logically, ensuring a cohesive narrative that captures the reader’s attention. Whether you are writing a personal statement for medical school or for Oxbridge, every institution will want to see how you collate your ideas in a structurally sound manner.

Professional Editing:

 

Tutors are skilled at providing professional editing, helping you refine your writing for clarity, conciseness, and grammatical accuracy. A polished personal statement reflects your dedication to your application.

 

Tutors bring a unique vantage point, offering insights that extend beyond your own perspective. Their experience in navigating the nuances of personal statements can help distill your thoughts into a cohesive and impactful personal statement. Second opinions, whether from tutors or trusted individuals, provide a fresh set of eyes that catch overlooked nuances, refine language, and ensure your message is clear. Collaborating with tutors and seeking additional input adds depth and accuracy, helping you create a personal statement that resonates with your chosen university and helps you on your way to achieving your goal.

Contact Think Tutors

At Think Tutors, we can offer unrivalled guidance for students embarking on the university application or university interview process. Our elite tutors and mentors offer astute expertise to help you stand out from the crowd and leave a lasting impression on your chosen universities. Please contact us to find out more.