# University Of Cambridge - Urbanz' Experiences, Please



## twentythreedom (Jul 23, 2011)

Right...

I completed a summer school for prospective mature (*cough*) students at Cambridge.

I am planning to do an access course with a totally ridiculous, deluded (but real) ambition to read law (or possibly history) at Cambridge, once I've done an access course and blagged my way through all the application / admission / interview etc stuff.

Urbanz is usually pretty clever (with honourable exceptions) and there must be tons of you with smart-arse degrees and masters etc from the venerable institution. (eg kabbes - him got brainz!) 

So - tell me about it, please!


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## teahead (Jul 24, 2011)

I forgot where I parked my motorbike there once. Took quite a long time to find it.
Lots of cunts in the punts, but not all.
Touristy.


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## stuff_it (Jul 25, 2011)

Flat, bicycles, housing very expensive - maybe more than London in some areas.

You should read PPE and become our PM, now that drug taking is no longer a problem for the position.


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## editor (Jul 25, 2011)

twentythreedom said:


> Right...
> 
> I completed a summer school for prospective mature (*cough*) students at Cambridge.
> 
> I am planning to do an access course with a totally ridiculous, deluded (but real) ambition to read law (or possibly history) at Cambridge, once I've done an access course and blagged my way through all the application / admission / interview etc stuff.


Nice one. Go for it!

I've never lived in Cambridge but been loads of times, and I reckon you'd feel a certain excitement there knowing you're in such an education hotspot.


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## Fruitloop (Jul 25, 2011)

Cambridge is a great city and a unique university. I graduated over a decade ago and I'm back living there now.

Which college you go to makes a big difference, it's worth asking a lot of different opinions rather than picking one at random like I did (although tbh it worked out okay for me). I reckon as a mature student you might be spared some of the irritations of being an immediately post-school undergrad (hordes of braying hoorays twixt gap-year and the City), but be prepared to encounter a few.

History here seemed to be one of the more hardcore humanities subjects, it involves _a lot_ of writing. That was a bit of a pattern actually, that some of the degrees that sound like they might be lightweight like art history and music were pretty heavy going, whereas more obviously useful stuff like languages weren't quite so mental. All depends on you subjects/supervisors etc.

It's important to know that faculty for your subject at your college, as they will have a big influence on your experience etc. 

Any specific question I'd be happy to answer them by PM, or could meet up for a drink if you're in town.

ETA: from what I've seen a Cambridge law degree gets you the opportunity to do some pretty crazy stuff.


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## ShiftyBagLady (Jul 25, 2011)

Yes, where are you doing your access course?


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## mrs quoad (Jul 28, 2011)

Fruitloop's sounds like an excellent summary, particularly from a UG perspective. I'm coming at it as a postgrad (still in / at Cam) so have had a qualitatively different experience.

If you buy into the Cambridge thing, it's hard NOT to have a good time. Going by the UGs I've known, at least. 

The nuance / qualifier to that is that - from an outside perspective - it's really quite a sheltered environment. Small communities of 400 odd people, with really staggering levels of privilege. In terms of surroundings, as well as (average) educational / family backgrounds. 

I haven't had the UG experience, so am probably unqualified / underqualified to comment. But from the outside, it looks as if there's very little in the way of subcultures (no visible punks or emus or goths or stoners or... well... any substantial deviation from a Presentable Mean). There's lots of alcohol, though. Alcohol and rugby in no short supply.

And everyone owns a gown. And at least a suit or two. And you'll learn which way to pass the port, should you attend the right kind of formals or accept an invitation to High Table (which is virtually inevitable from time to time, depending on your college and friends)

Cam is unavoidably parochial. There's a nightlife of sorts, but it's kinda at the end of a trainline. It's the cheesy town nightclub or bust, really, wrt late nighters. And a respectable smattering of pubs. And college bars with bonhomie aplenty, etc.

The parochialness is also embedded in the flavour of provision offered by many colleges. It wouldn't be unusual for an UG to have college-provided housing for most (if not all) of their study, to eat in catered college halls, to socialise at college 'bops', and there's the potential to become quite framed by college life. All the more so, given the exceptional staff:student ratio; and some of those staff have pastoral roles. 

So... the rapidity with which 'difficulties' are picked up, and people referred to (e.g.) in-house / in-college counselling and support is pretty impressive. I have a level of ambivalence about the extent of college surveillance, support and monitoring, but the level of support on offer is immediate, and often excellent.

As an environment, it's - IMO / IME - excellent for discussions of a certain kind. Opinions, thoughts, perspectives - there are tonnes of people willing to offer each and every one of them, and (sometimes) people willing to listen to them, too. 

There are more cultural / arts events and presentations / lectures / seminars than you could shake a stick at, many of them delivered by world leaders in their field. 

I guess the impression I've sometimes got is that Cam is - for many things - like skimming stones across a pond. There's huge amounts of brilliance and intellect, sparkling and shimmering everywhere. But... I miss the points where the stone gently settles to the bottom of the pond. It may be - in part - because I came to Cam as a tee-total 27yr old, but I found that there was a lot of drunkenness, noise, banter, small talk, drunkenness, intelligence, wit, alpha-male horn-locking and drunkenness. And not a great deal of quiet reflection about 'non-intellectual' things. The quiet bits of ordinary life.

I get the impression that's far better handled in UG communities, though. There is, perhaps, more of a close-knit UG community than a PG community (which isn't really college-based; I rarely head into college these days, which'd be unthinkable for a UG. PGs are often one year only, in contrast to UGs' 3-4 years, often followed by a Masters / PhD). And UGs have better systems in place to foster friendships and closer levels of emotional support. 

So, yes. 

It's outstanding, academically. And for shaping a certain kind of sociability (and, perhaps, 'leaders of tomorrow' who're adept at bonhomie, small talk, and networking).

IMO, sometimes at the cost of variation, quietness, depth, and the genuine value of being able to fuck up. 

It's great that something like just 1 or 2% of Cam UGs drop out; but in a roundabout way, that also worries me slightly, too.


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## Hollis (Jul 28, 2011)

I'd recommend it.  I didn't particularly have a 'great time' there.. far from it.  But that was because I was young.  The general standard of lecturing and supervision is superb, and you will get pushed.  I did history btw.


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## toblerone3 (Jul 28, 2011)

I dropped out of Cambridge. I wouldn't recommend it for UGs.


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## DrRingDing (Jul 28, 2011)

I can't help with the Uni side of things but if you come over I'll give you the grand tour of the best pubs.


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## nino_savatte (Aug 2, 2011)

stuff_it said:


> Flat, bicycles, housing very expensive - maybe more than London in some areas.
> 
> You should read PPE and become our PM, now that drug taking is no longer a problem for the position.



AFAIK, you can only take PPE at Oxford or <coughs> Warwick.


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## twentythreedom (Aug 2, 2011)

cheers people! I'll keep you posted


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## Fruitloop (Aug 2, 2011)

Quoady's survey is pretty spot on. I would say that if you want alternative type stuff then there is loads of it in Cambridge, but none of it is anywhere near the university. You could certainly find whatever you're looking for though, pretty much, but you'd have to be a bit daring and just look at the flyers along Mill Rd or whatever and just turn up to things for a bit. Or you could ask the Cambridge urbanz.

I think to an extent the insularity is part of the point of the undergraduate experience; you have to stump up some money once a term but other than that you have a card for the college food, entertainments, company, a routine etc all completely provided, it's like an old-folks home for late teens and early twenties. The point being that you don't have to think about any of that stuff at all - all the normal preoccupations of life are immediately available, giving you time to do whatever it is you came here to do; study, drink, network, become an actOR, etc etc. So insular is the environment that all the concerns outside the walls seem pretty remote - it's an almost monastic thing I suppose. Of course this makes undergraduates uniquely annoying to anyone not so cozened, but it's only for three or four years and then you're back in the big bad world again.

Most undergrads are a bit too young/posh/dull to really perceive this aspect of the place for what it is, but there is an opportunity to do great things (within the boundaries set by the nature of the institution) if you go about it the right way.


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## twentythreedom (Aug 2, 2011)

I need to get on the best access course (in London) possible, humanities based and decent enough to get into the top unis. any suggestions, anyone?


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## Edie (Aug 3, 2011)

Hey twentythreedom, I just wanted to give you a big fuckin UP and say best of luck. Just aim for it mate, the more people like you who go the better. Although I reckon you'd have to think about making mates outside the Uni/ course too cos (well, I don't realy know fuck all like ) but your experience of life might differ enough to mean real friendships are hard.

I'm a mature student (14 years older than most on my course) and while I like and get along with a lot of em, I aint gonna socialise with them. They're doing the 'get pissed, Otley runs, shagging, yay I'm a student' thing. And good luck to em, it makes my heart glad to hear about it to be honest. They make me smile  But my real mates are outside Uni.

The other thing I notice is that I've become this kind of 'mother figure' to the year (I know! me!! lol). Cos I'm not involved in there social groups, but see them daily, and I'm an old fart and a Mum they come and talk to me. And my gosh, I've had all sorts. From serious eating disorders, breakups, homesickness, exam failure and even a pregnancy. I just listen then point out where they are better off going for PROPER help if they need it.

What you said to me about why you wanted to do law impressed me. Law always seems a lot full of tossers, but you get some proper heros too don't ya. I think you should aim to do that, rather than history.

Really, really good luck! Hey, I'm doing a course in my nearly mid thirties, and I love it and I got here eventually.... Doooooo ittttttt!


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## TruXta (Aug 3, 2011)

Best ban yourself from here first. Other than that, good luck 23, and what Edith said.


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## fortyplus (Aug 5, 2011)

I had a great time there for three years in the late 70s. Learned fuck all so it was a phenomenal waste of money for all - particularly the state which paid for me. But sending bright academically-unfocused 18-year olds to university anywhere is a waste; I was good at exams in my teens so I just ended up there. Being 18 all I wanted to do was get laid, stoned and drunk. Precious few women there in those days so I only managed the last two. I did just scrape a Third so having attended the three-year reunion they organised I am now technically an MA. And a better than average punter.

Going as a mature student is a much, much better idea. You know what you want and are mature enough to be focused on getting it. I always envied the medics because they were so academically-driven.


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## mrs quoad (Aug 8, 2011)

TruXta said:


> Best ban yourself from here first. Other than that, good luck 23, and what Edith said.


You've just reminded me.

Quite a lot of colleges not only block porn, they also monitor students' usage and attempted usage (and have particularly strict download limits). You can get about 30 mins to an hour of iPlayer (IIRC) out of my college network before you're put on go-slow / dial-up speed. Another college - IIRC Girton or Queens (may be wrong) - imposes fines on the top 10 heaviest users each week / term (forget which).

I've had 2 or 3 college-wide emails this term, about how x undergrads have been called in to see the senior tutor because they'd been illegally downloading stuff.

One of my postgrad friends, in the first year, got called in to the computer bloke's room, basically to ask him to stop spending 30 seconds of every third wa(n)king hour on pornhub.

They also CLAIM that laptops that people've brought, with illegal DLs on them, have been picked up by college systems. Not sure how likely that is, tbf, though my college insist that all machines are scanned with AV software before being connected to the college network.

So, yeah. Cambridge. Not sheltered at all. Open-mindedness and adult-style responsibilities ftw.


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## Ms T (Aug 10, 2011)

I'd second whoever said that you should choose your college wisely.  I went to King's, which was the token "lefty" college and as such had a much higher proportion of students educated at state schools.  I did not own a gown, and did not go to many "formal halls" (dinners), where I learned to pass the port.  I did meet some great and interesting people, and was seriously stretched intellectually.  I agree with Mrs Q that you are very well supported both emotionally and financially.  The college environment can be a bit stifling if it's not your thing, and the night life is pretty tame by many people's standards.  It's a provincial town, basically, albeit a very pretty one.


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## mrs quoad (Aug 10, 2011)

How many fellows does it take to change a lightbulb?

Three.

One to fetch the port, a second to fetch the glasses, and a third to call the porter.

http://instantrimshot.com


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## mrs quoad (Aug 10, 2011)

How many fellows does it take to change a lightbulb?

"CHANGE?!!? "


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## mrs quoad (Aug 16, 2011)

tbf, I'll add this.

When I applied to Cambridge, I failed my first shot at a full-on scholarship.

Just when I was expecting to pretty much have to sell my house, my college offered a *surprise* scholarship of full fees (i.e., £5.5k p/a) which meant I was just about alright.

Then, about 6 months after graduating from my Masters, my college contacted me to say 'oh, because you did really well, like, and we've just decided that we should be recognising graduate achievement, we'd like to give you £500 and an award.'

And I've just had an email through wrt research expenses. I'd completely forgotten that I'd posted in a single side of A4 a month or so ago, but my college has also decided to give me £320 towards a conference I attended.

All that should probably be contextualised by the fact that my current funders (the ESRC) pay £2.5-2.8k p/a which they wouldn't be paying at other institutions. (So that'd total about £7.5-8.4k that my funders've paid - makes no difference to me, but still, it's revenue that's coming from my direction).

However, personally that means I've (almost always unexpectedly) received about £6.5k from my college to this point.


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