Myths and misconceptions
In doing some research for this section, we stumbled across some pretty misleading articles. Please don’t let hearsay and silly myths deter you from applying to/accepting an offer from Cambridge.
If there are any myths and stories that are worrying you that aren’t on this list, please let us know.
Starting with perhaps the scariest one…
If you’re from a state school, a girl or an ethnic minority your chances are slim: Absolute nonsense. There is no discrimination. Cambridge University is interested in your mind, not your background, gender or race.
You get no life outside work: If that were true, no-one would come here
You have to be in by 9pm: Nope! The front gate is locked at 11pm but we have a special key that opens it after it’s locked. It’s not boarding school; it’s a part time home.
Cambridge is for upper-class, public school pupils: Wrong!
The average state school intake for UK students over the past 5 matriculation years is 59%. The figures vary slightly across colleges, but are roughly consistent.
There’s no time for sport or any extracurricular activities: False! Some people play 4 or 5 sports regularly, some rowers row 8 times a week. Drama enthusiasts may be in one, two or even more plays per term. The Corpus Challenge, where we go to Oxford and vice versa to play them at all kinda of sports, is a great day off work in Lent Term.
The nightlife’s almost non-existent: A common misconception. Cambridge is like any other city, it has all the usual bars; Revolution, Wetherspoons etc. It also has cheesy student clubs such as the famous Cindies, drum and bass nights at Fez, rock nights at Kambar, guest DJs at Soul Tree and Life. Sunday to Thursday are great student nights out. Fridays and Saturdays are more relaxed nights but Kambar can be fun, its open till 4am. Cambridge night life is perfect for students, which loosely translates to “it’s cheap”!
And then there’s the slacks, and bops. Every college has its own themed discos and such like. Corpus has a slack three Fridays a term, with fancy dress themes such as Anything but Clothes and Disney. There are pictures on the Pelican Bar’s Facebook page.
You’re not allowed overnight guests: Under Corpus’ rules, sadly you can only have a guest for three nights in any given week. A limiting factor is the single bed, but there are camp beds available. Guests are supposed to sign in for health and safety reasons.
Everyone else is doing 5 or 6 A-levels: Some people do 3, some 4, some 5, very few do more than that. It doesn’t matter how many A-levels you’re doing, as long as it’s enough to meet your offer, which most of the time will be 3 As.
You have to wear gowns all the time: The only occasions where you will absolutely have to wear a gown is Matriculation; the first day where you have your photo taken, sign the matric book and get a free 3 course formal meal, and Graduation. Gowns are compulsory at special formal meals such as Halfway Hall (half way through the second year), for normal formal meals and in Chapel services. But you don’t have to ever go to formal or Chapel if you don’t want to. However, formals are amazingly fun and definitely worth wearing a gown for a couple of hours.
You have to wear “posh” clothes: Most people doss around in jeans and hoodies (at Corpus it’s not uncommon to see people in the library or bar in their PJs!). You can dress however you want. There may be occasions where formal dress is required, but on a day to day basis you can wear what you like.
Everyone is really boring and geeky: Cambridge has a diverse range of people, just like anywhere else in the world. It is by no means full of “boring” people. Check out some student profiles for more reassurance.
Everyone will know I’m from a state school: Even if it’s obvious, no-one cares!
Everyone plays chess and tiddlywinks: Some people do, but then you’d have trouble finding a university without a single chess player!
The system is dominated by posh candidates who can always get Daddy to put in a word for them: Yeah maybe several decades ago. There’s none of that kind of thing now.
It’s more expensive to study at Oxbridge: The fees are the same as at any other university in the country. £3225 for the coming year (09/10). You will only have to pay for accommodation for (8–10 weeks per term) 24–30 weeks per year, whereas at other universities you may have to pay a whole year’s rent. Cambridge has well established bursary schemes, hardship funds, book grant funds, travel grant funds etc. See the main Corpus website’s fees and costs page.
Some people have interview tuition and Oxbridge classes, I’ve never had an interview in my life therefore I have no chance: Yes some people do have Oxbridge classes and loads of practice interviews, but then some people don’t. People from both circumstances get in. The interviewers are looking to see how you think and how enthusiastic you are about your subject and learning, not to see how well-trained you are for interviews. Asking your school for a practice interview can’t hurt though.
It’s really hard work: Sorry but that one’s true.
Remember, many myths exist because they used to be true once upon a time. They are no longer.