Target Schools
How to put together a successful talk
1. Introduce yourself
If you live round the corner or went to their school, say so: it will help to make Cambridge
undergrads seem much less mythical and mysterious!
2. Tell them about Target Schools and why you're there
It’s an entirely student-run campaign, which operates with the support of the university and
colleges.
It aims to encourage applications from groups that are currently under-represented at Cambridge,
especially focusing on state school pupils.
It does this by sending volunteers (you!) to schools and colleges to tell them what Cambridge is
really like, and to answer any questions or concerns that the students or schools may have.
3. Cambridge: the collegiate system
Cambridge is made up of 29 undergraduate and 2 graduate colleges.
You either make an application to a college, or you can make an 'Open Application' where you are
allocated to a college. This does not place you under any disadvantage compared to those who
chose a college, and it doesn’t give you an advantage either!
Please think hard before your speech on how you will present the different colleges. It is sadly true
that many students are massively confused by the college system, and spend much time and effort
agonising over which college they should apply to. At most other universities, the only decision you
make is for which subject to apply to – here, there is an additional layer of choice which puts many
people off. In particular, emphasising the differences between the colleges perpetuates an idea that
in order to apply to Cambridge, you need a large amount of in-depth 'insider' information that
people from certain backgrounds have automatically, but that people from non-traditional
backgrounds do not have access to. It is helpful to say that some colleges are larger than others, and
that some are nearer to the centre of town (or to various faculties) than others and that two are
women-only (as in, excluding Lucy Cavendish), and that some are older than others. These are all
quite factual differences, easy to find out from the prospectus, and may help to make a choice. Don't
talk about the 'politics' of various colleges, and the 'kind of people' who go there for this is often not
helpful as it makes people terrified of making the 'wrong' choice. It's often helpful to remind people
that they can always make an Open Application, and ultimately how much you enjoy your time at
Cambridge is up to you and what you make of it, not determined by which college you randomly
happen to choose on your UCAS form. You will of course usually feel very loyal to your own college!
But sometimes this intense college loyalty can confuse students with little or no knowledge about
Cambridge.
Advantages of the College system
Each college provides its own facilities including accommodation for all students for all 3 years, bar,
sports ground, computer room, dining hall, library, chapel, nurse etc.
Very easy to get involved in the wide range of activities available because they happen on two levels:
the college level and the university level.
You're part of a relatively small community where most people will know you: porters, your teaching
staff and your tutor. You're not just an anonymous face in a crowd.
4. Cambridge: teaching
The range of subjects is quite traditional, with a considerable amount of variety within them.
Although there are barely any joint honours degrees, students can often study a different subject in
Part II – like Management Studies, for example – even though there is no 'Business' degree.
Worth pointing out Natural Sciences – you don’t apply to study Biology, Physics, Chemistry as you
would elsewhere, but study either Biological or Physical Natural Sciences and then specialise.
Cambridge doesn't offer more modern courses like media studies or sport science or more
vocational subjects. People who are interested in these sorts of subjects but still want to come to
Cambridge often choose something related (e.g. English instead of Media Studies), then maybe get
involved with student journalism before applying directly to the profession.
Lectures, seminars and lab or practical sessions are given on a university level, at the faculty or
department. Attendance is often optional, but sometimes recommended!
One of the main sources of learning is supervisions. (Feel free to talk about them in some detail,
including the advantages and disadvantages, because supervisions are one very significant thing that
makes Cambridge different from other universities.) Informal, personal, chance to ask questions and
sometimes even challenge leading academics!
Be honest! Don't play down the amount of work, but let them know that Cambridge students do
manage to have an active social life as well.
5. Cambridge: social life/societies
It is very easy to get involved in any activity you do already or would like to start. And if there's
something you want to do and it's not offered then you can just start it yourself!
The two tier college/university structure means that most major activities are carried out on a wide
variety of levels, from absolute novice to semi-professional.
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Sport (large number of inter-collegiate leagues and cuppers and the annual Varsity matches,
over 50 sports played at University level and many at college level as well)
Journalism (Varsity and The Cambridge Student to CamFM and college newsletters)
Theatre (ADC/Footlights, musical theatre, comedy, college productions)
Debating (The Union Society)
Subject societies (e.g. MedSoc, University and College Law Societies – most subjects have an
associated society of some kind!)
Politics (political societies, CUSU, College JCR - equate JCRs to student unions in college
providing services, welfare, representation and ents)
Music (orchestras/bands, choirs)
Cultural societies (including international and religious societies)
Charities etc (from RAG and SCA to environmental charities and international development)
Although Cambridge is not renowned for its club scene, there are several city clubs offering a range
of music, and there are various college ents throughout the term (King’s Mingle, Queens’, Clare
Cellars – though all Colleges have their own) and events in May week (you might have to explain
what May Week is).
Loads of pubs, and each College has its own (very social) bar.
Some colleges have their own cinemas, also one in the Grafton centre.
Formal Hall - play this by ear according to your group: some students will think this sounds sociable
and fun, some will think that formal dinners emphasise every negative stereotype they have ever
heard of! Use your discretion!
6. Cambridge: welfare
Strong welfare support network because of the collegiate structure; your tutors and supervisors will
get to know you personally. This makes it much easier to talk to them if you have a problem with
work, money or anything else.
Each college has a nurse and all students can use the University Counselling Service. Each student is
assigned a personal tutor who they will see once or twice a term throughout their career and who
you can approach for help or advice at any time.
There is a thriving LGBT+ campaign which organises events throughout the year and provides
welfare support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. There’s also the BME Campaign,
and a huge range of societies for students of different nationalities, ethnicities, cultures and religions
which arrange events and provide support for students in Cambridge, a very active Women's
Campaign, an International Students Campaign and numerous other groups for the representation
of minority groups. All of these groups are easy to get involved with and can be accessed through
the CUSU website.
There is great financial provision for students at Cambridge. Each college has hardship funds to help
students who are struggling financially, and there are also many scholarships, including music grants,
book grants and travel grants. The Cambridge Bursary (which you’ll receive if you get a maintenance
grant from the government as part of your student finance support) is currently worth up to £3500
per year.
The colleges all have a commitment that no student should ever have to leave Cambridge through
financial hardship. Cambridge is a rich institution, but this doesn't mean it's for rich people, it means
that it has a lot of resources to support students who need support.
7. Cambridge: the town
The University is the town - at least in the centre. On the other hand, there are big areas of the
town away from the students which feel more cosmopolitan. East of the centre, by the Grafton
Centre and beyond, Cambridge looks a lot more like any other town!
Very beautiful city thanks to all the architecture etc – although this means it's also full of tourists!
The town is relatively small, but this means that you're never more than 10 minutes' bike ride away
from anywhere that you want to go. Transport costs are therefore more or less negligible.
8. How to apply
Applications have to be in by 15th October.
You either apply to a college or make an Open Application and are allocated a college.
Interviews take place in early December - you are almost guaranteed an interview once you've
applied. Tell them a bit about your interview, as this is the part of the application procedure that
tends to worry people the most. Emphasise that interviews are not to 'catch people out'- instead
they are designed to bring out the best in candidates. Cambridge interviews all its candidates in a bid
to look beyond what people look like on paper, and see how they respond to being stretched, and to
considering issues they have not come across before.
You hear whether you have been accepted/rejected/pooled in early January. The 'pool' is a system
to ensure that if one college, for whatever reason gets many more applicants than another, then
able candidates who happen to have applied to that college that year do not get denied a place.
These candidates are put into a 'pool' where other colleges who still have places left are able to look
at the applications and select candidates. If you're pooled to a college you will either get a
conditional offer without another interview, or you will be called for a further interview at another
college.
If you do not get in that does not mean you are a bad candidate. You must remember that the
competition is very high - only one in three people get offers. There are plenty of people who have
been rejected by Cambridge, who have gone to other universities and enjoyed highly successful
careers.
9. Conclusion - finding out more.
A full list of Open Days is available in the prospectus – tell your audience that if they can they should
think about coming to Cambridge to have a look around. If they can't (too far, part-time jobs etc.)
then that doesn't matter as they can always explore when they come for their interview, or attend
one of the Oxford & Cambridge Student Conferences, which tour around the country in mid-late
March. There is also a lot of information available online on the university website:
www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate, which has links to all the college websites.
Every college has an official prospectus and some even have ones written by the students, which are
available in both paper copy and online, accessible through the college's website.
10. Questions
Always a good idea to leave time for questions afterwards... and then bring the session to a close!
You could leave your email address with anyone who is very keen, if you'd like to answer further
questions.
Feel free to leave the access@cusu.cam.ac.uk email address, or direct students to the
applytocambridge.com website, where they can use the Ask-a-Student boxes there to ask questions
directly to a group of students.