I'm so glad I applied to Fitz, it has proven to be the perfect medium for my development allowing me to thrive both academically and in my extracurricularactivitiesmost notably Rugby! Edward Phillips
Applications and admissions Finding out about <strong>Fitzwilliam</strong> Attending an open day is an excellent way to find out about <strong>Fitzwilliam</strong>. We have three open days a year, two in April/May and one in September. See www.fitz.cam.ac.uk.admissions for the next open days. Attending an open day allows you to meet the Director <strong>of</strong> Studies in the subject <strong>of</strong> your choice and talk to current students. Potential applicants are also very welcome to visit the college at other times, by arrangement – contact addresses are on the last page <strong>of</strong> this prospectus. We also welcome applications from mature students, who should contact the Admissions Office for advice as soon as possible. Applications Applications must be made to <strong>Cambridge</strong> on a <strong>Cambridge</strong> Application Form (CAF) as well as through UCAS. We need to receive your application by 15 October. Entrance to the <strong>College</strong> is based on interview and Advanced GCE performance. The standard <strong>of</strong>fer in all subjects is AAA at Advanced GCE level (excluding General Studies and Critical Thinking); equivalent <strong>of</strong>fers are made for other qualifications. Candidates receiving <strong>of</strong>fers to read Mathematics will also be required to achieve high grades in Sixth Term Examination Papers (STEP), which are public examinations administered by UCLES. On average, there are three applications per place, but the number <strong>of</strong> applications per subject varies widely, and unpredictably, from year to year. Interviews All the candidates we see should be capable <strong>of</strong> achieving the high A2-level grades (or equivalent qualifications) that we require in our conditional <strong>of</strong>fers. For us, therefore, interviews are by far the most important means <strong>of</strong> distinguishing between highly qualified applicants who are strongly supported by their schools or colleges. So it is very much in our interest to get the best out <strong>of</strong> candidates in these interviews. Contrary to popular myth, we do not set out to make interviewees feel uncomfortable, or to play tricks on them. We hope that some <strong>of</strong> the following remarks help you give <strong>of</strong> your best in interviews, and therefore help us too. You can expect to be asked testing, thoughtprovoking questions: questions whose answers are not immediately obvious. Clearly, interviews have to be challenging. However, those FITZWILLIAM COLLEGE | UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE | 11 <strong>Fitzwilliam</strong> welcomes any applicant who has the necessary academic ability and potential, regardless <strong>of</strong> background. who ask you these questions will be hoping that you will do well. 'Doing well' does not mean merely unloading information or arguments that you might have learned in advance. The questions will be testing because they will invite you to speculate, to think on your feet, to discuss problems to which there are <strong>of</strong>ten no easy or neat solutions. We are interested in your ability to think for yourself, not in how polished or well coached your delivery might be. For this reason, we will try to put you at your ease. We know that candidates are nervous, and make allowances for this. We want you to feel confident enough to express your own views and talk about your own interests. The whole point <strong>of</strong> interviews is to give the interviewers a sense <strong>of</strong> the individuality and potential <strong>of</strong> each student – something that no exam paper can reflect. At <strong>Fitzwilliam</strong> (and most colleges follow this pattern), candidates have two interviews: a Subject Interview and a General Interview. Each lasts about half-an-hour. The Subject Interview is conducted by the Director <strong>of</strong> Studies who is responsible for that subject in the <strong>College</strong>; he or she is <strong>of</strong>ten assisted by one or two colleagues. These interviewers are the same people who will teach you, and organise your studies, if you do get a place at <strong>Fitzwilliam</strong>. They will be responsible for you academically. They have good reason, therefore, to be looking for talented, stimulating, and, perhaps above all, well motivated students. Can I take a gap year? Yes, we are happy for applicants to all subjects to take a gap year and thereby apply for deferred admission.
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