Sadly, as you say, classics is a fairly upper/middle class course due to its requirement of Latin A-Level (which only grammar and private schools offer I believe), but that only applies to the 3 year course! There is a 4 year course where you basically do a foundation year to learn Latin and have an intro to the aspects of the 3 year course such as ancient history and philosophy, and that requires absolutely no prior knowledge of either Latin or Ancient Greek. Just popping this here to try to show it's not as stupidly unattainable as it can seem!
There were 8 of us in my college doing Classics. We all had Latin, and all except two had Ancient Greek. I had studied Greek at school from age 13, which I think is typical of most classicists. Incidentally, the main reason I studied Greek at school was because I wanted to go to Cambridge and I thought it would be my best shot. It worked! A young Mary Beard was one of my tutors. I'm glad to hear that Classics is now available for people who don't have the language, but I think you would have to work very seriously to get adequate Latin and Greek in one year. 13 year olds are easy to terrify into rote learning of conjugations and declensions. Regular Greek verbs have over 170 inflexions. The definite article, 'the' has 24 inflexions. I can recite it to this day.
the conversations you’re so right!!! i’m at st. andrews and i feel constantly out of my depth that i don’t know enough about literature and academia to sustain conversation. especially small talk at events etc.
Right?! It can be so frustrating! Having said that, I have learnt a few things about this in my time at posh Cambridge dinners. For example, some people are really good at blagging, and subtly leading conversation onto things they know about, so they end up seeming really clever, but it's just because they've managed to segway onto their personal interests. Still, if bar quizzes are anything to go by, some people also just have a lot of general knowledge
I enjoyed watching this video. I HOPE you trot along to Footlights when you get back to Cambridge as you clearly like to perform! I went to Cambridge decades ago. Not even remotely middle class and not from the South East of England, as you are, but very definitely working class (mother a waitress and father a steelworker, living in a council house in a Teesside town). When I attended there were students in my college from top public schools like Eton & Charterhouse, students from state schools including grammar schools/comprehensives/6th form colleges, and students from schools and colleges abroad. Not any problem fitting in, and friends could be made with all sections of the student body. One of my colleagues there mentioned that the thing about Cambridge is that all of the students were top of the class at school (there were couple in my year that I thought that didn't apply to, but as a general pointer...). Most of them had a wide knowledge of other subjects and interests, not only the subject they were studying in. It's a place where you can concentrate on academic studies if you wish, where you ARE likely to be taught or lectured by leading authorities in their field. But you can also enjoy regular sports at both College and University level, you can participate in social activities (acting, music and choirs, subject-related social groups, dining or drinking groups etc), and people can basically find SOMETHING to interest themelves (whether they like Ents or Formal Halls etc). Or you can engage in combinations of those various activities as most do. Academic study is really important but it is NOT the only point in attending a place so magical as Cambridge. I'd suggest that anyone who feels they are good enough, to apply, or at least have a conversation with the teachers at your school or college, to ask for their views/advice. If you don't apply, you can't go there. It is as simple as that.
Thank you so much for your wonderful comment, it was so interesting to read!! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video :) I do love to perform, but I've never tried to get into Footlights (except for a comedy panel show I did with them once) - otherwise, the good old impostor syndrome got in my way! Plus, it's so intensely competitive and so I'm not sure I would've been able to get in if I had tried. You have such a great story! The working-class thing I've heard can be a real problem, but you're right in saying that people do find friends no matter their background. Also, it's so so true that all of the Cambridge students were top of their class at school - when I first got there, I was amazed and overjoyed to find that I was in a city full of nerds! They definitely do have a wide range of knowledge, and I find that the students who've benefited from a more privileged education sometimes have a lot of extra knowledge. You're right too that there are so many reasons to go to Cambridge other than just academia. To some extent, the courses are not necessarily the 'best in the world', although the teachers are authorities in their field, so in my mind the general culture and extra Cambridge-specific things are more of a reason to apply (as well as having 'Cambridge' on the CV) than purely the academic side of things. Also, totally agree with your last words of wisdom. Thanks for them!!
Congratulations!!! That's amazing!! Don't be scared for the workload, it will be alright! I won't lie, it is tough, but as long as you're willing to work hard, you'll do just fine. Remember, especially in your first year, that you don't have to know what you're doing! Be kind to yourself, get a lot of sleep, eat properly, and don't be afraid to ask for help - you'll have a great time x
@@annav270 Honestly that's fair (and same) but do cut yourself some slack - we are living in a pandemic, and sometimes we all need a bit of time off to recuperate and recharge - a day off is sometimes the best thing to improve productivity, so don't be afraid to take one!
i’m feeling the same! i’m from a state school and got an offer from cambridge but i’m so intimidated by the workload. a levels have already burnt me out 😪
I really enjoyed this video and it was wonderful right until the very end. Well planned, entertaining and informative! The most important thing is, I want to go to Cambridge! Any hope? I do have an A level in English - grade E: but surely that won't be an obstacle? I'm sure it won't! Or will I just have to settle for hours in Heffer's bookshop instead - reading Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy? Advice, please, Hatty, you can find a way of getting me there, can't you! X
Very interesting! Would you say Oxford is more elitist that Cambridge? I have always thought it was due to the number of tories who went their and some of the famous clubs based there (e.g. bullingdon club).
There is a Bullingdon type club at Cambridge. The main reason why Oxford is thought of as more elitist is because Oxford has a couple of courses designed for people who want to go into politics. So presidents and prime ministers' children choose Oxford over Cambridge. My school sends a lot of people every year to both universities, so I went on day trips to both places. The 'town' element is more prominent in Oxford, and there was a group of skinheads and vomit on the floor in the city centre. Cambridge seemed more peaceful and gowny, so I went there.
You also seem privileged and posh/very middle class, especially your accent and views etc; if you feel like that, how do black, immigrant, working class people etc feel at Cambridge 😭😭 Not to reduce your own experience
I completely agree with you!! It's insane that someone like me, who is white, middle-class, from the south east and relatively privileged, can feel out of place at somewhere like Cambridge - I often think about how completely alienating it must feel for ethnic minorities and working class people here. It's completely and utterly messed up that the culture of Cambridge is so skewed to the extent that someone with even my level of privilege struggles with class-based impostor syndrome, and that's just because I came from a school system where the majority of people are educated. Obviously, I can't talk for people who are black, immigrants, or working class, but if you're interested in this topic, there are lots and lots of articles about it on Varsity (www.varsity.co.uk/ ) by people who have experienced Cambridge from less privileged backgrounds than me, some of which are really really interesting (edit: also I do want to add that my accent has got posher because of Cambridge, which is a whole other bundle of weirdness)
I think so! Rent and bills are fairly affordable when you're living in college accommodation, as most people do, and it's a very walkable/cyclable city so you don't spend much on transport. I always went to Sainsbury's for my shopping but there's also Lidl and Aldi, which might be nearby depending on the college you're in (or if you're willing to cycle). As someone who got quite a lot of financial assistance, I found it affordable
I'm about to start history at Cambridge and I'm just wondering how much choice there is within papers, and is it easy/possible to change what papers you do? thank you!
The amount of choice you get within papers tends to depend on your supervisor and how much choice they give you, i.e. whether they prefer to focus on what they specialise in or give you a freer range of choice. It's very easy/possible to change what papers you do early on in the course but if you've been studying them for a while it's less feasible - always something to discuss with your DoS though!
Congratulations!! Which college? That's hilarious!! and it's funny you should say that, because I've probably come across more communists than Etonians!
Sidney Sussex is a great one - right opposite Sainsburys!! Very beautiful inside, lots of green space and not a very big student count. You're right, it's not a particularly pretentious one either. Good choice!!
You should be very careful about that. Communism killed tens of millions of people and there are many people at Cambridge from former Communist countries whose ancestors were killed or persecuted under Communist regimes. Don’t be divorced from the horrors that Communism wreaked on the world over the 20th century and continues to do today through religious persecution and possible genocide in China. It’s not just some edgy ideology. No decent person can support it if they actually understand it. Doesn’t matter if you’re arguing against Etonians.
@@gu3r1tar no country has ever been ‘communist’, the final stage of communism is stateless, classless, and moneyless. the things that took place in the USSR and China were undeniably horrific but they do not represent true communism.
Formals are completely optional, so no, you don't have to go to them if you don't want to. Also due to covid, they're usually not allowed, so at the moment you can't go to them even if you want to! I will say, though, that they're really fun and lovely and often not that expensive (depending on your college and the niceness of the formal - John's basic formal, for example, is about £6, and the average is about £12, but really nice formals can be up to about £30 or £40) so I'd definitely recommend going to a formal if you get the chance, even if you think it might not be up your street
@@rsndrcrz depends on the formal. If it's just a normal one at your college, you can just sign up, but for formals at other colleges and for special occasions, you have to be invited
Matthew, I am middle class! BUT Cambridge is so full of wealthy, privately-educated individuals that someone like me is STILL at the lower end of the privilege spectrum. That's literally part of the problem.
No they’re not. Very down to earth and rounded. But what ticks me off is the number of Cantabs on TH-cam talking nonsense to raise money to pay for living and fees. ‘ Study with me’ ‘ The real tea about Cambridge’. Why not write about something that has creativity and value ?
Hey, I'm actually not making any money from these videos at all - my channel is too small for that, and I don't have a Patreon. I'm doing this for fun. I've also never made videos called 'study with me' or 'the tea about Cambridge' because that's not my thing. This is a harmless Q&A where I answer questions people have asked me, in order to encourage more state-school students to apply to Oxbridge, but if that doesn't have enough 'creativity and value' for you, might I direct you to the other videos on my channel? Or my blog, perhaps - again, something which I'm not getting paid for - or maybe even my profile on Varsity, where you will be pleased to find a lot of unpaid-for, written articles which I hope will meet your lofty expectations. Enjoy!!
![Asking Students "How To Get Into CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY?" | [Street Interview]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Wl4R6OiPNCo/mqdefault.jpg)
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
Sadly, as you say, classics is a fairly upper/middle class course due to its requirement of Latin A-Level (which only grammar and private schools offer I believe), but that only applies to the 3 year course! There is a 4 year course where you basically do a foundation year to learn Latin and have an intro to the aspects of the 3 year course such as ancient history and philosophy, and that requires absolutely no prior knowledge of either Latin or Ancient Greek. Just popping this here to try to show it's not as stupidly unattainable as it can seem!
Oh yeah, I forgot about that! Thanks for clarifying, it's really helpful!!
There were 8 of us in my college doing Classics. We all had Latin, and all except two had Ancient Greek. I had studied Greek at school from age 13, which I think is typical of most classicists. Incidentally, the main reason I studied Greek at school was because I wanted to go to Cambridge and I thought it would be my best shot. It worked! A young Mary Beard was one of my tutors. I'm glad to hear that Classics is now available for people who don't have the language, but I think you would have to work very seriously to get adequate Latin and Greek in one year. 13 year olds are easy to terrify into rote learning of conjugations and declensions. Regular Greek verbs have over 170 inflexions. The definite article, 'the' has 24 inflexions. I can recite it to this day.
the conversations you’re so right!!! i’m at st. andrews and i feel constantly out of my depth that i don’t know enough about literature and academia to sustain conversation. especially small talk at events etc.
Right?! It can be so frustrating! Having said that, I have learnt a few things about this in my time at posh Cambridge dinners. For example, some people are really good at blagging, and subtly leading conversation onto things they know about, so they end up seeming really clever, but it's just because they've managed to segway onto their personal interests. Still, if bar quizzes are anything to go by, some people also just have a lot of general knowledge
What a wonderful yellow cup! It looks like it's been papier mached (sp?) with upcycled paper on an upcycled yoghurt pot splendidly.
yes, it has been, but I don't know why you needed to bring it up twice... strange, it's almost as if you had something to do with it...
I enjoyed watching this video. I HOPE you trot along to Footlights when you get back to Cambridge as you clearly like to perform!
I went to Cambridge decades ago. Not even remotely middle class and not from the South East of England, as you are, but very definitely working class (mother a waitress and father a steelworker, living in a council house in a Teesside town). When I attended there were students in my college from top public schools like Eton & Charterhouse, students from state schools including grammar schools/comprehensives/6th form colleges, and students from schools and colleges abroad. Not any problem fitting in, and friends could be made with all sections of the student body. One of my colleagues there mentioned that the thing about Cambridge is that all of the students were top of the class at school (there were couple in my year that I thought that didn't apply to, but as a general pointer...). Most of them had a wide knowledge of other subjects and interests, not only the subject they were studying in.
It's a place where you can concentrate on academic studies if you wish, where you ARE likely to be taught or lectured by leading authorities in their field. But you can also enjoy regular sports at both College and University level, you can participate in social activities (acting, music and choirs, subject-related social groups, dining or drinking groups etc), and people can basically find SOMETHING to interest themelves (whether they like Ents or Formal Halls etc). Or you can engage in combinations of those various activities as most do. Academic study is really important but it is NOT the only point in attending a place so magical as Cambridge.
I'd suggest that anyone who feels they are good enough, to apply, or at least have a conversation with the teachers at your school or college, to ask for their views/advice. If you don't apply, you can't go there. It is as simple as that.
Thank you so much for your wonderful comment, it was so interesting to read!! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video :)
I do love to perform, but I've never tried to get into Footlights (except for a comedy panel show I did with them once) - otherwise, the good old impostor syndrome got in my way! Plus, it's so intensely competitive and so I'm not sure I would've been able to get in if I had tried.
You have such a great story! The working-class thing I've heard can be a real problem, but you're right in saying that people do find friends no matter their background. Also, it's so so true that all of the Cambridge students were top of their class at school - when I first got there, I was amazed and overjoyed to find that I was in a city full of nerds! They definitely do have a wide range of knowledge, and I find that the students who've benefited from a more privileged education sometimes have a lot of extra knowledge.
You're right too that there are so many reasons to go to Cambridge other than just academia. To some extent, the courses are not necessarily the 'best in the world', although the teachers are authorities in their field, so in my mind the general culture and extra Cambridge-specific things are more of a reason to apply (as well as having 'Cambridge' on the CV) than purely the academic side of things.
Also, totally agree with your last words of wisdom. Thanks for them!!
Great video. Congratulations on 50 subscribers!
Thank you!
drag performance you say...Idk why but the thought of the Frock Destroyers performing at Cambridge is just hilarious to me
We don't need to import the Frock Destroyers, Cambridge have their own drag artists!!
i recently received an offer from cambridge as a state school student and im so scared for the workload 😭
Congratulations!!! That's amazing!!
Don't be scared for the workload, it will be alright! I won't lie, it is tough, but as long as you're willing to work hard, you'll do just fine. Remember, especially in your first year, that you don't have to know what you're doing! Be kind to yourself, get a lot of sleep, eat properly, and don't be afraid to ask for help - you'll have a great time x
@@hattywillmoth thank you!! i hope it will be fine but i can’t lie i’m feeling the burnout already
@@annav270 Honestly that's fair (and same) but do cut yourself some slack - we are living in a pandemic, and sometimes we all need a bit of time off to recuperate and recharge - a day off is sometimes the best thing to improve productivity, so don't be afraid to take one!
i’m feeling the same! i’m from a state school and got an offer from cambridge but i’m so intimidated by the workload. a levels have already burnt me out 😪
@@Chloe-ie9nu glad i’m not the only one!! what college/course if u don’t mind saying??
Wonderful! Very entertaining and informative! xx
Thank you!! xx
I really enjoyed this video and it was wonderful right until the very end. Well planned, entertaining and informative! The most important thing is, I want to go to Cambridge! Any hope? I do have an A level in English - grade E: but surely that won't be an obstacle? I'm sure it won't! Or will I just have to settle for hours in Heffer's bookshop instead - reading Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy? Advice, please, Hatty, you can find a way of getting me there, can't you! X
I will do everything in my power to get you to Cambridge, madam, although I may only be able to get you to Heffer's… X
Love the effects (especially when you talk French hehe)
merci beaucoup ma cherie
Very interesting! Would you say Oxford is more elitist that Cambridge? I have always thought it was due to the number of tories who went their and some of the famous clubs based there (e.g. bullingdon club).
I honestly couldn't say, I've never even visited Oxford, but my guess would be that they're not too dissimilar
There is a Bullingdon type club at Cambridge. The main reason why Oxford is thought of as more elitist is because Oxford has a couple of courses designed for people who want to go into politics. So presidents and prime ministers' children choose Oxford over Cambridge. My school sends a lot of people every year to both universities, so I went on day trips to both places. The 'town' element is more prominent in Oxford, and there was a group of skinheads and vomit on the floor in the city centre. Cambridge seemed more peaceful and gowny, so I went there.
You also seem privileged and posh/very middle class, especially your accent and views etc; if you feel like that, how do black, immigrant, working class people etc feel at Cambridge 😭😭 Not to reduce your own experience
I completely agree with you!! It's insane that someone like me, who is white, middle-class, from the south east and relatively privileged, can feel out of place at somewhere like Cambridge - I often think about how completely alienating it must feel for ethnic minorities and working class people here. It's completely and utterly messed up that the culture of Cambridge is so skewed to the extent that someone with even my level of privilege struggles with class-based impostor syndrome, and that's just because I came from a school system where the majority of people are educated. Obviously, I can't talk for people who are black, immigrants, or working class, but if you're interested in this topic, there are lots and lots of articles about it on Varsity (www.varsity.co.uk/ ) by people who have experienced Cambridge from less privileged backgrounds than me, some of which are really really interesting
(edit: also I do want to add that my accent has got posher because of Cambridge, which is a whole other bundle of weirdness)
@@hattywillmoth Wow, that is such an incredible and open-minded reply when you could have easily become defensive instead. Credit to you
@@adarsh601 thank you very much!
Loved this! Was super insightful ❤️❤️
Thank you!! xx
Can you also shoot some videos about shops, coffees.. , clothing stores, etc around certain universities, 😊💖 ?
oooh that's a fun idea!! I'll see what I get up to after exams are over...
@@hattywillmoth yeah just saying. Whatever you choose to post, i bet they will be great☺
Heyyy I was wondering if international students get scholarship for undergraduate students!! Would be delighted to know!!
Thanks
Hellooo I have literally no idea, I'm afraid!
Awww thanks anyway
Would someone with access to the full financial allowance be able to afford to live at Cambridge?
I think so! Rent and bills are fairly affordable when you're living in college accommodation, as most people do, and it's a very walkable/cyclable city so you don't spend much on transport. I always went to Sainsbury's for my shopping but there's also Lidl and Aldi, which might be nearby depending on the college you're in (or if you're willing to cycle). As someone who got quite a lot of financial assistance, I found it affordable
I'm about to start history at Cambridge and I'm just wondering how much choice there is within papers, and is it easy/possible to change what papers you do? thank you!
The amount of choice you get within papers tends to depend on your supervisor and how much choice they give you, i.e. whether they prefer to focus on what they specialise in or give you a freer range of choice. It's very easy/possible to change what papers you do early on in the course but if you've been studying them for a while it's less feasible - always something to discuss with your DoS though!
@@hattywillmoth thank you!
Are there many Cambridge Students from South Yorkshire?
Cambridge is massive so you'll find people from all over the UK, but there aren't as many northerners as there should be!
Bless you
thanks
Just got into Cambridge and I’ve already been defending communism from Eton weirdos.
Congratulations!! Which college?
That's hilarious!! and it's funny you should say that, because I've probably come across more communists than Etonians!
Hatty Willmoth Sidney Sussex. From what I’ve heard it’s one of the less pretentious colleges.
Sidney Sussex is a great one - right opposite Sainsburys!! Very beautiful inside, lots of green space and not a very big student count. You're right, it's not a particularly pretentious one either. Good choice!!
You should be very careful about that. Communism killed tens of millions of people and there are many people at Cambridge from former Communist countries whose ancestors were killed or persecuted under Communist regimes.
Don’t be divorced from the horrors that Communism wreaked on the world over the 20th century and continues to do today through religious persecution and possible genocide in China. It’s not just some edgy ideology. No decent person can support it if they actually understand it. Doesn’t matter if you’re arguing against Etonians.
@@gu3r1tar no country has ever been ‘communist’, the final stage of communism is stateless, classless, and moneyless.
the things that took place in the USSR and China were undeniably horrific but they do not represent true communism.
I love it you clever lass
thank you possummmm
Does everyone have to go to formals?
Formals are completely optional, so no, you don't have to go to them if you don't want to. Also due to covid, they're usually not allowed, so at the moment you can't go to them even if you want to! I will say, though, that they're really fun and lovely and often not that expensive (depending on your college and the niceness of the formal - John's basic formal, for example, is about £6, and the average is about £12, but really nice formals can be up to about £30 or £40) so I'd definitely recommend going to a formal if you get the chance, even if you think it might not be up your street
@@hattywillmoth do you get invites in attending formals or you can just go when there is?
@@rsndrcrz depends on the formal. If it's just a normal one at your college, you can just sign up, but for formals at other colleges and for special occasions, you have to be invited
I want your help, please help me 😣
with what?
@@hattywillmoth in my Statements in Application for apply to Cambridge University
@@zaraklife1843 do you mean with your personal statement?
@@hattywillmoth yes
Hatty, stop pretending to be a prole. You have a posh name and a posh accent. Not everyone at Cambridge is posh, but I reckon you are!
Matthew, I am middle class! BUT Cambridge is so full of wealthy, privately-educated individuals that someone like me is STILL at the lower end of the privilege spectrum. That's literally part of the problem.
No they’re not. Very down to earth and rounded. But what ticks me off is the number of Cantabs on TH-cam talking nonsense to raise money to pay for living and fees. ‘ Study with me’ ‘ The real tea about Cambridge’. Why not write about something that has creativity and value ?
Hey, I'm actually not making any money from these videos at all - my channel is too small for that, and I don't have a Patreon. I'm doing this for fun. I've also never made videos called 'study with me' or 'the tea about Cambridge' because that's not my thing. This is a harmless Q&A where I answer questions people have asked me, in order to encourage more state-school students to apply to Oxbridge, but if that doesn't have enough 'creativity and value' for you, might I direct you to the other videos on my channel? Or my blog, perhaps - again, something which I'm not getting paid for - or maybe even my profile on Varsity, where you will be pleased to find a lot of unpaid-for, written articles which I hope will meet your lofty expectations. Enjoy!!
What a wonderful yellow cup! It looks like it's been papier mached (sp?) with upcycled paper on an upcycled yoghurt pot splendidly.
that is true, that's exactly what has happened - how very astute of you...