Hi everyone! Welcome to Christ's Admissions 2014!
You'll see from the posts last year that I went very quiet at the end of October. This was because I fell off my bike rushing home from work and broke both my elbows. Nevertheless, after a week off to recover, we managed the admissions round in what I hope was a seamless fashion! Needless to say, I'm trying to be much more careful on my bike.

It's very exciting starting on another admissions season - receiving applications from talented students achieving excellent academic results and living full and interesting lives. I look forward to meeting many of you over the next weeks, and some of you over the next years. Whatever the outcome of your application, let me take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for the future, whatever that may hold.

Sending your documents

Sorry it's been so long since I posted here - we've been really busy, as you can imagine.
I've had a few people ask whether it's OK to send all the required forms, documents and written work together. As far as we are concerned, it's fine as long as everything arrives by the deadline of 14th November. Please don't forget, if you are sending an A4 envelope, you need to stick on a LARGE letter stamp otherwise your mail will be delayed.
If you enclosed a stamped self-addressed envelope, I will return this to you so that you know everything has been received.

Just 30 hours to go!

Only just over a day to go and already we have nearly 400 applications! But don't panic, your application will be carefully and individually considered by several different people; we don't do any computerised sifting and sorting here in Cambridge. You are a unique individual and your application is unique. Because no two applications are the same, they can only be dealt with by real people. This isn't to say we don't use computers - we couldn't deal with all the admin without them! But when it comes to assessing applications, only human eyes and brains can take in all the information and make judgements taking everything into consideration.
If you have any issues which arise subsequent to completing your application, just email admissions@christs.cam.ac.uk and we can sort it out.

Admissions 2013!

Well, here we are in another admissions round. It hardly seems a year since we were taking applications from the freshers who have arrived this term. It's been great to see them on the Cambridge application journey and finally getting here after more than a year of focussing on their aim.
Now that you have started your journey, I want to wish you all the very best, whatever the outcome. It's a very exciting thing to do, and, if you come to interviews in Cambridge, I hope you will enjoy the experience and find it worthwhile. Most people surprise themselves and find they have a great time. Anyway, that's all a long way off and there are more applications coming in before the closing date!

Interviews are finished now

Well, the interviews are over and the interviewers will be (or have been) meeting together with our Director of Admissions to discuss the outcome. I think you would be amazed if you could see the time and trouble they take over making the final decisions. I can assure you that every part of every application is carefully and individually considered taking into account ALL the information available. So please don't think we take these decisions lightly. We are very aware that you have put everything you can into your application. Many of you say that since you were very young it has been your ambition to study at Cambridge.
This is now the ninth year for me as admissions secretary, first at another college and since 2005 here at Christ's. During that time, I have processed several thousand applications and, for the some, (about 1 in 5) there has been joy. Sadly the reality is that for 4 people in every 5 there's disappointment, and we do understand that it's hard to take.
However, some years nearly half as many people recieve offers through the pool as those who recieve the offer of a place at Christ's (see http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/statistics/ for more information). For information about decisions have a look at this website http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/ourdecision.html
Whatever the future holds for you, I must say I've enjoyed this journey with you and I'm grateful to have received many kind messages of thanks from you. May I wish you all the very best for Christmas and the New Year.

Something you'll all want to know

I've been sent a few emails along the following lines: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for making the interview process so smooth! I very much enjoyed my day in Cambridge and the interviews! However, I do have one more question- when can one expect to hear further from the college?"

The answer is that letters communicating admissions decisions will be posted first class on Thursday 3rd January 2013. We hope that the post won't be delayed for you but if you don't receive your letter on Friday you should be able to see your UCAS status updated. If your letter is late arriving and your UCAS status has not changed, it's likely but not certain that your application papers will have been placed in the Pool. I know lots of you will email me to ask if I can send your letter by email but I'm afraid this takes a long time to work through everyone so I probably won't be able to respond immediately. 

For more information see http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/ourdecision.html - there's a link to information about the Winter Pool

We've had a very busy interview day today, it's been fun meeting so many interesting people! We're sorry we won't be able to have you all but I'm glad that several have been emailing to say that they enjoyed their day in Cambridge. If your interviews are still to come, I hope you enjoy your day too.

One week of interviews nearly completed

By the end of tomorrow we will have interviewed (in Cambridge) over 100 applicants, next week another 250 candidates will be coming for interviews and the following week there will be another 100. At last everything is in place, everyone has replied and we're set for a busy week.  I hope those of you coming for interviews in the next two weeks have good journeys here and I hope you'll enjoy being here in Christ's. We've had some great emails from people who had their interviews last week, here's an example "I wanted to thank you, and the rest of the admissions team for your correspondence over the past month or so, I had my interviews today which I thoroughly enjoyed and the porters were very helpful in their guidance." So that person found it not so scary and managed to enjoy the experience - I hope you will too!
Just a hint, if you can aim to arrive at the Porters' Lodge 20-30 minutes before your first appointment this will give you time to get yourself checked in and time to find the interview room. This is especially important if your first appointment is a written test - there's likely to be several other people arriving at the same time so a queue can build up which might delay you if you haven't allowed quite enough time. We don't want you arriving all stressed and harrassed!
Have a good weekend and relax - most people find interviews fun rather than an ordeal!