Academia 11: My Cambridge Masterclass Experience

Hello my beautiful friends!

If you follow my Instagram, you may know I attended the Mathematics Masterclass at the University of Cambridge on Saturday (21/04/18). I had a lot of requests to share my experience of the Masterclass, so I have decided to write a blog post about it. All of my opinions about the day's activities are completely honest (and I hope you enjoy the photos).

I travelled to Cambridge by train and the journey was very pleasant (not too crowded, decent facilities and a well-stocked refreshments trolley). The train journey lasted two hours, so I did some sixth form work and chatted to some other people I met on the train, who were also attending the Masterclass.

As soon as I arrived a Cambridge, it felt like home. I note, this is the first time I have been to Cambridge. People say you get a 'gut feeling' when you sense a university is right for you and this was my gut feeling. Cambridge is busy with both modern and old features, which really appealed to me.

On arrival, we were given an itinerary, a list of all colleges (with walking distance from our current location and opening times), a Masterclass notebook to take lecture notes in, a prospectus and (of course) a University of Cambridge canvas bag.

The day started at 11.00am with the first lecture, which was an hour long. I sat with a group of girls from Essex. I emphasise that there was such a wide variety of people at the Masterclass. There were people from across the country, a more-or-less even mix of girls and boys and both people who attended individually and people who attended in groups. Either way, everyone was like-minded and kind, so it was easy to find new friends.

After the first lecture, there was a 45 minute lunch break. It was a really sunny day, so I sat on the grass outside Lady Mitchell Hall (where the Masterclass was hosted) with my new friends.

Following the lunch break, there was another lecture and an admissions talk. I thoroughly enjoyed both lectures. They were very interesting, both easy to understand and complex. The lecturers displayed incredible intelligence and thorough respect for all of us, which I found positive.

Regarding the admissions talk, this was very useful because it was subject-specific (unlike the usual generic admissions talk you may hear numerous times). We were provided with admissions tips, including many tips regarding the STEP exams, which was a masterclass in itself! Current students were also present to answer questions from a student perspective.

The session finished at 3.00pm and I took some time to look around Newnham College (an all-girls college and a college I am considering) before my train home.

(A random, aesthetic photo of Selwyn College! 😂)

Finally, I took the train home. My experience of this Masterclass was very, very positive. The Masterclass costs £20 (and it was certainly value for money), but Cambridge can cover the cost depending on your financial situation. I definitely recommend attending this Masterclass or something similar if the opportunity arises! I cannot wait to begin my application process... 😝