A degree at Cambridge: what it's really like

Alexandra's journey with Unifrog led her to an offer from the University of Cambridge. Here's how she got there...

Alexandra's top Unifrog tips…

• Explore the Know-how library to find out how to apply
• Use the University shortlisting tools to explore your university options
• Consider aiming high by applying to one of your ‘aspirational’ choices

And her top tips for getting in…

• Seek out opportunities - enter competitions
• Share your writing with publications or local newspapers
• Find out what your university's priorities are

With university, employment, and apprenticeships all on the cards, the question of ‘what next?’ seemed rather daunting. With Unifrog, I was able to weigh up all my options and ended up choosing a path I hadn’t expected to take; a path which resulted in an offer from the University of Cambridge.

The problem 

Before I began to use Unifrog, I wasn’t certain of the direction I wanted to take after finishing my A levels. Even as I began to explore the platform, I still had questions about my future. Many of my friends were considering a variety of options, including apprenticeships and employment.

For some time, I thought that this would be a likely route for me too, but I came to decide that neither of these options felt quite right. As I was really passionate about my subjects and had always enjoyed learning and self-study, I started to consider whether attending university would be a better fit for me. I didn’t know where I was headed, and Unifrog solved that for me.

The solution 

The Know-how library was my first port of call when it came to thinking about university. With a wealth of information available, covering topics like Personal Statements, student loans, and the UCAS process, Unifrog opened the door to a whole new route for me.

The next step was to explore the UK universities shortlisting tool. I tapped in where I lived, the grades I was likely to achieve and the subjects I was considering studying; Unifrog did the rest. Although I had heard of the term ‘Oxbridge’ before, it wasn’t until the University of Cambridge popped up as an ‘aspirational’ choice that I started to do my research.

The outcome

With the help of Unifrog, I created an application which showcased the skills and experiences most relevant to the subject and universities I was applying for. It's important to see what your university's priorities are - for example, I found out that Cambridge apparently prefers academic statements, whilst other universities might want an application which mentions your work experience. I highlighted the fact that I had entered and won a translation competition, and tutored pupils in languages whilst I was at school.

I received five offers to study languages from five Russell Group universities, one of them being the University of Cambridge. Throughout the UCAS application process, I turned to Unifrog for information on the process of applying to Oxbridge, and also to use the Personal Statement tool and browse the Careers library. I feel very fortunate that my school provided this platform.

Unifrog gave me greater ambitions for my future and provided me with the tools I needed to make a competitive, and ultimately successful, application to the University of Cambridge.
 

Thinking of applying to Oxbridge? Check out the Oxbridge tool to compare your options.