More than 70 students from Pyrland School’s Year 10 and 11 Aspire Programme took part in a fact finding seminar about their academic futures, during a virtual visit to Trinity Hall in Cambridge. Students were keen to discover how to make university applications stand out as well as find out about the differences and similarities between Oxford and Cambridge – two of the oldest universities in England.
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Year 10 student Mia W said: “There are some great opportunities, and it was really well explained. It has genuinely given me a real sense of what it would be like to go and I will definitely be looking into it more in the future. I had never thought about university before but I’m definitely thinking about it now.”
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Marcus Tomalin, Director of Admissions at Trinity Hall, said: “Picking the right course is by far the most important thing. Something that interests you and that you have pursued independently is most important, showing you want a deeper understanding. Research your subject beyond what you study at school and show us how you explore the subjects that you’re interested in. You have to make good decisions about starting your work. You have to be good at organising your own time yourself.”
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Rosie Good, Schools Liaison Officer for Trinity Hall, explained how university success can improve job prospects, offer the chance to study a subject you love, meet other young people with shared common interests as well as develop independence and transition into adulthood. “If you don’t apply, you definitely won’t go”, she added.
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Students were taken on a virtual tour of the college, seeing the ornate chapel, meeting rooms as well as student rooms, Trinity Hall grounds and the riverside backing the college. They asked questions about forensic science, joint courses as well as finding out about the student welfare, wellbeing, mental health and financial support offered by the college. Year 11 student Holly G commented: “It looks gorgeous”.
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Unlike many universities, Cambridge guarantees accommodation for every year of a student’s degree and because they are only charged for the eight week terms in residence, costs are less than renting full time. Students discovered that studying at Cambridge and Oxford includes large lectures, smaller seminar sessions and supervisions with just a handful of students with leading academics in their field.
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Headteacher Lisa Webber said: “I am absolutely thrilled that we have been able to host Trinity Hall here at the school and that some of our ambitious youngsters have had the opportunity to begin to think about university entrance at this important stage. This continues to show we are unashamedly ambitious for our students and will to everything we can to inspire them to aim high.”