Student Perspective: Tom

I went to school in rural Lincolnshire. In sixth form I studied for A levels in History, English Literature, Religious Studies, and Business & Economics, plus an AS level in Archaeology. These are the kind of areas that interviewers are keen to see an interest in, but there is a great deal of flexibility in what A levels you need for ASNC. Because few sixth forms or colleges offer courses that cover the same ground as ASNC, there is no expectation that you should have completed specific A level subjects. Of course, studying historical, literary or linguistic A-levels would always give you a good background for the kind of study skills you will need. Knowing how to treat historical sources and analyse literature is important knowledge that I gained from my studies at sixth form, but fret not if you have not learnt these skills! Lecturers and supervisors in ASNC are well aware that students come from all kinds of educational and subject backgrounds, so teaching will be from the ground up. I had not studied any languages at GCSE or A level, but now I am more than comfortable with them. I think that the one exception to this rule is Latin. If you intend to take the Latin paper in ASNC and continue it on into the second year, then it would be handy to have taken it at A-level. There are beginner classes, and these were very good – but it would be helpful to have a good amount of prior Latin knowledge. Other than that, jump into ASNC with both feet if you have a reasonable grounding in humanities and/or language subjects!

Like many people, I was a little apprehensive about going to university, and Cambridge in particular seemed a little intimidating when I was an applicant. I remember the feeling of travelling from home, wondering, and even worrying, what life at King’s would be like. I found it to be extremely welcoming when I arrived, and all my concerns disappeared. Everyone was more than happy to chat, and after only a few days, King’s felt like home. Cambridge does not stage the traditional ‘freshers’ week’ like other universities, where new arrivals are left to find their feet on their own. Instead, the first week, both in the faculty and in the College, is structured and designed to give freshers a gentle push to introduce themselves and to interact with other students. Every student is give n two ‘college parents’ who help you through your first days at King’s, and they will ensure that you really feel like a part of college life. They were invaluable to me in the first few weeks – if I had a question about King’s or just wanted a chat and a drink, I’d just have to give them a call. King’s also has a high state school intake, and this meant that I did not feel out of place. It is not a big problem studying a ‘minority’ course, since there are plenty of these in King’s. You’ll find that there is always plenty to talk about, and that ‘subject groups’ are not common in college. The ASNC department is only a five-minute walk from college, so you will hardly feel detached from your fellow students!

Supervisions are extremely helpful, and they form the central part of your week in the first two years of ASNC. Essentially, they are an hour-long session where supervisors can discuss your week’s essay with you, and address any of your concerns. Supervisions are always very thorough, and it’s rare that you walk away feeling that you haven’t covered everything. They generally take a question and answer format, similar in some ways to an interview but much more relaxed (I’ve been offered coffee in my supervisions!). Because ASNC has so few students, supervisions are generally on a one-to-one basis, which means that you can really make good use of the whole hour. In the first week at Cambridge there will be a small ‘mock’ supervision, which will introduce you to the format that they follow – but they’re not as scary as they sound! The supervision essays you produce, and commentary on them, are key to your development throughout your three years at Cambridge, and constitute some of the most important resources for exam revision. Essay subjects are generally quite broad so as to encourage you to explore the whole of your set topic, and this is definitely doable. If you’re uncomfortable with a topic or find it boring (though this is hardly ever the case!) then you can ask for a different essay title, and supervisors will be more than happy to oblige. The last thing they want is for students to struggle.  

The best thing about studying ASNC is that it’s an intellectually stimulating experience. The course is enjoyable in its own right – the system of lectures, translation classes and supervisions, along with the ready availability of relevant books, means that you can pursue the interests you have in mind when applying to the full. You’ll never find yourself with nothing to do – and this is not necessarily a bad thing! ASNC material is interesting and it will always keep you on your toes, which makes for a challenging but enjoyable lifestyle. On the negative side, the small size of the course does mean that you’ll be hard pressed to find people in College who are interested in or can relate to your specifically ASNC-related stories. I am fortunate that there is another ASNC at King’s in my year, but be prepared to feign interest in degree- level science and mathematics!  

I first looked over all of the colleges to learn a little bit about them – it doesn’t take long, and it’s really quite interesting learning about the university and how it works. I then narrowed my choices down. I wanted a college that was in a central location, and embraced students from low-income backgrounds. This left a few choices, but I decided to pick King’s because of its beauty, its history and its choir – aspects that attract a great deal of students. Everyone’s criteria are different, of course, but many people choose to apply to King’s for the same reasons as I did. Choice of college is very important in my opinion, since colleges do more than simply provide accommodation. They have their own student unions and societies, and represent you as a student. Each college also has its own ‘ethos’, and some people develop a strong affiliation with their college. I would definitely recommend King’s, but I’m obviously biased! Some colleges are better for some than others, and it is ultimately down to personal preference.  

The system by which accommodation is distributed differs depending on which year you are in. After you have secured a place at King’s, you get to select the accommodation block that you would most like to live in for the first year, and you can place your choices in order of preference. Most students are then allotted a random room in the block of their choice, or if specified, a room of a particular rent band. Rent bands are a gauge of how expensive a room is, with band 1 being the cheapest and band 6 the most expensive. The main sites available to first years are the Keynes Building, a 60s accommodation block in the middle of College which has an ensuite bathroom in every room, and Spalding Hostel, which is a very quirky building where the rooms vary in size and amenities (making it hard to describe). In second year, room selection works on a ballot system whereby every student is randomly allotted a place, with the students at the top of the ballot picking available rooms first. This is then reversed in third year to make the system fair. This year I am living in New Garden Hostel, which is a popular block for second years situated in the Garden. Each room has a lovely ensuite, and the kitchen facilities are great. It’s also nice to live in the middle of a beautiful garden, and this will be a welcome setting for those students like me, pining for the Lincolnshire countryside!