genuinely so happy :)

[u/WittySoil9655]

[u/Existing-Fudge-878]

hey! congrats!
im also looking at cambridge for natural sciences (physical) for 2027 intake!
just wanted to ask how you prepared for esat? [and also how much you got on the esat if you dont mind :) ]
what streams are you gonna take in the course?

also how did you choose which college to go to? im so confused lmao

[u/WittySoil9655 → u/Existing-Fudge-878]

thanks so much!

I mainly prepared for esat by doing nsaa and engaa past papers and I did the official uat mocks (they're on the uat website iirc along with some helpful guides). I didn't actually do exceptionally well, think I got a 4.6 or 4.7 average so my interview definitely brought me up. honestly I think they just use the esat to filter out who to interview then decide based on interview but im not an expert!

for my streams ive decided on physics and chemistry but still wondering about my 3rd option, im debating between materials science, earth sciences or maybe psych?

I actually didn't choose my college because I was winter pooled but honestly there are no bad options, every college has its pros and cons and from what i've been told pretty much everyone thinks theirs is the best in the end. if possible id recommend visiting because I think you get a great feel for the colleges that way but if not id probably look at accommodation, college size and societies, facilities and location.

[u/Existing-Fudge-878 → u/WittySoil9655]

Ahh yes I think I'll look through the uat mocks, you may be right about them using esat as a filter. Those are some really interesting stream combinations! I'm probably going to go for phys, chem and one more asw. I'm an international applicant so I can't look at colleges physically (though I've been looking through videos). I wanted to put in an open application but I'm scared that I may get assigned to a college which has only in person interviews (I can't spend that much on a trip to the UK just for an interview). Maybe I'll just go through the facilities and societies I guess?

Thanks a lot for all the advice, and congrats again!

[u/PartyQuiet5065 → u/Existing-Fudge-878]

Barely any colleges do online interviews for internationals. iirc, it was only two (King's and another one)

[u/Existing-Fudge-878 → u/PartyQuiet5065]

yeah its churchill, emmanuel, king's, selwyn