#hsps

[askacambridgestudent]

Hi, I've applied to Pembroke College for HSPS (predicted A*A*A (English Lit/History/Mathematics), A in EPQ and 9999998876 GCSES), and I was wondering 1 if you think this is likely to get me into the course, and 2 what pieces of written work are smart to submit? I've got a good poetry essay about contemporary urban life lined but I'm second-guessing submitting a source-based essay. Any advice? :)

Hey,

Your grades do meet the typical offer set for candidates, but as with any Oxbridge application, grades alone are unlikely to secure your place. Instead, your performance at the interview(s), personal statement, tutor or teacher references, written work, and any extenuating circumstances will also be taken into account. I don't think it's necessary to question whether a certain grade will make it more likely/unlikely to get in because students come from all kinds of backgrounds, and all met their offer and/or were otherwise academically capable students, just as you are. I don't think Cambridge places too much emphasis on the EPQ (or at least not the grades in themselves), because they know that not every school is capable of providing this, but if this is relevant to your prospective subject, they might go into detail about it at the interview (they did with mine!). As for your written work, I recommend submitting the work you feel most confident in. It certainly doesn't have to be perfect, but it's important that those who read it can get a clear sense of your style, thinking, and analytical skills. It's worth noting that Homerton, on their website, does not specify that they don't want to receive source-based essays for HSPS, but they do explicitly mention this for other subjects, such as History, so it should be fine to submit a source-based essay.

It's worth noting that Queens' also recommends submitting an essay, if possible, related to the subject you wish to specialise in during your course. If the written work you're considering covers this well, I imagine there's no problem. I hope this helps!

[askacambridgestudent]

Hi! Could I have a late college match please? I'm reapplying for HSPS after King's left me in the Winter Pool last year. My GCSEs aren't at all Cambridge standard, but excused by my secondary school (school itself is flagged in all applications and I had extenuating circumstances). I got A*AA in my A-levels (at a better school but with major unexpected extenuating circumstances in the middle of my exams). I've been debating between Clare, Pembroke, Catz and Queens- in that order- for a central college that balances social life with academic reputation. It would be incredibly helpful to know if any of these colleges are: most politically active (as left-leaning as a Cambridge college can be expected to be), forgiving/welcoming of reapplicants, and/or known for central 2nd+3rd year accomodation? And also if any of them put a significant amount of weight on interviews? If I'm missing a college that might fit my preferences more, please let me know. Thanks so much!

Hey,

For HSPS, I think it's important to keep in mind what tutors/DoS would suit you best, as different colleges have academics that work in different fields. Clare has a strong presence in Politics/IR, I think Pembroke's good for Criminology/Psych/Anthro, Catz has fellows in Politics/IR, Sociology, and Anthropology, whilst Queens' presence is strong in Politics/IR and Sociology.

The colleges you mention are all fairly balanced - Clare is quite sociable, and I've heard their (first-year) accommodation makes it easy to get to know other students there. Pembroke is also a nice mix. Queens' students are incredibly friendly and open, and the college itself offers a great social life, so I think all of your options are worthwhile in this regard. I recommend taking a look at the possible accommodation each college offers, if you have preferences.

I think Clare would have the most 'left-leaning' reputation of the colleges listed (as far as students go), but it's important to remember that Cambridge has a varied student body, which doesn't get sorted into colleges based on political views, so there's a mix of everything at every college. Even at the most 'tory' colleges, students are generally left-wing, and if you're interested in political activism or awareness, there are plenty of university-wide societies that will welcome you with open arms. Despite its reputation, Cambridge can be fairly liberal.

As for reapplicants, I don't imagine this is of great significance, especially if you're applying to a different college than the one from your initial application. The main concern would be the chance that the people looking over your application this time would have done so last year, but overall, this shouldn't be too worrying. Especially since the application process is holistic and you have already achieved the typical offer grade, interviewers are likely to place emphasis on your interview anyway, and if you gained new experience or have added new material in your PS, they have every reason to look at your application with fresh eyes, even if they do know you're a reapplicant.

Regarding accommodation, I believe Clare's later accommodation is located just outside the very centre of the city, not far from Jesus Green, and about a 20-25min walk from Downing/Sidwgick Site and only a 10min walk from Sainsbury's.

Pembroke's housing is a bit more varied, as they have houses on offer which are located both near the college, which is central, and the sports grounds, which would be further out.

I believe Catz guarantees in-college housing for all three years of your study, and second years are allocated rooms only a short walk away from the central college.

Queens' has a lot of different houses/staircases, with some being outside of the city centre and others being closer to/within the college, so this depends. I hope this helps narrow it down!

[askacambridgestudent]

Hi, I'm looking to study HSPS and I am predicted A*AA and got 888877666 in my GCSEs (is this a problem?) I want to go to Selwyn and would like some guidance, tips and advice :)

Hey, apologies for the wait on this ask.

As this blog's been around for a while, you can browse through previous posts regarding admissions/applications (navigation page here).

Cambridge doesn't have a formal GCSE requirement, so there's no absolute way of knowing whether it's a problem - GCSE grades are often used merely to gauge academic development (consistency over time), and because the Cambridge admissions process is holistic, I would not say that your GCSEs are going to be that problematic. Your predicted A-Level grades also meet the requirements, but with your GCSEs - unless you have extenuating circumstances, in which your grades might carry you a lot further - I imagine admissions will be curious about your extracurriculars in particular.

Naturally, extracurriculars or other displays of interest in your course are crucial to a successful application, so I recommend either looking into ways you can show this - there are many different options here, of course. Depending on what is relevant, some volunteer, some I know wrote essays for relevant competitions, others registered for masterclasses, etc. I took a (free) online course that was relevant to my application, which I wrote about in my personal statement and was asked about at interview, for example.

Your personal statement is a crucial display of interest, motivation, and potential, so I would recommend fine-tuning that as much as you can. If you're uncomfortable speaking in formal situations (such as an interview) or don't get to discuss your course much with others (this was me), then it can be great to practice! Your tutors might be able to organise one, or some friends might be willing to sit down and ask some questions, just to get you thinking about what to say.

It's important to note that your predicted grade meets the requirement, and so, really, they won't reject you just because of this. If they wanted students to score higher than A*AA, I imagine they would change the offer grades - it will moreso be a case of having to make the person who looks at your application or interview report think 'Yes, I would want to teach this student' and extracurriculars or written work, references, and your personal statement should give you the chance to do just that. If you have extenuating circumstances or anything that you feel has either impacted your studies or would be worthwhile for admissions to know about, please don't hesitate to reach out to the person who will be writing your reference and see what they can do.

Ultimately, there are loads of people here who didn't have the straightforward all 9s, 3 A* path to Cambridge, and so identifying your strengths within the application and focusing on those could be beneficial. For a course like HSPS, I imagine having an idea of what specific fields interest you is beneficial and critical engagement with current affairs or news will help.

This might have been vague considering the length, but I hope it was useful. If you have any specific concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to return anytime!

[slobbered]

“Sensitive people are the most genuine and honest people you will ever meet. There is nothing they won’t tell you about themselves if they trust your kindness. However, the moment you betray them, reject them or devalue them, they become the worse type of person. Unfortunately, they end up hurting themselves in the long run. They don’t want to hurt other people. It is against their very nature. They want to make amends and undo the wrong they did. Their life is a wave of highs and lows. They live with guilt and constant pain over unresolved situations and misunderstandings. They are tortured souls that are not able to live with hatred or being hated. This type of person needs the most love anyone can give them because their soul has been constantly bruised by others. However, despite the tragedy of what they have to go through in life, they remain the most compassionate people worth knowing, and the ones that often become activists for the broken hearted, forgotten and the misunderstood. They are angels with broken wings that only fly when loved.”

― Shannon L. Alder

[blue-kyber]

This explains why I'm so disturbed by those scenes, and pretty much explains my reactions all my life.

Reading that HSPs don't just see the terror on screen, we live them as if they were happening to us really hit me.

Watching someone in pain can cause our brains to almost experience that scene ourselves, as if we were actually there. We cannot just watch and feel amused, pretending it isn’t real (even if it isn’t). Instead, our minds are more inclined to live through the experience ourselves and feel keenly for the characters on screen.

In those scenes from Nope, I'm not just watching it, I'm living it with those people.

Sensitive to Scary Movies? You're Not Alone

You're not watching the same movie I'm watching.

[relaxstationmusic]

Why Reiki is a must for empaths and HSPs

Why Reiki is a must for empaths and HSPs

Being an empath or HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) and not practicing Reiki is like sailing a ship without an anchor-you’re just drifting in the waves. If you already practice Reiki, this analogy is for you too because I’m sharing some practical tips on how it can help anchor and purify your energy when you’re overwhelmed. First, let’s define three terms… HSPs, a term that psychologist Elaine Aron…

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[artemis-de-la-lune]

telling someone "you're so sensitive" is not the insult you think it is. being sensitive is good because it also enables me to be very empathetic. just because one doesn't feel anything deeply, that doesn't give them the ticket to shame someone who does feel everything deeply and is deeply affected by everything.