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On September 20 a group of the town’s top performing students participated in an overnight residential at King’s College, Cambridge University.  Here, one student recollects the visit. . .

On behalf of myself and the students from both English Martyrs and Brinkburn College, I would like to say how successful the overnight stay in Cambridge was and how grateful we all are to all of those involved in taking us and welcoming us at King’s College.

Firstly, the tour of the colleges gave us all an insight into the wonderful surroundings in which the university students are able to live and study. For me, the best part of this was visiting the expansive King’s College library which, for most of us, was the first time we had ever come across such an extensive array of books, thus highlighting the quality of learning available at Cambridge but also the huge difference between sixth form and university. Also, having the opportunity to explore the town and each of the colleges really made Cambridge seem like a realistic option as a place of study and a very pleasant place to live. This was enhanced after our punting experience which fantastic despite the weather!

In addition to the tours of the colleges we were given the opportunity to visit either the Fitzwilliam Museum or visit the zoology collection. Being an arts student, I participated in the visit to the museum which in itself was an amazing and inspiring aspect of the trip, not only did we learn about many artists but we also gained an insight into life in the town of Cambridge, furthering its already mammoth appeal. Also, majority of the students attended the zoology collection and they all felt it was equally interesting, however as many of them are thinking of studying medicine, a few students commented that they would have preferred to have learnt about the human side rather than the zoological. However, both groups of students reunited to hear from an archivist at Cambridge, a fantastic opportunity in which we were able to see many fascinating archives and learn about this aspect of the university. This was not only very interesting but also highly enjoyable as we participated in interactive sessions regarding reading and understanding a vast selection of archives.

During our visit the staff at Cambridge were extremely hospitable and welcoming, particularly our guide, Kristy. We were given plenty of advice on how to apply for Cambridge, which subjects are highly regarded, the interview process and any extracurricular activities that could enhance our personal statements. Adding to this, we were reassured on the financial side of studying at Cambridge and along with the other students, after these talks we all felt as though attending university at Cambridge is not merely a farfetched dream, but is actually a realistic option.
Overall, the visit to Cambridge was extremely successful; it has encouraged us to work hard in sixth form in order to have the chance of being able to study there as it now seems a realistic and highly appealing option as a place of study.