<p>Hello people,</p>
<p>I'm a student from the Netherlands who wishes to apply to Cambridge University next year (Natural Sciences). I read some of the entry requirements, and to be honest, it is very unimpressive. They ask for a VWO diploma with an average of 8/10, with 9/10 in up to 3 specified subjects. Currently, my grades are 9/10 in 7 subjects and the rest 8/10, and up to now I barely even worked for my grades, and I'd say on average I spend less than 1 hour a day working for school (directly, of course I read a lot about things I like). Furthermore, I go to a categorical gymnasium, which is a notch above 'VWO' (Our school was voted best high school in the Netherlands in previous years), as a gymnasium offers Latin and Greek too. I got an A in my FCE University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, and I expect to get another A in my CPE Examinations (Certificate of Proficiency in English, similar to that of a fairly educated native speaker of English, and ranked at the C2 level) next year. </p>
<p>This might come off as bragging, but it isn't. I actually want to know if Cambridge actually looks at ECs at all, because I heard from some people that British Universities don't look at ECs. I love Volunteer Work, and I find it absolutely disgusting that students in America use it to get into good colleges. That's also why I prefer British universities of American ones: They are too pretentious, but in reality anybody with rich parents can get in. Are there any Cambridge students, what does Cambridge look at? Only Grades and the interview, or is there something else too?</p>