Questions about applying to Cambridge

Student Lounge International Students
1

<p>Hello there - I'm an American student (a rising senior) hoping to apply to Cambridge for its Architecture program. Although, I'll admit, I'm a bit confused with a few details.</p>

<p>I know that after completing three years of university in the UK, I'd gain a Bachelor of Arts degree. If accepted and I attend Cambridge, would that be accredited in America? Would I be able to pursue a M.Arch in an American university with a BA from Cambridge? Or would I only be able to become licensed in the UK after completing other such requirements?</p>

<p>While I'm at it, I might as well ask - although the chances for an American applicant to be accepted in UK universities are slim - would anyone say I have a chance? (Or rather, what specifically are they looking for?)</p>

<p>So far, I've taken 5 AP courses.
AP Global History: 5
AP American History: 5
AP English Writing and Composition: 4
AP Chemistry: 5
AP Studio Art</p>

<p>And I plan on taking 3 more APs in the coming school year, AP Physics, AP English Literature, and AP American Government. However, should I take AP Calculus? The class was offered to me, but I was unsure if it would fit into my schedule. Would it look bad for what I'm applying to if I don't take the course? Would it look better if I drop AP English or Government and pick up AP Calc instead?</p>

<p>I've taken the SAT once, and hoped to take it again, although I'm unsure if I would be able to do so before the application is due.
Reading Comprehension: 740
Mathematics: 730
Writing: 700</p>

<p>I haven't taken any SAT Subject Tests, though signed myself up for Chemistry and Math Level 2 on October 6th. I know the application for Cambridge is due on the 15th, would they accept the scores later on?</p>

<p>Last question, are they quite harsh with the portfolio?</p>

<p>Sorry for all the questions (but thank you for putting up with them!), just a few things I need to clarify. Thanks for any help you can offer.</p>

2

<p>Most of your questions have come up here before.</p>

<p>First of all, the Bachelor’s Degrees that British Universities award are real live degrees. They are just as good as a Bachelor’s degree from anywhere else, including the USA. Degrees from Oxford and Cambridge are pretty much the most prestigious degrees in the world. Nobody is going to say “Oh, your degree is from Cambridge? That’s not good enough for our graduate program.” Cambridge University is over eight hundred years old, they certainly have figured out over that time how to award proper degrees.</p>

<p>(The question itself is rather offensive. Why would there be something “wrong” with British degrees? It almost sounds like someone asking if Britain has flushing toilets.)</p>

<p>The chances of a USA applicant being admitted to a British University are very good. There are many, many British Universities. Oxford and Cambridge are the two most difficult to get into, they have the highest standards, but there are other universities and colleges in Britain that are easier to get into. Cambridge (or Oxford) are going to require an American applicant to have three AP tests with scores of 5. And it looks like you’ve got that. So I’m pretty sure it would be worth considering applying to Cambridge in SOME subject.</p>

<p>You need to get over to Cambridge’s website at find out what the requirements for admission into their Architecture course are. You will probably find some discussion about what “A levels” British applicants would be expected to have. You should make it your goal to take AP tests in subjects analogous to the required A levels. I don’t know for sure without checking the website myself, but I would guess that some sort of Mathematics would be required for entry into the Architecture course. What was your score in studio art? Since we are talking about Cambridge, any score below 5 is pretty much irrelevant.</p>

<p>I’m not sure exactly what you mean by “portfolio”. What a British university is going to be looking for is 1) that you meet their minimum requirements (which you may already have) and then 2) you are passionate about your chosen subject (in your case Architecture) and are someone they would like to have in their university. They will NOT be interested in all your other interests besides Architecture, they are looking for someone who is committed to Architecture and isn’t going to get distracted by something else. (This is very different from the USA). You will demonstrate number 2) in your “personal statement” (similar to an application essay) and in your interview with Cambridge.</p>

<p>KEVP</p>

3

<p>I hadn’t meant the question as offensive (I’m sorry if it came off as such) - just something I wanted to make sure of.</p>

<p>I have taken a look at the website for the requirements for architecture:
“There is no prescribed combination of A Level (or equivalent) subjects required for the Architecture course. Applicants with backgrounds in either the humanities or the sciences have been successful, although a combination of arts and science subjects is considered the best preparation.”
So, I was curious at what others thought the best combination of AP exams would be, as they only care about those that pertain to your area of interest.</p>

<p>Ah, studio art - I thought I put that in. I took the course as independent study. I have the class on my transcript, but I wasn’t exactly ready for the exam, as I never had the classroom experience. So I ended up with a 3. It’s quite poor, and I know it.</p>

<p>Also, it would seem I do need a portfolio:
“A strong interest and commitment to the discipline is essential and all applicants are expected to show a portfolio of recent work at interview.”</p>

4

<p>Maths, Physics and Art are often thought of as being the three ‘classic’ A Level subjects for Architecture. I would suggest doing AP subjects that are similar to those, including retaking Studio Art if possible. You must include all your subjects that you have been examined in in your UCAS application - anything else can lead to the withdrawal of an offer. </p>

<p>If there is a genuine reason for your poor performance in Studio Art (it’s roughly equivalent to a C at A Level) then your referee should write about it in their reference. </p>

<p>Make sure you take advice from UK sources on writing your personal statement - they are not to be written in the same way as US admissions essays. UK universities very rarely give a toss about your extra curricular activities unless they are directly relevant to your degree - they don’t care that you were in the marching band. </p>

<p>AFAIK the portfolio is essentially a body of artwork, but don’t take my advice for it - there are UK equivalents to College Confidential that can advise you better on that.</p>

5

<p>My Studio Art score is of my own fault. I started from scratch at the beginning of the year, while most other students typically had taken other art classes (I hadn’t). I wasn’t able to finish everything in time. I’ve already expressed to my art teacher that I’d like to retake the course. However, I can only retake the class for specifically drawing instead of 2D design (which is what I had done last year). Because I’d only have a few pieces of artwork to start with, I fear I (again) wouldn’t be able to complete all the necessary work. Especially if I take AP Physics and Calculus, I’ll never be able to put in as much effort as I would want for art. So, is it necessary I take an AP equivalent for all three - math, physics, and art? Or could two suffice at the very least?</p>

6

<p>I suggest you visit the student room website, there you will find students who study architecture at Cambridge and they will be much better placed to answer your questions.</p>

7

<p>If there are licencing requirements for architects in the US (and I have no idea if there are or what they are if such requirements exist) you first need to contact the licencing body and ask them if they will recognise a Cambridge degree. I highly suspect they will, but you might waste a lot of time and money if you don’t check this out now. You may need to take some kind of additional test in order to register (this is certainly the case if you obtain an overseas medical degree and wish to be a doctor in the US) and this may be time consuming and/or expensive. Or they may just accept the degree. Who knows? that is why you need to check.</p>

8

<p>You raise an important point. British degrees are generally not “accredited” in the US. In most professions, you will need to go through a special procedure. That is definitely the case for architecture. It has nothing to do with the quality of degrees. You should contact the AIA and seek their advice.</p>