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Cambridge Conditions Letter

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flapjack

Joined: 24 Mar 2008
Posts: 7
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Mar 25, 2008 03:31 PM
Has anyone who got offer via email actually received the letter outlining the conditions yet?
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yaiza242

Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 63
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Mar 25, 2008 04:25 PM
nop, and I don't have any hope of receiving it before april 10th, +/-
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jrmorton

Joined: 15 Feb 2008
Posts: 45
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Mar 25, 2008 04:29 PM
Can't you go to your self-service page and see what your conditions are-- in other words, I don't think the actual letter is of any benefit b/c all the info is available on Camsis. But, I could be wrong, as I'm still waiting for a decision...
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Krischan

Joined: 24 Feb 2008
Posts: 2
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Mar 25, 2008 05:11 PM
Camsis hasn't been updated yet...
I received my offer two weeks ago and there still is no letter specifying the contitions. But in the e-mail they said "in a few weeks" which can of course be more than just two ...

[Edited 25 Mar 2008 by Krischan]
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sydneycat

Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 49
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Mar 25, 2008 09:12 PM
I'm still waiting for the actual letter + for camsis to be updated. Looking at threads from last year some people didn't receive their letter or get camsis updated for about 6 weeks so I'm not holding my breath.

However, that said, surely the physical letter is going to be pretty similar to the letter we received via email? The only conditions were financial + college membership.

[Edited 25 Mar 2008 by sydneycat]
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flapjack

Joined: 24 Mar 2008
Posts: 7
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Mar 25, 2008 09:27 PM
Well for those of us finishing our undergrad degrees this year the conditions will specify what marks / grades we have to get ...
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sydneycat

Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 49
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:13 PM
Sorry, forgot about that stuff... :)

Hopefully they will send stuff through soon. Also, I would really like to hear about colleges! Maybe they don't even send your application to a college until after 15 April though which is when they want a preliminary 'are you sure you're not coming' update
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jrmorton

Joined: 15 Feb 2008
Posts: 45
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Thu Mar 27, 2008 06:20 PM
Has anyone who has been accepted know what their academic conditions are? I'm just trying to get an idea of whether they are realistic and attainable. I saw one post from someone in Norway who said their letter said they had to receive 3 A's out of the 4 classes they were taking. Problem was that according to him, in a class of about 200+ only 5 or so A's are given, so his offer was the equivalent of a rejection. The conditions attached to my UCL acceptance basically just require me to graduate-- complete my last semester and not die, while the conditions attached to my LSE acceptance were more or less that I have to graduate with the same GPA I have right now-- which is completely fair. I'm just wondering if Cambridge's conditions will be similar??? Does anyone have any insight? Thanks so much...
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apo056

Joined: 10 Feb 2007
Posts: 22
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:01 PM
Well, that Norwegian would be me. The only reason I got to know my conditions, was that I visited Cambridge some time ago and got to speak to the administrators at Cambridge. However, this is not a way in witch it is possible to get to know the conditions. I think I just got to know them because the person I was in contact with remembered them.

It is correct that the conditions were 3*A in 3 classes, and about 30 students out of 300 are likely to get an A on each of the exams. Statistically, however, only 4-5 will manage to get an A on all three of them, so thats why I'm not too happy about it.

But I am still awaiting the official letter stating the conditions, and I guess I have a small hope of the conditions not being that cruel.

Obviously they do not have standardized conditions. Ones conditions will most likely depend on the grades one have in allready passed courses, and the rest of the submitted application material. I guess the only reason my conditions where quite harsh, is that the comittee did not consider my application to be strong enough without those grades being achieved.

I certainly hope to be able to fullfill the conditions. I was absolutely amazed by Cambridge. The colleges are great, and the law school is situated in a beautifull new building. But most important, the people there where incredibly friendly. I was given the grand tour and was introduced to both students and staff, all very friendly and helpfull. I fell in love with the school.

Best of luck to all of you.

[Edited 27 Mar 2008 by apo056]
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jrmorton

Joined: 15 Feb 2008
Posts: 45
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:00 PM
Well, I spoke w/ Cambridge today, and my conditions are even more difficult than yours!!! Actually, much more difficult-- they're statistically impossible. The conditions are that I graduate w/ a certain GPA, but even if I get a 4.0 (all A's) then I still would be short of that GPA by quite a bit. When I spoke w/ them, I informed them of that, and they think the committee made a mistake, or didn't realize that and will re-evaluate. I wrote them an email explaining the situation, and I sincerely hope they do change the conditions, because getting an offer and then realizing its IMPOSSIBLE to meet that offer is rough. Plus, I was fully anticipating accepting there, etc.

Anyone else get their conditions yet? Anyone in same/similar position? I need some comforting...
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Bender


Joined: 17 Jan 2008
Posts: 77
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:09 PM
I can't say I'm in the same position, since I didn't have any conditions on my offer (already graduated), but I can certainly try to offer comfort.

First, I'd take comfort in the fact that if Cambridge gave you statistically impossible conditions, at least a mistake has obviously been made: I would feel free to hope it was a big mistake, and that you'll get good news soon.

Secondly, Cambridge has a hefty applicant pool from which to choose. It seems pretty unlikely that they would accept you only on the condition that you perform better in your final semester than you have to date: they have no reason to do that. It would be like accepting someone on the condition that they put together an entirely different (and more suitable) application prior to the start of term. I would think the only reasonable requirement would be to maintain your current average...

I would relax until you hear back from them - the conditions have to change by definition... wait until they've clarified.

[Edited 01 Apr 2008 by Bender]
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jrmorton

Joined: 15 Feb 2008
Posts: 45
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:23 PM
Thanks for the comfort, and I would have to think that they did make a mistake. I'm hoping (and assuming, sort of) that they meant that I need to earn that GPA in my last semester ONLY, which would make sense. The other weird thing is that on the application they specifically ask "Expected GPA" and I put exactly what I expect my GPA to be (.04 higher than what it is right now), which is where it would be if I earn their stated conditional cumulative GPA in my last semester. (Did I describe that in a way that makes sense? Hard to do w/out putting numbers) In other words, if they meant semester GPA rather than cumulative GPA, my cumulative GPA will be exactly where I said it would be if I get in my last semester what they conditioned my GPA being at. So, that's even more of a reason why I have to believe that is what they meant.

While I can't say I'm relaxed about being in this position, I'm certainly not overly stressed as, like you said, there must be something wrong or else they would have just rejected me.
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Bender


Joined: 17 Jan 2008
Posts: 77
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:53 PM
That makes perfect sense to me, and I would be surprised if they meant anything other than what you suspect. Especially given all the mathematical evidence, which lends a Sherlock Holmsian precision to your reasoning.

I predict: congrats on getting into Cambridge!
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jrmorton

Joined: 15 Feb 2008
Posts: 45
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:58 PM
Thank you. I suspect Holmes could've stated it in a clearer, more succinct manner, though! I assume you are going to accept there? If so, hopefully I'll be seeing you in a few months!
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sydneycat

Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 49
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:10 PM
Don't worry too much jrmorton - there is a thread from last year's cambridge acceptances where an irish student got conditions in his letter that he needed to graduate with a first from a specific swedish university and then pass english language tests!
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yaiza242

Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 63
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Apr 15, 2008 09:03 AM
Hi everyone!
Today my Camsis has ben updated and it finally says 'offer set'. I've gone through the conditions available online and it says something like 'academic conditions, non-standard'
does anybody know what are the non-standard conditions??

Thanks for your help!
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sydneycat

Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 49
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:03 AM
Hi. My Camsis was just updated last night. However, when I click on 'financial conditions' it says that a letter will be sent but in the meantime you can look at the financial guarantee form/ conditions of the offer booket and it gives a link. When I press on the link it just takes me to the admissions page of the cambridge website (ie the application form). Is anyone else having this problem? I wonder when we'll hear about colleges.
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equity's darling

Joined: 28 Nov 2006
Posts: 268
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:14 AM
The financial condition will simply require you to prove that you have access to liquid capital sufficent to satisfy the cost of your course (college fees, tuition, cost of living). The cost is itemized and tallied on BOGS website--roughly 17000 pounds I believe.
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yaiza242

Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 63
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Thu Apr 17, 2008 04:33 PM
I found this link that refers to the conditions:
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/admissions/of…

Nonetheless, I have not found what are the academic non standard conditions... any clue?
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Brett

Joined: 11 Feb 2008
Posts: 49
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Thu Apr 17, 2008 04:44 PM
I found this link that refers to the conditions:
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/admissions/of…

Nonetheless, I have not found what are the academic non standard conditions... any clue?


I would e-mail Suzanne Wade, probably the only way you'll get a definitive answer...?
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sydneycat

Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 49
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:39 PM
Thanks yaiza! I have a feeling this might be the document that Camsis was trying to direct me to when it directed me to the admissions page. I only have financial + college conditions so now waiting on a college... and trying to find some money!
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Brett

Joined: 11 Feb 2008
Posts: 49
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Apr 22, 2008 09:52 PM
Any news from anyone yet, I still haven't had my academic conditions...?
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sydneycat

Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 49
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:50 PM
Hi. I haven't seen anything yet either.

Could people let us know when they actually receive the physical letter in the mail? I want the hard copy information before I go about fulfilling the criteria etc and it says you only have 6 weeks to accept from the date of the offer so I'd like to get on top of it asap.

Do you think we will hear from colleges soon?
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yaiza242

Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 63
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:03 AM
I haven't received the letter so far. Nonetheless, I have accepted the offer via Camsis and my status has changed to something like: applicant accepted offer. You may do that!

Sidneycat, I didn't know that we had 6 weeks to accept it... but 6 weeks from when?

As for the college: I chose open application and, a couple of days ago Hughes hall contacted me to inform me that they were considering my application for their college...

BTW, is it difficult to find rooms for rent/appartments there?

Thanks!
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Dtho7636

Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Posts: 6
Cambridge Conditions Letter
Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:42 AM
Hi, I've just received my formal letter, but am quite upset because they require that I finish in the top 5% of my graduating class. I don't know about rankings, but I doubt that I will be in the top 5%, maybe the top 10% - but I have never heard of my uni even releasing rankings.

I feel like I've been teased with the 'conditional offer'. I was confident because my final marks (ie. those released after sending my application to Cambridge) have been the highest achievable - but too little too late it seems...
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