"TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THE COLLEGE OFFERS YOU"
I sit typing this little note of appreciation to St David’s exactly a year to the day from my interview to study English at the University of Cambridge.
Before arriving at St David's, I didn’t have a clue as to whether I wanted to even go to university, let alone what subject I wanted to dedicate all my time to for the next three years. Now, having just finished my first term at Cambridge I can safely say that applying was the best decision I’ve ever made, and I owe the basis of that decision entirely to the College.
Early into my first year with St David’s, via the Honours Programme, I was made aware of a Shadowing Scheme run by Cambridge where students from disadvantaged backgrounds were given the opportunity to visit the city for three days and ‘shadow’ a student, attending lectures and supervisions with them, as well as social activities like watching plays at the student run theatre and going to formal dinners (very Harry Potter-esque).
I vividly remember returning from this trip and vowing to apply to the university when the time would come in a couple of months. For the first time, I was able to envisage a future for myself and I had something to work towards.
This newfound direction heightened my everyday college life and I found myself enjoying and making the most of my lessons far more.
"In English Literature classes especially, the passion that my teachers displayed for their subject further gave me something to aspire to and they soon became role models for me."
When the dreaded time came around, the College did everything in its power to make the application process less daunting.
I was put into contact with Oxbridge students that had also gone to St David’s, I was given the opportunity to have a mock interview with a professor of Linguistics from Oxford, mock admissions tests were set up and were marked by my teachers, the UCAS officer more or less did the application itself for me with all the guidance she provided, the list goes on.