My name is Amal and I study Geography at Newnham College, Cambridge. I was very undecided about what I wanted to study at university, but always found the study of the world so relevant, dynamic and wide-ranging, so decided to take my chances and apply to the Cambridge tripos course.
Going for the interview was nerve-wracking, but once I sat down and started talking about the subject I had read up and was passionate about, I got into a nice flow. It is like an academic conversation about topics you have written about and the pre-reading they have given. You also have quite a lot of power in what you want to talk about. I personally thought I had done terribly, but then I received an offer. It shows that tutors are not looking for a perfect student, but one they will enjoy teaching. Be relaxed, friendly and really talk through your thought process during the interview. Having mock interviews with teachers or even friends can also really help and reading outside the syllabus of your course and building your own niche area of knowledge is a sparkling extra.
I would say try and make the most of the resources and people you have access to: attend access events at Cambridge, connect with current/former students and ask questions. It will build a clearer picture of the University in your head. I didn’t do heaps of reading in preparation, but did listen to a lot of news podcasts to understand world events (I recommend Beyond Today by Radio 4 & a short book called ‘Geography: Ideas in Profile’ by Danny Dorling).
A typical week studying Geography consists of around 8 lectures a week, with 1-2 practical classes. You have one supervision per week (for which an essay is due), where you get some 1-to-1 time with your supervisor to ask them any questions you have, as they go through your work and understanding of their topic. In the second term you also have an interesting coursework project.
On the whole, Geography is less content-heavy and way more interesting and fun than people think! You have a lot of scope for choice in second and third years and can go into almost any field of work you want to. The department, college and your peers provide a lot of support and resources, so don’t worry about feeling lost, overwhelmed or behind. If you are passionate about learning about the issues that affect the world, then take a look at the Geography course – you won’t regret it!