Cambridge Summer School Review by Anthony Bradley

In June 2017, two of our senior students, Anthony Bradley and Adrian Beattie attended the Cambridge Summer School Residential for Northern Ireland students. After the summer school, they travelled to Oxford for the University Open Day.

Below, see Anthony’s account of his experience:

“The Corpus Christi College Cambridge NI Summer School most certainly proved to be an educational, informative and ultimately highly enjoyable experience for me. As well as being an opportunity to get to see one of the most well recognised and renowned universities in the world, the trip has taught me many lessons not only about what it would be like to live and study in Cambridge, but also about what life as a university student is like at any institution. The small group subject sessions gave me a penetrative insight into what exactly it is like to study at Undergraduate level and the personal statement workshops will unquestionably aid me greatly in my own UCAS application – no matter what courses I will be applying for.

However, as well as being tested intellectually, I was also pushed to my limits in the culinary realm by the range of dishes presented to me over the three days in the college Hall (artichoke by far being the standout starter). The time spent in Corpus College and the city of Cambridge as a whole, offered me many opportunities to make friends with new people from other schools who I would never have had the opportunity to otherwise meet – be it while on a tour of the medieval manuscripts stored in the Parker Library or during a quiz-round on Latin place-names.

We followed up our visit to Cambridge by attending the Oxford Open Day shortly afterwards. For me, as somebody hoping to study English Literature, I was treated to a day packed full of mini-lectures on the subject from world experts in their respective areas of study, as well as having the opportunity to wander through some of the university’s most iconic and breath-taking colleges (students present were often very keen to point out exactly which notable politicians and Prime Ministers were alumni).

Overall, I found the experience to have been one of great value to me personally, both in helping to confirm my choice of subject for third level education and giving me a clearer picture of life as a university student. Undoubtedly, it was the most enjoyable experience of my 2017 summer and a trip I will remember for years and years to come.”

If you are in Year 13 & would be interested in attending a university summer school in 2018, speak to the Careers department for advice.