Magdalene Residential 2023

We were hugely excited to welcome 44 students from Merseyside, North Wales, and the Isle of Man to Magdalene College from 11-14 April 2023. The participants spent four days in Cambridge experiencing the life of a Cambridge student: attending academic sessions led by Magdalene Fellows; exploring other Cambridge Colleges; gaining an insight into the university application process; and learning from current Magdalene undergraduates about the reality of living and studying in Cambridge.

The participants were split into subject ‘tracks’ based on their academic interests. These were Physical Sciences; Biological Sciences; and Arts and Humanities. The Physical Sciences group visited the Department of Engineering, where they experimented with making and breaking structural beam kits. The group also attended a taster lecture on fluids led by Dr Zach Bond (2012) at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology.

Making and breaking beams at the Department of Engineering, kindly organised by Dr Richard Roebuck (1994) and Dr Jinx St Leger.

The Biological Sciences group attended taster lectures on areas of neuroscience and behaviour by Dr Hannah Critchlow (2003) and Dr Kanad Mandke.

Trying out an EEG machine with Dr Hannah Critchlow (2003).

The Arts and Humanities group learned about the variety of subjects available to study at Cambridge, from Philosophy and Theology to Law and Modern and Medieval Languages.

Visiting the Faculty of Law on Sidgwick Site.

As well as attending academic sessions, the participants visited either the Fitzwilliam Museum or Museum of Zoology; received tours of other Cambridge Colleges; experienced a chauffeured punt tour provided by Scudamores; and enjoyed a formal dinner at Magdalene. The participants also attended sessions on personal statements and admissions assessments led by the Schools Liaison Officer, and mock interview sessions led by Dr Sergio Bacallado (2016), Ms Silke Mentchen (2005), and Student Ambassador Jacob (Medicine, 2022), all of which received very positive feedback.

In the evenings, the participants took part in a variety of ice-breaker games and activities, including a quiz devised by Student Ambassador Avesta (Classics, 2020).

The participants were engaged throughout their academic sessions and had lots of questions for the Fellows and Student Ambassadors.

Of this year’s residential participants:

• 62.5% attend schools which do not regularly receive offers from Oxford or Cambridge
• 62.5% live in areas of low participation in higher education (POLAR quintiles 1 and 2)
• 50% live in areas classified as deprived by the Indices of Multiple Deprivation datasets (IMD quintiles 1 and 2)
• 38% would be the first member of their family to attend university
• 24% identify as BME
• 18% are eligible for Free School Meals or Pupil Premium

Before attending the residential, 59% of the participants indicated that they were ‘definitely’ confident about which subject they wanted to apply for at university. This had increased to 73% by the end of the residential.

By the end of the residential, 86% of the participants ‘definitely’ understood the steps involved in the university application process, compared to 27% at the start of the week.

In the post-residential survey, 48% of participants stated that they ‘definitely’ believed they would fit in at the University of Cambridge, compared to 30% in the pre-residential survey.

Some of the feedback provided by participants:

‘It was amazing! Everyone was so nice and friendly, and willing to answer all my questions.’

‘Phenomenal experience; would recommend. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it and I am sad to leave. I will apply here!’

‘Until this week, I was hesitant that Cambridge was the right environment for me, but it now feels accessible as I have been made to feel so welcome here.’