Adam

Hi! My name’s Adam and I’m a recent graduate with a Master’s in Maths from the University of Cambridge, specialising in Quantum Computing, and starting a PhD soon. I know first-hand how stressful applications to the UK’s top universities can be because I was in this position just five years ago. I remember how opaque the processes felt, especially Cambridge’s – what should I put on my personal statement; which college is best to apply to; what style of questions will they ask me in the interview and much, much more besides. Having received an offer at interview, I then prepared for the challenging STEP exams which must be taken for entrance into Cambridge’s maths programme. Here I succeeded also and was admitted into Cambridge, where I eventually achieved the highest mark in Applied Maths at the Master’s level.

I can say in retrospect that this process was somewhat complicated by the fact that the information released by the university does not necessarily always line up with the realities. The process itself becomes much easier and less daunting when one has a guide who has recently been through it and therefore has up-to-date information. As an example, the decision of which college to apply to should not be taken lightly, particularly for those who are not able, for whatever reason, to visit Cambridge before applying. It is a decision that has considerations both academic and non-academic, one that is best made away from the front-facing veneer of an open day and one that is, once again, made easier with insider information.

The two services I primarily offer at this time of year are advice for applications (for Maths degrees, or similar, at Cambridge and other UK institutions) and preparation for interviews. The interview itself is ultimately run in the style of a mock supervision, where supervisions are the small classes attended by students two-to-three times a week – classes that are fresh in my memory. Using actual past Cambridge interview questions, I conduct interview preparation in the style of these supervisions. With teaching experience under my belt, I’m passionate about communicating Maths and like it when others enjoy it as much as I do.