Gonville and Caius Easter school for academic high flyers

On the Cambridge University website this week information was released about the University's residential Easter school.

150 high-achieving state school pupils have had the opportunity to enjoy a taste of life at Gonville and Caius as participants in the College’s 2011 Residential Easter Schools.

The website report announces that 'the two free two-day courses, one for students interested primarily in the humanities and the other for prospective scientists, are held every year for high-achieving state school pupils who have the potential to be successful applicants to the University of Cambridge.'

The courses are designed to give final year college or sixth form students an experience of university life at Cambridge through lectures, seminars, visits to university sites and an overnight stay in Caius College, including dining in Hall. The courses are free to attend thanks to the generosity of Thomas Young, the father of a former Caius student.

Cambridge University's report goes on to say that 'at the final session of each course, Dr Andrew Bell, Admissions Tutor for Gonville and Caius College, gave a presentation intended to demystify the Cambridge applications process and provide information and advice on how to prepare a competitive application to any top university.'

Victoria Robinson, a pupil at The Hertfordshire and Essex High School, said: "I'm definitely going to apply now. I didn't really know what to expect - but I didn't think everyone would be this normal!"

The 150 students lucky enough to attend the residential course were nominated by their schools. The courses are run as part of Gonville and Caius's commitment to encouraging every student in every school to make the most of his or her abilities, and to help talented students achieve their ambitions, as Dr Bell explains: "It's a difficult time for students thinking about higher education. The funding of universities is changing rapidly, and there's a lot of uncertainty, even misinformation, out there.

"Events like this Easter School allow us to show students that, whatever their personal or financial background, if they've got the academic ability and the determination then Cambridge could be the very best place in the world for them to study. My colleagues and I have had a great time meeting these Easter School students - I'm sure we'll see some of them again."

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