Which college did my character go to?

[n_e_star]

I'm writing a Smash fanfic and in canon my MC says he went to Cambridge University

Comments

[channonyarrow]

As I'm reading this, you're looking for several different degrees. The A-level is more commonly (in my experience, as an American who did a Master's in the UK in the early 2000s) known as the GCSE and it's the second test taken in secondary school, at around 17 or 18. So technically, you can't take an A-level in anything at a university. What you can get, at the undergrad level, is this. I don't know what it's called in aggregate; honours

[steepholm]

Oxford is relatively more humanities-focused while Cambridge is relatively more science-focused.

I think "relatively" is the operative word here. Both do both to a pretty high standard! Perhaps the character could become involved with the Cambridge Footlights, which has been the nurse of many an actor, director, etc.

[channonyarrow]

Not any help on the main questions, but just a quick note - GCSEs and A-levels are different; GCSEs are done at age 15-16, A-levels at 17-18. You need GCSEs to sit A-levels (generally). But you're right, you wouldn't do A-levels at uni, you need them to get IN to uni.

Like I said, though, I have no knowledge of Cambridge so am useless for any other information x)

[profbutters]

COUGH Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry?

You don't "major" in drama at Cambridge. You ACT. You get involved in one of the gabillion Dramatic Societies. That's what the above three did. Look for the ADS and the Footlights.

I read English, and did as many Drama activities as I could. I'd have done more, and stayed, too, if I hadn't been American.

[janewilliams20]

I went to Cambridge, but a while ago now. That sounds to me like someone doing a subject-irrelevant degree who spends all their time at Footlights and similar organisations. Theatre as an "outside interest", but one that they spend most of their time on, like the more sporty types do for rowing or rugby. This was never my area of interest, so I don't know details, but I think the older colleges are more likely to tolerate that sort of thing

[yiskah]

For the stereotypical "no work, no brain required, easy to get into" degree, pick Archaeology and Anthropology (Arch'n'Anth): the reputation may be undeserved, but it's there.

DEEPLY undeserved! ;) (Former arch and anth student here.) I don't remember there being that stereotype when I was studying (1996-99), but then as an arch and anth student I wouldn't necessarily have been aware of it I suppose. However the 'no brain' subjects I can remember (beloved of sporting Blues) were Land Economy, History of Art and (to a lesser extent) education at Homerton.

[janewilliams20]

I was rather earlier (84-87, NatSci), and Arch'n'Anth had just been made (in)famous by someone getting in to do that, then changing to do History (seen as harder), while having fewer O levels than his bodyguard.
I'd agree about History of Art.

[yiskah]

I was very tempted to say 'you're just saying that because of Prince Edward, aren't you?' ;)

[azziria]

Cambridge resident here :)

OK, if your MC studied for an undergraduate degree at Cambridge (rather than just doing some sort of short-term exchange) then they'll have a BA (Bachelor of Arts - even if you study Sciences at Cambridge you get a BA not a BSc).

You won't find a dance program as a major part of a Cambridge degree, the university is too academically-focussed for that. Anyone who's seriously interested in theatre does it extra-curricularly, either in individual college productions or through joining Footlights. Although Footlights is mainly famous as a hotbed of comedy and satire, you'll see from the list that that's where many notable actors and directors got started. Not at all dance-focused, though.

I think your MC would have done a BA in an Arts subject (list here), probably at one of the older colleges (so not Churchill or Robinson). (If they've said that they studied at Cambridge University then you can't have them at Anglia Ruskin or Cambridge Performing Arts because you would never say you'd been at Cambridge

[profbutters]

This person knows. :)

[bopeepsheep]

Although I'll note that Robert Webb, complete genius of dance *g*, went to Robinson. And I could easily see someone like him ending up in Smash.

[azziria]

Good point. I tend to forget the Arts at Robinson and Churchill because of all the NatScis and CommScis I knew there :)

[wwmrsweasleydo]

Cambridge university only does academic subjects, and only at the very highest standard. There's no performing arts, and no way of getting credits in them to count towards a degree. It sounds to me like your character probably had a change of direction after University. Of course, he doesn't need to have stayed for the whole 3 years of an undergraduate degree and actually graduated. He could have gone for as little as a term and then dropped out.

He could have gone to any college and studied any subject. Two things to be wary of here. It's important to make sure the college you pick is a college of Cambridge University and not just a college which is in Cambridge. Mind you, a friend who went to a polytechnic (as it was then) in Cambridge used to just say that she was studying at Cambridge and let people draw their own conclusions (the uni being very prestigious and polys not so much), so your character might have been doing that.

The other thing is that at British universities we don't have the 'majoring' system that's in America. You

[lovechilde]

Bear in mind he quite possibly could have a BA in something like English Lit. and then have moved on to theater, and kept up with dancing outside of university...