Biological Sciences - Stephen Cole

I first visited St John’s College on a Biological Sciences Taster Day in year 12. I already knew that I wanted to study Natural Sciences at Cambridge, but I had no idea which college to apply to. St John’s captivated me: the historical buildings, the famous Bridge of Sighs, the beautiful architecture and views...I knew I would feel at home in this college.

I was lucky enough to receive an offer for Natural Sciences at St John’s and since I began studying here last September, I have definitely realised that I chose the right college for me. The formal dinners, which are served six evenings a week, are superb and very affordable; dining in the Hall, wearing a gown and surrounded by portraits of celebrated alumni, feels very much like eating in the Great Hall in Hogwarts! The library, open 24/7, is a wonderful working environment and has so many books that I hardly ever needed to buy any textbooks of my own. The college is located very centrally, close to Sainsbury’s, the ADC theatre, and with Hardy’s Sweet Shop just across the road! The college crosses the river Cam, and you can spend a sunny afternoon hiring out a college punt and punting on the river with friends; in exam term, you can destress by lounging on the backs next to the river; and you’ll be the envy of your friends at other colleges when you’re entitled to buy tickets for the May Ball, arguably the best in Cambridge and easily the best night of my life.

St John’s is unparalleled in its provision of financial support for students, with the ethos that students who are hardworking and academically talented should be able to flourish in Cambridge regardless of their financial background. At the start of the year, St John’s gives out a number of monetary awards to incoming students who performed especially well in their application, of which I was fortunate enough to be a recipient. There is also what is known as the Learning and Research Fund, which allows you to claim back expenses from course-related trips or conferences, textbooks or electronics, with a maximum allowance of £300 per year. Thanks to the Learning and Research Fund, I was able to attend an Evolution and Behaviour field course in Slapton Ley in April, which I found very beneficial to my studies but for which the cost of travel would have been prohibitive, given that I live a good 7 hours away by train. During the summer, I received a bursary from the college which enabled me to spend eight weeks on a research project in a laboratory at Addenbrookes Hospital. Additionally, there are a number of financial hardship funds for anyone who is having financial difficulties, as well as academic and pastoral support from your Tutor, Director of Studies, the JCR (student committee) and Student Services.

Natural Sciences at Cambridge is an academically rigorous course, which makes it especially well valued by graduate employers! Although tough, it’s very enjoyable if you choose modules you’re interested in, and the breadth of options means you can try out a range of different subjects and then specialise later on, rather than committing yourself to a specialised field before you’ve even got to university. I started off doing Biology of Cells, Chemistry, Evolution and Behaviour and Mathematical Biology. I now know that I want to specialise in Biochemistry next year, but having a strong foundation in each of these subjects has given me a more well-rounded understanding of biological sciences than if I’d chosen to do a straight Biochemistry course elsewhere. I also have friends who have completely changed their mind about what specialist area they want to study since being in Cambridge, and the flexibility of the Natural Sciences course allows you to explore, chop and change easily.