Pembroke
Alternative Prospectus
Hi...
and welcome to Pembroke’s
Alternative Prospectus, a guide
to Pembroke written entirely by
Pembroke students.
Choosing a College may seem
like a big decision, but it’s really nothing to worry about.
You’ll get excellent teaching in
all Colleges, and practically everyone is really happy with the
College they end up at.
Having said that, we’ve put this
guide together to show you
some of the little things that
make Pembroke distinctive.
We hope you’ll find this
useful. If you’d like any
information or have any
questions, there are
handy links at the back.
Enjoy!
guide
more
more
some
CONTENTS
Studying
4
Student life
6
Societies
8
Food and Drink
10
Accommodation
12
Welfare
14
A Financial Guide
16
Any questions?
17
Did you know? Pembroke students are sometimes
called Valencians, as the College used to be called
The Hall of Valence Mary, after Marie de St Pol,
wife of the Earl of Pembroke and foundress of the
College.
4
studying
When you first get here, the step up from A-Level or equivalent may seem a little scary,
and there will be a lot of work. However, the academics know it’s a big change and they
adjust their teaching accordingly. So with a little bit of organisation and a dollop of hard
work you’ll be absolutely fine. Here’s a breakdown of studying at Pembroke:
Lectures & Labs
Depending on your subject, you’ll have up
to 12 hour-long lectures a week. Pembroke
is conveniently situated near many lecture
halls meaning that 1st year medics, mathematicians and scientists can leave Pembroke at 8.55 AM make a 9 AM lecture!
Lectures for other subjects are about a 15
minute walk away. Science and medicine
students will also have “labs” – practical
sessions – in their weekly timetable.
Supervisions
These hour-long discussions about a particular topic are one of the best bits of the
Cambridge education system.
An academic or a PhD student will lead
these sessions and they’ll usually be attended by only up to three students, meaning
you get a great opportunity to interact with
your supervisor more fully.
You have 1 to 4 supervisions a week, depending on subject. You might have a list
of materials to read for the supervision and
may need to prepare something for it (e.g.
an essay or the answers to some problems).
These sessions are really helpful: if you’re
ever confused or don’t understand anything, your supervisor is on hand to iron
out any problems you might have. The
more you put into supervisions, the more
you get out!
For information on supervisions for specific
subjects, check out our “alternative” subject
information sheets here:
www.pembroke-jp.co.uk/freshers
5
Where to study?
Each student room is provided with a large desk, complete with reading lamp, where many
students do their work.
If you’re tired of working on your own though, why not head down to Café Pembroke
(Café Pem) where there will often be students sharing ideas over a coffee and even writing
essays?
The Victorian library is one of College’s most beautiful buildings in the College and is open
from 8am to midnight. It is well stocked with books on every subject from archaeology
to zoology, and the friendly librarians are available to help you find anything you need.
It also has an attached Law library! Even if you don’t require a book, the library offers a
calm and inspiring environment in which to work. We also have a computer room which is
open 24/7. Here you will find 30 computers, as well as photocopying and printing facilities.
The University Library (UL) is only a 15 minute walk away, should you feel like working
out of College, and your faculty or department is also likely to offer libraries and other
places in which to work.
Directors of Studies
Your Director of Studies (“DoS” for short) is usually a fellow at Pembroke, who specialises
in your subject. A fellow is an academic who shares responsibility for running the College.
You’ll meet your DoS at the beginning and end of each term, and may even be supervised
by them. They’re here to keep track of your work and to check that everything’s going
well. If there are any problems with your studies, your DoS is only an email away and will
be brimming with supportive and helpful advice.
George, 2nd Year Natural
Scientist
Before meeting my DoS, I believed he would think of me as little
more than a number and that his only concern would be to
push me as hard as possible. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
In our first meeting, I was quite nervous, not knowing what to
expect, but he quickly relaxed me with humour. Throughout the
year we then met, in relaxed and informal meetings, at the beginning and end of each term. It is in these meetings that you
can discuss any concerns you may have with your course, or
ask for additional help. You can also arrange extra meetings with
your DoS if you require, and can email him/her throughout the
term with any concerns you may have.
6
student life
Pembroke is renowned as a friendly, welcoming College. Regardless of your background,
Pembroke feels like home as soon as you move in. The best thing about Pembroke is that
whatever you feel like doing, you needn’t be alone.
Fancy a night out? Head to the JP, and there will be people heading out (Pembroke is
conveniently situated within a five minute walk of all the Cambridge clubs).
In the mood for a quiet night in? There will almost certainly be people who fancy watching
a film, or chilling in the JP.
Feeling thespy? Ask around, and you’ll be sure to find someone heading out to see a
play or to watch a debate.
Have an uncontrollable desire to spend an evening in the library (or more likely an impending deadline!)? Again, you’ll easily find company.
As you can see, social life is not confined to college: Cambridge has a healthy nightlife,
involving many relaxed pubs and bars as well as several cheesy clubs. There is also the
usual collection of cinemas, music venues, and theatres to enjoy.
The JP
The JP decorated with balloons for a Pembroke
Music Night
Facilities
The JP (Junior Parlour) is the
hub of College social life. In
the daytime it hosts “Cafe
Pem”, which is staffed by
three lovely people who will
quickly learn your name and
your order of choice! You
can work, chat with friends
or pick up a quick panini or
salad for lunch.
At 7pm the JP reopens as
the College bar. With its
squishy leather sofas, table
football, and pool table, the
JP offers a relaxing environment to de-stress at the
end of a hard day’s work.
The drinks are reasonably
priced, including our trademark drink, “Pembroke Blue”.
There are three widescreen TVs in College, which you’ll find a throng of enthusiastic Valencians watching if there’s a big match on (or if Pembroke is on University Challenge!).
There’s also a common room where you can work or relax, and which can be booked
for rehearsals. Our own sports fields, tennis courts, squash court and boathouse are a
10 minute cycle from College. In College itself you’ll also find a fully equipped gym and
a table tennis room, which are all free for Pembroke students. We also have two music
practice rooms.
7
MAY WEEK
Pembroke always hosts a May Ball or a
June Event in May Week (which actually
happens in mid-June!).
These are both absolutely indescribable
parties organised by a Pembroke student
committee. From 9 PM to 5 or 6 AM, Pembroke is transformed into a playground
of fairground events, food stalls, cocktails, live music, comedy and a ridiculous
amount of other events depending on the
theme. (The 2012 June Event had a casino, live alpacas, tarot card readers, a
photo booth and much, much more.) The
highlight of the Pembroke social calendar,
these events are the perfect way to celebrate after finishing exams.
Pembroke’s Foundress Lawn being
transformed for a June Event
There are also several garden parties organised by various societies going on in
Pembroke in May Week.
Bops
2012 Christmas Bop: The 12 days of
Christmas
Pembroke hosts Bops at the start of every term and at the end of Michaelmas
and Lent. These are themed fancy-dress
College parties (recent themes include
“Disney”, “When I Grow Up”, “Hollywood”
and “Under the Sea”). Tickets are startlingly cheap at £5, which includes a considerable amount of drink, alcoholic and
non-alcoholic, (non-drinking tickets are
even cheaper). Bops offer the chance to
catch up with friends and meet College
members from other years. Usually Bops
end by playing the unofficial College song,
“Angels”. Everyone gathers, singing “I’m
loving Pembroke instead...”, a fairly bizarre,
but much-loved, tradition!
The JPC
Pembroke College Music Society Garden
party in the Master’s Garden
Pembroke student representative body is
the JPC (Junior Parlour Committee). Its 18
friendly members meet weekly to ensure
College life is as pleasant as possible,
discussing how to make Pembroke better
than it already is. They also hold regular
open meetings for all College students to
attend. More information about the JPC,
and what its members do, is available on
the JPC website:
www.pembroke-jp.co.uk/jpc
8
societies
Life at Pembroke isn’t just about work – the College offers a host of societies to get involved
in. Most Pembroke societies are free to join, and with something for everyone you’ll feel at
home here whether you’re a sports addict, a music enthusiast, or a drama lover.
Sports
The sports scene at Pembroke is thriving. There are
teams for rugby, men’s football, badminton, women’s
football, mixed netball, men’s and women’s hockey, cricket, volleyball, as well as an informal tennis
league and even an ultimate Frisbee team.
There are also other popular sporting events scattered through the year, including “The Pembroke
Mile” which is a run to raise money for charity, and
includes a free brunch for participants! In December
many Pembroke students, led by a College rep, hit
the slopes on the Varsity ski trip.
Rowing is amazingly popular throughout Cambridge,
for both freshers and graduate students, and Pembroke is no exception. The Pembroke boathouse is
a 10 minute cycle from College. There are usually 4
men’s and 4 women’s boats, meaning that if you’re
a novice or a pro, or even fancy coxing, there’s an
opportunity for you at the boathouse.
The Pembroke College
Women’s Hockey Team
Arts
Budding thespians can follow in the footsteps of Eric Idle and Joe Thomas by joining the
Pembroke Players, who regularly stage plays, from Shakespeare to new student writing, as
well as hosting stand-up comedy nights, which are called ‘‘Smokers”. Even those students
with little (or no!) acting talent can take part in the Pembroke Freshers’ Panto.
Writers can join Pembroke’s own Poetry Society or can contribute to Pembroke Street, our
termly College magazine. College also sometimes organises writing masterclasses and holds
writing competitions with cash prizes!
Singers at Pembroke can join the Chapel Choir, which performs every Sunday at evensong
in the College’s chapel (designed by Christopher Wren) and on international tours in the
summer.
Alternatively, The Lovely Choir offers a more relaxed environment for singers, regardless of
previous experience.
The College orchestra is extraordinarily active, as is Pembroke College Music Society
(PCMS), which organises weekly recitals.
9
And everything else...
Feeling intellectual? The Ivory Tower Society, organized by Pembroke’s graduate students,
offers weekly lectures for those with inquisitive minds.
Likewise, science fans can attend the Stokes Society’s weekly talks on a range of fascinating topics.
Other societies include the Chess Club, and The Africa Society (with annual charitable trips
to Africa!). Plus, there are loads of volunteering opportunities. Pembroke host charity events
and many students volunteer their time to doing good, such as with Pembroke House, the
community charity Pembroke students set up in London over 100 years ago.
Pembroke’s Wren Chapel (consecrated 1665)
You can also get involved
in Chapel life, and there are
dozens of other discussion
and interest groups, societies and committees around
College (too many to name
them all here!).
Alternatively, you can stand
for election to the JPC, or
help the Access Team by
helping at open days and
giving tours to prospective
students.
Pembroke offers such a diverse range of
societies, from tea-drinking, life-drawing,
mixed netball, poetry, and drama.
Steph, 3rd Year English
Student.
Whatever your interests, chances are we
have a suitable society! The inclusivity of
these societies means that whatever your
ability, you will be welcomed with open
arms. The focus of many of them is relaxed and informal, giving you a prime
opportunity to take up something obscure
that you’ve never imagined yourself doing!
Not seen what you’re looking for?
If your interest isn’t yet catered for at Pembroke, or if you want to get involved at a higher
level, there are hundreds of University-wide societies you can also join.
You could also set up your own society at Pembroke – College is often able to provide
funding for you to do so!
10
food and drink
The food served in Pembroke is renowned throughout Cambridge! We have a Michelin starred
chef, who provides very high quality – and occasionally even experimental – food at bargain
student prices!
Where do we eat?
The Hall
Our beautiful Harry Potter-esque hall is where we eat the food cooked in Pembroke, either
bought in Trough (our affectionate name for the canteen) or served at Formal. It’s a great
place to catch up with all your friends from Pembroke … and to meet some new ones.
FORMAL
“Formals”, are waiter-served three
course (or more!) dinners in the
Hall. Pembroke is very unusual in
that we’re lucky enough to have
one every single evening of term!
None of them are compulsory,
but at only £8, most people go
once a fortnight or so.
Complete with gowns, gongs and
a Latin Grace, formal is steeped
in tradition yet a lot of fun. Just
remember to bring your own bottle!
Brunch at Pembroke is more than a lazy
breakfast; it is an institution. With a proper fry-up (strangely including onion rings)
and waffles, brunch is where everybody
catches up after the week and soothes a
post-bop hangover. The only downside?
The massive queue because the whole of
Cambridge wants some!”
TROUGH
College serves breakfast, lunch and dinner at trough every
day (and brunch at weekends). The chefs cater for a very
wide choice, both in terms of taste and dietary requirements.
After paying the termly KFC (kitchen fixed charge, roughly
£140) Pembroke students receive a 3rd off discount on
marked prices when they pay with their Pembroke student Matt, 3rd Year Natural
card, which we top up electronically. A typical dinner would
Scientist
cost you around £3.50 after discount (which would include
a main and either two sides, or one side and a dessert).
Although the kitchen fixed charge is compulsory, it’s all
pay-as-you-go after that, which equals very handy flexibility.
11
Café Pembroke
The Café and Bar
Café Pembroke is often College’s
social hub during the day.
It’s open 10am-7pm on weekdays and serves a wide range of
light meals and snacks, including
paninis, salad pots, and pastries.
It’s a great place to grab lunch
with friends, or settle down with
a steaming cup of hot chocolate
over your book.
The Bar opens every day from
7pm-11pm, serving drinks and
cold snacks.
Like in Trough, you can also pay
for everything with your college
card!
Pembroke
students can
also prepare
food for
ourselves - see
the section on
cooking in
“accomodation”.
12
accommodation
Pembroke provides accommodation, in or out of College grounds, for undergrads across
all three or four years of their course.
Where?
FIRST YEAR:
1st years are guaranteed accommodation
on the main College site. After you receive
your A-Level (or equivalent) results, you are
asked which building, or court, in College
you’d like prefer to live in. There are several
to choose from.
Some like the light, spacious rooms offered
by Orchard Building and others prefer the
quirky corridors of Old Court.
A dozen or so students enjoy views of the
library thanks to their rooms in the Victorian Red Buildings.
Still not sure? How about living in the stunning, grade II listed buildings of New Court?
Or, if you prefer, there are more than forty
rooms for freshers in Foundress Court, built
in 1997, which offers a modern accommodation. Rooms have several price ranges, so
A room with a view: looking out from a
there is something for every budget.
window in Orchard Building
SECOND YEAR:
Names are picked from a ballot at the end of first year to decide the order in which you
choose 2nd year accommodation. You can ballot in groups of up to four. Second years
often live in College-owned houses, called “Hostels”, of between 6 and 33 bedrooms, but
you can still elect to live in College in your second year if there’s space. Hostels are scattered throughout the city, though all are within a 20 minute walk of College. Those who
get firsts in their end of year exams are offered extra large “scholars’ rooms” which may
even come with their own sitting room!
THIRD AND FOURTH YEAR:
In these years you can either live in College or live out in College-owned houses again.
Most of the College houses for 3rd years are less than a 5 minute walk from Pembroke.
13
Facilities
COOKING:
Basic kitchens that we call “Gyp rooms” in College are shared between four or five students.
They contain a fridge, freezer, hobs and a microwave, meaning you can prepare a snack
here if you’re feeling peckish, or are in need of a late night caffeine boost! They aren’t
very big, but that’s compensated for by the cheap food and social atmosphere in Trough.
In hostels, ovens are provided to reflect the fact that you’re further from College so may
want to do some of your own cooking, though many people in hostels still eat in Trough.
BATHROOMS
Bathroom facilities are usually shared between four and six students. We don’t have any
en-suites at Pembroke (although many rooms have sinks), which helps keep the rent down.
Although some students are initially worried about this, it’s never a problem for anyone.
Certainly in 1st year, the people you live with will often study different subjects and have
different schedules to you, meaning you practically never have to queue for a shower.
LAUNDRY
All College accommodation has laundry facilities. It costs £1.40 per wash and 50p per use
of the tumble dryer.
“BEDDERS”
The housekeeping staff, called “bedders” empty your bins and hoover your room weekly,
and clean the bathrooms and kitchens every weekday.
DISABILITIES
College makes allowances for people who need their own kitchen, need to keep their room
all year, need a ground-floor room, need a room in college for all three years, need specific items (e.g. fridges) and more. For mobility issues (and wheelchair users specifically) we
have 2-3 rooms that are wheelchair accessible.
RENT
Pembroke offers some of the cheapest accommodation in Cambridge, with rents ranging
from approximately £65 to £105 per week. You only pay for nine or ten weeks. On the
one hand, this makes Cambridge a much cheaper option than other universities where you
often have to pay a whole year’s rent. On the other hand, it can sometimes be a bit of a
pain trying to extend your room licence beyond the end of term, but the financial benefits
of the system vastly outweigh this difficulty.
14
welfare
The JPC welfare team functions to keep students happy and healthy, as well as fed and
entertained, and works closely with the College’s Tutors and pastoral team in order to
achieve this.
The Welfare Team
All of the team are available to help with any issue, even if it is not directly
related to their role!
The Welfare Officer oversees most of the welfare in College, runs drop-in sessions
(with lots of tea, and often chocolate,) and also has an anonymous email service and
a welfare phone number. They are available to chat and give advice about anything,
from a difficult assignment to illnesses to sexual health concerns. They can also deal
with the ‘powers that be’ in College on your behalf.
The Women’s Officer’s role comprises a welfare aspect and a campaigning aspect.
The welfare aspect involves being available to chat to female students in Pembroke
about women-specific issues. The campaigning aspect involves attending meetings with
the CUSU Women’s Officer and the Women’s Officers from all the other Colleges in
order to create policy designed to further women’s welfare and women’s rights within
the University as a whole.
The Men’s Officer is available to speak to anyone about issues specific to men, and
is a champion of men’s health awareness.
The LBGT Officer looks after all things sexuality related. If you have questions about
your sexuality or the sexual orientation of someone close to you leaves you with
questions, the LBGT officer can help. They also run all sorts of LBGT social events
for fun, and not just for LBGT.
The Internationals’ Officer looks out for the welfare international students, and
helps people adjust to the new culture of England (and Cambridge) – even with things
as simple as British slang.
The Ethnic Minorities’ Officer looks out for the welfare ethnic minorities in College,
and deals with any and all related issues.
The Disabled Students’ Officer provides support for those with any kind of health
problem, physical or mental impairment, or learning difficulty. They can answer questions relating to how to talk to Tutors and supervisors about getting the support you
need, learning to handle your condition(s) in a new environment, applying for Disabled
Students’ Allowance or anything else that might seem a bit overwhelming at first.
15
A New Family
Most Colleges, including Pembroke, run a family scheme, which is
one of the best ways for older students to provide support and
encouragement to incoming students. Freshers and their new
“siblings” are paired with a group of “Mums and Dads” who
provide a lot of entertainment for their children, as well as
support and advice, from solving a timetabling crisis to
the recommendation of a good chip van. At Pembroke,
families tend to be larger (around 10 or so in a family)
than families at most other Colleges.
The Older the Wiser
Each student gets a Personal Tutor, a Fellow
of the College whose primary responsibility is
to care for your welfare. Your Personal Tutor is
there to help you deal with illness, stress, problems within your subject, or anything else. (Your
Director of Studies is the first port-of-call for
subject-related queries).
Many Tutors run drop-in sessions for their Tutees
where you can drop by and get things off your
chest.
The College Nurse also runs drop-in sessions
where you can seek her advice on anything
health-related, be it an ongoing cough or not
being able to get out of bed. She also gives fantastic advice on personal issues.
Pembroke also has its own College counsellor
and a “listening scheme” of trained listeners.
16
¿RERGI
Income
Funding for fees: Undergraduate tuition fees at Cambridge, as at most universities, are
set at £9000 per year for British and European Students. Government loans cover this
and a certain amount of your maintenance (living costs). More information about the
money you’re entitled to can be found at www.studentfinancedirect.co.uk. You won’t
have to pay back any of these loans until you’re in a well paid job and, depending on
household income, you may even be eligible for a grant, which you will never have to
pay back!
University and College Bursaries: Pembroke and Cambridge University both offer very
generous grants, dependent on your household income.
Every student is also entitled to an annual book grant from the College of up to £60 to
contribute to course related costs and funding is often available for extra-curricular activities such as language studies or course-related travel. Pembroke also offers monetary
prizes for all sorts of competitions or academic achievements.
Expenditure
Rent: Pembroke offers some of the cheapest accommodation in Cambridge with weekly
prices ranging roughly between only £65 and £105. Plus, you only pay for nine or ten
weeks a term - unlike other universities you don’t have to pay in the holidays here which
really saves you money.
Termly Costs: Other costs, such as electricity, internet and the kitchen facilities charge
(KFC for short. This is charged by most Colleges and means the prices of food in Hall are
lower than they would otherwise be) come to around £200 a term.
Weekly Costs: Including food expenditure, the College estimates that you’ll need just over
£70 per week. This will be towards things such as laundry, nights out (entry at Cambridge
clubs starts at £3 whilst a pint in the College bar costs a bit less) and essentials from the
supermarket such as tea and coffee for that much needed caffeine boost! You may also
need to spend money on course related costs, which vary depending on the subject.
Free stuff!
Happily, there are many free things in Cambridge that make it a cheaper place to study
than many other Universities:
Travel: Unlike larger cities, everywhere in Cambridge is accessible on foot or on bike, so
you don’t have to worry about transport costs draining your wallet.
Societies: Most Pembroke societies are completely free to join!
Museums and Galleries: Cambridge is full of wonderful museums and galleries (the Fitzwilliam Museum, Kettle’s Yard etc), all of which are free to enter.
17
any questions?
We hope that we’ve answered most of your questions in this guide. If you have any more,
check out the “CUSU Ask a Student” feature and we’ll be happy to answer anything, be it
specific to a certain subject, Pembroke, Cambridge, or simply student life. The link is here:
www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/contacts/access/index.html
If you have any technical admissions questions, our lovely admissions staff will be
happy to help you. They can be reached by email ([email protected]) or by phone
(01223 338154).
If you’re after some more student-written “alternative information”, we have information
sheets on what it’s like to study each subject at Pembroke here:
www.pembroke-jp.co.uk/freshers
Cambridge University Students’ Union (CUSU) has also put together its own alternative
prospectus, which can be found here:
www.applytocambridge.com
Good luck in your applications and hopefully we’ll see you soon!
CREDITS
Edited by: Adam Squibbs
Designed and sub-edited by: Gabrielle Schwarz
Written by: Patrick Kirkham, Anna Robinson, Freya Rowland, Adam Squibbs
Front cover image by: Talia Schwarz
All other images by: Dawn Trigwell, Bella Plumptre, Charlotte Little, Matthew Jacobs,
Rachel Steinitz and Abby Jitendra
With special thanks to: Stephanie Barrett, Charlie Bindels, Caroline Burt, George Hinksman,
Laura McGarty, Matt Pullen, Richard Stockwell, and Mark Wormald.