Shadowing Cambridge students can help break down barriers which may deter school pupils from applying to the university.

Cambridge University Students Union (CUSU) run an annual scheme designed for pupils with little family experience of university, pupils who have “great reservations” about applying to Cambridge, or those whose school sends few students into higher education.

Each year more than 200 Year 12 pupils spend two days during February at the University, shadowing current students. In 2007 the scheme will run on February 8-10, 15-17 and 22-24.

The scheme is aimed at academically able pupils, with five or more grade A GCSEs. Pupils are matched one-to-one with student volunteers, depending on subject interest. Participants are based at 21 of the University’s undergraduate colleges, and accompany their undergraduate partners to lectures, supervisions and social events.

Accommodation and some meals are provided free of charge and financial help towards travel costs is available from CUSU.

The scheme for the current academic year is being co-ordinated by Luke Pickering, CUSU Access Officer. Luke, who attended Liverpool’s largest comprehensive, read history at Girton College, graduating last June. As a student he became involved in initiatives to encourage more state school pupils to apply to Cambridge.

“I cannot stress enough how great this scheme is. It allows prospective students to experience for themselves what Cambridge is like rather than having to rely on newspapers or teachers whose perspectives are often 20 or 30 years out of date,” says Luke.

“Several of my friends applied to Cambridge after coming on the scheme. They include the current president of the JCR at Girton who went to a comprehensive in Sunderland.”

Luke is the only full-time students’ union access officer in the UK. His post entails running a range of schemes aiming to encourage more applicants from groups currently under-represented at Cambridge, particularly pupils from state schools.

The deadline for applications to the scheme is December 15. For more information on applying for a place on the shadowing scheme go to www.applytocambridge.com

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