The intention has always been that candidates should need no special teaching for S level or STEP papers, and should be able to answer them on the basis of their A level studies and their general reading on the subject. We hope that candidates will see those papers as a further opportunity to display their skills, and as a challenge to be enjoyed rather than as another hurdle to overcome. On several occasions in the recent past we have accepted candidates who narrowly missed their A level grade conditions, because their STEP or S level papers showed that they had great potential. The Pool Those not made offers by the College in January are eligible for inclusion in the inter-Collegiate pool. The pool is a list of applicants colleges feel are worthy of a place at Cambridge, but to whom they unable to make an offer because they have an excess of candidates over places.
All colleges see the pool list and can pick out candidates for whom they have free places.
Candidates in the pool can be considered for an offer by any other College. The pool plays an important part in equalising the talent between the Colleges - and also, therefore, in equalising the opportunities for success. There is a further pool in August, after the publication of A-level and STEP results, for those who have just missed the conditions set by their first choice Colleges. Each application is treated as a fresh application, and a candidates should in no way be deterred from trying again for admission to Corpus or to another College. The College is aware that candidates may like to to broaden their experiences between school and University, and is happy for candidates to defer entry for a year after the offer is made.