Aspiring architect earns Cambridge study place

An aspiring Solihull student, with ambitions to work as an architect, has been offered a place to study at the University of Cambridge this autumn.

Sakura Izaki-Lee, a former Queensbridge School pupil, has secured an offer to study Architecture at Selwyn College, in Cambridge, after undergoing the gruelling selection process.

Sakura said: "I hadn 't ever really considered applying to Cambridge until the college sent out a message about it during my first year. My thinking was that I didn 't have anything to lose by going through the application process, that the value and intensity of learning at Cambridge would be a great opportunity, and that if anything the application process would just confirm my interest in studying Architecture.

"Applying to Oxbridge is initially very daunting because of the status of the institution. But it was honestly not as difficult as I had thought, and if you try not to put too much pressure on getting in, it can actually be very enjoyable. ”

Currently in her second year at the college, studying A-levels in Biology, Geography and Fine Art, Sakura has good advice for other students contemplating making an Oxbridge application in the future.

She said: "If you are on the fence, just do it. I didn 't ever imagine I would actually get an offer. The ease of the application process is really dependent on how passionate you are for the subject you are applying for. To perform well at the assessments and interview you need to have immersed yourself in that subject, whether that be wider-reading, watching documentaries or listening to podcasts.

"For me this meant reading books from the architecture department reading list and continuing to listen to a wide variety of podcasts, which wasn 't very difficult since I was genuinely interested in learning more about the subject."

College Principal Martin Sullivan (pictured) added: "I want to offer my warmest congratulations to Sakura on securing this offer. It is a huge achievement to secure an offer from Cambridge, because she was not only up against the best students from around the UK, but also students from around the world. I wish her the best of luck in securing the grades she needs to take up that offer."