How to prepare for the Chemistry NSAA

Cambridge is a fantastic place to study Natural Sciences, studying in historical surroundings whilst learning from world-renowned tutors.

However, before you get there, you must make your way through the minefield of the Cambridge admissions process, including the Natural Sciences Admissions Assessment (NSAA). Competition for a place at Cambridge is fiercely competitive with many of the applicants having over 90% UMS in all of their A-levels. As a result of this, admissions tutors need different ways to differentiate between applicants than A-levels and interview performance alone. This is where the NSAA comes in.    

Cambridge are famous for inviting a large number of students to the interview stage.

This means that as long as you score above the cut off on the NSAA, it is not likely to influence your selection for interview. However, many tutors will consider the NSAA as a good indicator of the general aptitude of students and their suitability to the learning environment of Cambridge Natural Sciences. This means, it can be the deciding factor between two similar applicants, so having a great NSAA score can make or break when it comes to getting that dream place.    

One of the biggest draws to the Natural Sciences is the ability to specialise in areas of science that you are most passionate about, whilst still gaining a broad scientific education.

The format of the NSAA recognises this fact and lets you exclude some sections which you are not looking to focus on as much (although all applicants have to answer the maths section). In section 1, all applicants must answer section 1A (maths) and then they must choose 2 from Physics, Chemistry, Biology and advanced maths and physics. Then, in section 2, applicants must answer 2 longer format questions from a choice of 6.    

When preparing for the Chemistry NSAA, we recommend starting as early as possible.

This gives you the time to practice little and often, highlight areas of weakness and work through them at your own pace, whilst avoiding that last-minute panic! Learning how to pace yourself through the exam can be really important, leaving questions that could derail your progress through the exam. The best way to get a great NSAA score is through our Natural Science Programme which guide you through every step of your Cambridge application. Our tutors will help you understand the content of the exam, whilst also perfecting your exam technique. At UniAdmissions our experienced NSAA tutors, all of whom scored in the top 10% nationally when they took the test, love working closely with students to boost their scores. Find out more about the services we offer: GET YOUR CAMBRIDGE PLACE