We are passionate about enabling young talent to shine and leveling the playing field. We aim to help capable school students build long-lasting skills to tackle the most subtle and interesting mathematical and computing questions, with a keen eye towards those who have been less privileged to access solid education. We have created the CSAT, a unique and high-calibre test able to reveal and distinguish aptitudes relevant to computing and mathematics, and Practice[+], a unique learning platform focusing on building aptitudes for high-calibre mathematics and computing.

We believe that any student who builds skills to become comfortable with such content will become a great computer scientist or mathematician. We see that as the biggest gain, whether at Cambridge or elsewhere, and our biggest reward is helping them reach that level.

Membership

The members of the Climb Foundation started as computer scientists and mathematicians primarily from University of Cambridge, though some are now contributing to the Foundation’s efforts from many corners of the world, e.g. Iceland, Scotland, Vietnam, USA, or even places whose names start with O and end with xford. They hold decades of cumulated experience in university admissions and undergraduate teaching at University of Cambridge, as well as pre-university teaching.

To date, Climb Foundation’s members overall have interviewed thousands of undergraduate candidates for Computer Science and related disciplines at Cambridge, and have been responsible (as Directors of Studies) for- or participated in the entire academic life cycle, from application to interview to pool to decision to teaching to graduation.

Overall they have been supervising (small group- or one-to-one teaching) virtually all courses at the Computer Science department at the University of Cambridge — from abstract mathematics and theory to programming and hardware design — as well as courses in related disciplines, such as Mathematics or Engineering.

Undergraduate students (some who have now graduated) have been contributing to the Practice[+] Platform as well as to CSAT question trialling and reviewing. They have all gone through the Cambridge admissions process, and have sat the CSAT, recognizing the potential it has to help younger generations. We are passionate about leveling the playing field and helping the talented students shine.

People

Dr Bogdan A. Roman (Founder, University of Cambridge)
Dr Alex Chadwick (University of Cambridge)
Dr Philip Saville (University of Edinburgh)
Dr Dylan McDermott (Reykjavik University)
Richie Yeung (University of Oxford)
Albert Bui (University of Cambridge)
Vasundhara Agarwal (University of Cambridge)
Advisors
Dr Sean Holden (University of Cambridge)
Dr Timothy Jones (University of Cambridge)
Dr Chris Town (University of Cambridge)
Prof Robert Calderbank (Duke University)
Associates
Dr Lucian Carata (University of Cambridge)
Dr Matt Daggitt (Curtin University)
Dr Hugo Paquet (University of Oxford)
Pawel Burzynski (University of Cambridge)
Shehab Alshehabi (University of Cambridge)
Karen Sarmiento (University of Cambridge)

History

The CSAT idea started in 2014, to design an admissions test that could allow candidates deserving a place to shine more in the admissions process, in order to be more easily seen and to reduce the risk of being missed out on. A tedious process ensued (there are 31 colleges at Cambridge, each more or less doing their own admissions), and the first CSAT was sat in 2015. More talented setters subsequently contributing to refining the test, marking style, recommendations to colleges etc. This also created an opportunity to use the CSAT to create a learning platform to build solid mathematical and computing skills and further level the playing field and improve diversity and inclusion. A team of passionate undergraduate students joined the effort and the Practice[+] platform was launched.

In December 2018 the CSAT teams (setters, markers, Practice[+]‘ers, sitting organisers) altogether numbered 30+ individuals. CSAT markers undergo a more difficult task than typical markers for related tests elsewhere. Sitting organisers (PhD students) who helped organize the CSAT test sessions throughout 2 weeks at the Computer Science department created a friendlier and more enriching environment than arguably other tests or challenges (there was cake, tours, laughing, discussions about admissions, computer science banter, even tips for interviews).

Acronym

CLIMB does (not) stand for CSAT Leads Inevitably to More Brilliance.