What do you want to know about Oxford?

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1. If you're proactive, you can probably find something. I don't know about Classics but undergraduate chemists can apply to join research groups over the summer break (at Oxford or elsewhere), getting credit towards the undergraduate labs requirement, and sometimes publishing research. Colleges and departments often offer bursaries for research to cover accommodation costs and/or travel costs if the research is abroad.

2. In exam terms, people are generally very focused on work but the rest of the year is more relaxed. It's well understood that there are three vital student functions (sleep, work and fun) and only enough time for two of them; it's usually sleep that takes the hit! There are people who'll work really hard for three or four years; there are people who'll seem to do very little work for three years and still come out with a decent degree. There are all sorts at Oxford but in general people are more laid back and fun-loving than the stereotype would have you believe.

3. Lots of intercollegiate sports all year, from rugby to croquet. And rowing, of course. Many colleges have their own gyms, of extremely varying quality. The main university gym is on the Iffley Road, maybe a mile outside the city centre. It's very quick to cycle to from anywhere in town but I'd not have walked out there too much if I wasn't at Magdalen. Some colleges (Magdalen included) provide gym membership at the Iffley Gym free of charge to students.

4. If you can think of a thing, there's probably a society about that thing. Most societies will welcome any Oxford student (although, for instance, there are auditioning choirs, orchestras, etc.) so the variety of people you can meet this way is almost endless.

Reply 6021

OxFossil

Original post by fuzz13

Hi people at Oxford :biggrin:

Just a couple of questions for you...!

1. Does the university have a lot of research going on that the students can get involved with? So, for example, I would hopefully be studying Classics and wondered if there would be projects I could get involved with?

2. Without this coming across in the wrong way(!), can you have a good time or does everyone like to work?! I would like a university that you can have a good time at and you can easily make friends and not where everyone just goes to study. I've heard about the typical Oxford stereotypes and just hoped to shed some light on whether that's true...?!?!

3. How's the sport at Oxford? Are there lots of matches you can play against the other colleges? Also are there sports facilities around the city, where's the nearest gym for example?

4. Are there many societies you can get involved with to mix with people who aren't in your year and don't take your subject?

Thanks for your help guys :p:

)

just to add to BJack's wise words:

2. Most Oxford students are academically high achievers and hard workers. However, they are mostly normal. There are fewer out-and-out slackers than i have encountered at other unis. But not none.

3. & 4. The collegiate system probably gives you more chance to be involved in slightly weak/fun/random sports and interests like croquet, singing, tiddlywinks, tortoise racing etc, as well as serious stuff. For mainstream sport, there's no special difficulty to joining university-wide teams etc. On the other hand, the lack of a centralised student organisation/venue for socialising is a handicap to making relationships with people who you don't see in your college or department. I would imagine that most people would say that their college is the centre of their social life.

Reply 6022

roarchika

Quick question!

I've noticed that Oxford acappella groups are a thing. I was just wondering about the technical standards required - would someone who's a good singer but not particularly good at music theory (whilst understanding the basics) have a chance at getting in to one?

Reply 6023

IDontKnowReally

Hi, I'm looking to apply for Physics for 2017 entry, but I don't do Further Maths at Alevel, is it worth applying at all?

Reply 6024

BJack

Original post by OxFossil

I would imagine that most people would say that their college is the centre of their social life.

You're probably right, not least because it's easier to organise social occasions with a bunch of people living near you, rather than spread all over the city.

Original post by roarchika

I've noticed that Oxford acappella groups are a thing. I was just wondering about the technical standards required - would someone who's a good singer but not particularly good at music theory (whilst understanding the basics) have a chance at getting in to one?

It's not something I was ever involved in but I'd expect the key skill is being able to hold your own part well when you've got people all around you singing different harmonies.

Reply 6025

BrasenoseAdm

Official Rep

Original post by Katickle

This is probably going to sound really stupid and I doubt I'll even be applying to Oxford but I have always wanted to know this.

On prospectuses, the grass always looks perfect, no matter what part of the university is in the picture. Like nobody has ever set foot on it. Is it frowned upon to walk across it?

The lawns aren't perfect when you get up closer!

We have an Old Quad lawn that rarely gets walked on or used, though garden parties and the May Ball are exceptions.

Our New Quad lawn is used a lot by students in summer who eat lunch on it, walk on it, play croquet, put on plays and other stuff. It suffers, of course, but replacing it with synthetic grass wouldn't be the same!

We also have a Deer Park lawn that gets used mainly for drinks receptions.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 6026

OxFossil

Original post by roarchika

Most (all?) colleges have a college/chapel choir. Some of them are pretty erm "informal" (as Mary Berry might say) As for a cappella groups, at a college level, I am sure this is the sort of thing you could organise yourself if none existed. There are also several quasi-professional a cappella groups based around the Uni. You could try contacting one directly? These people look jolly...

Reply 6027

Rhaenys10

Original post by BrasenoseAdm

The lawns aren't perfect when you get up closer!

We have an Old Quad lawn that rarely gets walked on or used, though garden parties and the May Ball are exceptions.

Our New Quad lawn is used a lot by students in summer who eat lunch on it, walk on it, play croquet, put on plays and other stuff. It suffers, of course, but replacing it with synthetic grass wouldn't be the same!

We also have a DeerPArk lawn that gets used mainly for drinks receptions.

All lawns are beautiful :smile:

Reply 6028

roarchika

Original post by OxFossil

Original post by BJack

It's not something I was ever involved in but I'd expect the key skill is being able to hold your own part well when you've got people all around you singing different harmonies.

Thank you for the responses! I hadn't thought about organising things myself - I actually really really love the Alternotive's stuff but their professional demeanour is vaguely terrifying (and possibly an indication at how unready I am to be an adult and go to uni ahah)

Reply 6029

username2872932

I was wondering where do oxford students tend to live out of term if home is too far away?

Reply 6030

A-cute-Angle

Original post by lucas13

how expensive is it.

While the accomodation isn't cheap, you're not there as long so you end up paying less than you would at most other unis.

College food is really well priced and if you have a fridge in your room you can save money on breakfast and lunch.

The gowns are cheap to buy, only £25. Ball tickets are expensive but these are optional.

There are so amny libraries that you don't need to worry about buying books either.

All in all it's no more expensive than any other uni and there's a nice bursary scheme too :h:

Reply 6031

natninja

Original post by IDontKnowReally

Hi, I'm looking to apply for Physics for 2017 entry, but I don't do Further Maths at Alevel, is it worth applying at all?

Yes. They'll give you some catch up work to do in the summer before you join though but the content from FM is covered in the course (albeit at a fairly breakneck pace). I did FM and it certainly did give me an advantage initially over those who didn't but the advantage disappeared completely by the time prelims came round. (For the record I finished the MPhys course in June)

Reply 6032

h3110

Thoughts on doing a seconds undergrad degree at Oxford?

Reply 6033

The_Lonely_Goatherd

Original post by h3110

Thoughts on doing a seconds undergrad degree at Oxford?

I don't personally see the point/need (though I know people who did it), especially if you're not gonna get SFE/equivalent-body funding for it? :dontknow:

Reply 6034

DCDude

Original post by Pysrilexot

I was wondering where do oxford students tend to live out of term if home is too far away?

It varies. You can make arrangements at most colleges to stay in college through the vacs (at a price, of course). You can usually find somebody who is living out to crash with. A number of clubs have people who stay through some or all of the vacs (the Union is a big one for that, but there are others), so people scrabble around and find places to crash. If you are on a big bursary it should cover either the cost of going home or the cost of staying.

Reply 6035

Fullofsurprises

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

I don't personally see the point/need (though I know people who did it), especially if you're not gonna get SFE/equivalent-body funding for it? :dontknow:

Although I often had the feeling whilst at Oxford, "why didn't I do History" and similar - plus "why would I want to leave such an enjoyable life?". But the clincher is there's just no way I could be a first year again. :rolleyes:

Reply 6036

The_Lonely_Goatherd

Original post by Fullofsurprises

Oh me too, don't get me wrong! (Though I'm not really clever enough with other subjects, to study any other subject at Oxford, haha. But that's a separate matter :ninja:

) But if no one's gonna pay for it or loan me the tuition fees/college fees/accommodation money, me no do it :nope:

Reply 6037

TheBlueBiro

This is not really an academic question, more about Oxbridge culture for a book I'm wanting to write.
How does the whole 'college ' system work, do you have lectures and societies, fairs and talks etc with other colleges or only within your own college? Do you know everyone in your college? How many people in a college, is it thousands or a few hundred?
Do you live with people in your own college or just randomly assigned accomodation? Do you rent your own from your secone year onwards or is it still Uni accomodation? Just any info about accomodation would be helpful really . :smile:

Do you have proper seminars or only paired sessions? Sorry, all I have to go by is 'The Riot Club' and the play it was based on. :')

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Reply 6038

OxFossil

Original post by TheBlueBiro

This is not really an academic question, more about Oxbridge culture for a book I'm wanting to write...how does the whole 'college ' system work, do you have lectures and societies, fairs and talks etc with other colleges or only within your own college? Do you know everyone in your college? How many people in a college, is it thousands or a few hundred?
Do you live with people in your own college or just randomly assigned accomodation? Do you rent your own from your secone year onwards or is it still Uni accomodation? Just any info about accomodation would be helpful really . :smile: