KCL vs Oxford

Right, bit of a dilemma. You can see where I'm applying / for what in my sig...

Can I just say, I'm not actually expecting to get into Oxford at all - Kings is my first choice. However - IF I do get into Oxford, I'm gonna have to choose one over the other. I realise most will probably say don't turn Oxford down - but I don't know! I love London, and really want to stay there. But I think a campus university is probably more sociable as you're all on closer quarters etc. My sis is at London and she finds it's not as 'friendly' as a campus uni. I've already got loads of friends at Oxford, and the idea sounds fun....but I'm so attached to London! Plus, when I visited Oxford I thought the colleges were so prentetious, the whole town was quite pretentious actually, I just didn't get a really good vibe from the place. But I guess it's different actually living / studying there?!

Like I say, I'm not expecting to get in so this decision won't have to be made by me - but just in case, does anyone have any tips / pointers? Thanks! :smile:

Reply 1

Agrippina

15

lil_sweetie

Right, bit of a dilemma. You can see where I'm applying / for what in my sig...

Can I just say, I'm not actually expecting to get into Oxford at all - Kings is my first choice. However - IF I do get into Oxford, I'm gonna have to choose one over the other. I realise most will probably say don't turn Oxford down - but I don't know! I love London, and really want to stay there. But I think a campus university is probably more sociable as you're all on closer quarters etc. My sis is at London and she finds it's not as 'friendly' as a campus uni. I've already got loads of friends at Oxford, and the idea sounds fun....but I'm so attached to London! Plus, when I visited Oxford I thought the colleges were so prentetious, the whole town was quite pretentious actually, I just didn't get a really good vibe from the place. But I guess it's different actually living / studying there?!

Like I say, I'm not expecting to get in so this decision won't have to be made by me - but just in case, does anyone have any tips / pointers? Thanks! :smile:

Why did you apply to Oxford if you thought the whole place/colleges were so pretentious? Or did you visit it after applying?

In any case, I'm at Oxford and of course you'll encounter the occasional pretentious prat but in my experience they're few and far between. I personally think you'd be silly to turn down the opportunity of studying here if you did get an offer, and it's probably something you'd regret long-term (you might end up thinking "what if?"). Oxford's an absolutely fantastic place to be a student! What college have you applied for?

Reply 2

Elles

17

lil_sweetie

Like I say, I'm not expecting to get in so this decision won't have to be made by me - but just in case, does anyone have any tips / pointers? Thanks! :smile:

- Wait till it's your decision to make to start thinking about it - otherwise it's mentally setting you up for disappointment.

- Consider your interview experience at Oxford, it might be more realistic than open days/visting as a tourist but NB people might not be exactly themselves & most of the other people there won't have got in (the people i met at my interviews nearly put me off accepting which would have meant i would have missed out on so many things.... :eek:

).

- Think about the things that actually matter to you - imho familiarity with the university city seems a tad lame - it's a good chance to go & experience somewhere new, especially if you're likely to return to your hometown afterwards anyway.
& i tried not to get too hung up on "vibes" & unobjective things - as you said you won't really know what anywhere's like until you start studying and living there & you hate it then you can always change.

My post offer decision makers:

Course - where did the course i liked most?
Finances - where would i leave in less debt?
Environment - did I want to be collegiate or more likely to be surrounded by students of one type?
Future - where kept my options most open?

Reply 3

Nutter

14

Visit the campus of both universities to get a better feel of the place.

Read about the experience of Oxford students on the Oxford forum and see if you can imagine yourself thriving in that environment.

Discuss this with your parents and perhaps career advisers as well.

Reply 4

À la folie, pas du tout

12

you never know, you might get into oxford! don't put yourself down! but if you do get in, just because it's a stronger uni academically than KCL doesn't mean you'll necessarily be happier there, just because you're good enough for it. if you get accepted at both, visit both of them and go with your gut feeling as to which you'd be happiest at in terms of the place, the people, the course... also maybe the pressure to do well once you're at such a good uni as oxford. just my thoughts... hope it helps. good luck with your decision! xx

Reply 5

kellywood_5

17

I'd say the most important thing here is not to be pressure into accepting Oxford if you don't want to just because it's Oxford. Your parents, teachers and friends will tell you you'd be mad to turn down the offer, you'll regret it etc etc, but if you genuinely don't want to go, put King's down instead. It's still a very good uni and it's more important to be happy. Having said that, don't dismiss Oxford on a whim. When you're there for interview, have a proper look around the college and city and get opinions from as many people as possible. Don't be put off by your attachment to London because you'll be going home in the holidays and after your degree anyway.

Reply 6

À la folie, pas du tout

12

kellywood_5

I'd say the most important thing here is not to be pressure into accepting Oxford if you don't want to just because it's Oxford. Your parents, teachers and friends will tell you you'd be mad to turn down the offer, you'll regret it etc etc, but if you genuinely don't want to go, put King's down instead. It's still a very good uni and it's more important to be happy.

yeh exactly... just what i was trying to say as well.

KCL vs Oxford

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