[Ilka]

Is there possibly any chance that if I end up in one college with my bf we cld live somewhere in the college together? I really like Merton, but I couldn't find any info for couples.

I know it's a stupid girl-like question, but I wd just like to know.

Thanks

[tinypony]

I believe it is harder for you two to be considered a "couple" unless you actually are married?
You should e-mail the offices at Merton to ask.

[Ilka]

ok, I'll try mailing them.
I can't believe I acctually got any kind of answer, I feel stupid just thinking about the question
Thanks very much

[hermajesty]

Hiya all,
I don't think I've introduced myself on this thread before; I'm just starting my second year at Merton doing physics.

Don't worry if you have no letters yet - I got none until after results day, and I believe it's the same for your year. It's worth the wait though, among the piles of paperwork you get a cool fresher's guide written by current Merton students (I wrote the science student page, so I apologise for the terribleness of that part!). Shortly after that you'll also get letters from your college parents.

[sherunsaway]

(Original post by Ilka)
ok, I'll try mailing them.
I can't believe I acctually got any kind of answer, I feel stupid just thinking about the question
Thanks very much

There was someone on the board a while ago that managed to get couple accommodation even though they weren't married. Not sure what college though.

To be considered for it, I think you have to either be married, or prove that you are in a longterm stable relationship with your partner. I'm not sure what would qualify as longterm and stable, but you'd have to ask the university/colleges.

[tinypony]

(Original post by hermajesty)
Hiya all,
I don't think I've introduced myself on this thread before; I'm just starting my second year at Merton doing physics.

Don't worry if you have no letters yet - I got none until after results day, and I believe it's the same for your year. It's worth the wait though, among the piles of paperwork you get a cool fresher's guide written by current Merton students (I wrote the science student page, so I apologise for the terribleness of that part!). Shortly after that you'll also get letters from your college parents.

Do you know when offer status changes from conditional to unconditional?
I have already met my offer (IB) and I need a confirmation that I am accepted because I have to apply to the Danish government for a significant study grant that covers all living expenses while studying abroad.
I e-mailed the admissions officer Julie Gerhardi and I am now waiting for a response.

[asar]

Mine still appears as conditional, so I guess we shouldn't be too worried. After all they're not going to change our offer sneakily, nor will our IB grade go down!! (I hope...)

I'm a bit concerned about that fresher's pack. Mexican mail continues delivering surprises - a friend sent me a postcard from Scotland dated the 30th of May and I got it two days ago! I wouldn't like to miss all of the paperwork and arrive to Merton to find myself roomless. I hope they'll send me the info by email but I'd hate to bother Ms Gerhardi yet again.

Can't wait!!!!!

[tinypony]

(Original post by asar)
Mine still appears as conditional, so I guess we shouldn't be too worried. After all they're not going to change our offer sneakily, nor will our IB grade go down!! (I hope...)

I'm a bit concerned about that fresher's pack. Mexican mail continues delivering surprises - a friend sent me a postcard from Scotland dated the 30th of May and I got it two days ago! I wouldn't like to miss all of the paperwork and arrive to Merton to find myself roomless. I hope they'll send me the info by email but I'd hate to bother Ms Gerhardi yet again.

Can't wait!!!!!

Hi again
I really think you should e-mail Julie to explain your situation with the Mexican mail (with which I have far too many bad memories; things either disappear or just stay at the local posthouse in Tepic for a month ).
You should ask if they could use UPS to mail you the important stuff which will arrive in August.

[hermajesty]

(Original post by asar)
Mine still appears as conditional, so I guess we shouldn't be too worried. After all they're not going to change our offer sneakily, nor will our IB grade go down!! (I hope...)

That seems sensible We got our offers updated fairly quickly, at least within a couple of days of A-level results. I don't know about IB though, hopefully Julie will be able to help.

[CJHackett]

Hello,

A question for all those currently at Merton: what is the music society like?

I can't find a website for it and music will be a very important part for me when I study (I'll be reading English - obviously, if they'll let me). So I'm wondering about how active it is and what sort of concerts they do etc. Other colleges like Christ Church seem to be very active in this area, though I was drawn to Merton from the start of my college search, but I cannot find much information about its music.

Also, could anyone describe the system with regards to a university-wide orchestra (and if there's a website) and college ensembles? Thanks.

[hermajesty]

(Original post by CJHackett)
Hello,

A question for all those currently at Merton: what is the music society like?

I can't find a website for it and music will be a very important part for me when I study (I'll be reading English - obviously, if they'll let me). So I'm wondering about how active it is and what sort of concerts they do etc. Other colleges like Christ Church seem to be very active in this area, though I was drawn to Merton from the start of my college search, but I cannot find much information about its music.

Also, could anyone describe the system with regards to a university-wide orchestra (and if there's a website) and college ensembles? Thanks.

Yay, a question i can answer. I play the cello and piano, and I'm joint conductor of Merton Orchestra.

For a relatively small college the music society is very good. We have a college orchestra open to everyone that rehearses each saturday, a non-auditioning choir, I think also an auditioning choir, and then there are opportunities to set up other groups if you want to. The music society gets money from the JCR each term which pays for hiring music and buying food for rehearsals etc. We have a concert each term where orchestra, choir, and a few individuals perform things, and we also have smaller weekly recitals where you can play anything.

The disadvantage of being a small college is that our orchestra is quite small, and this year we possibly have more flutes than strings (I love the flutes too though!). But we get some people from other colleges too, and we always manage to persuade enough people to play in the concert. In some ways it's really beneficial, because it means everything's quite informal and it's very easy to get involved. I had never conducted anything before last term, but everyone was really encouraging when I said I'd like to try, and now I'm choosing pieces, organising rehearsals and conducting. I think at a larger college I might not have been able to do that.

University wide there are a lot of orchestras and groups - look at http://oums.org for details. There are auditions at the start of Michealmas for the university orchestras which are quite competitive, generally post-grade 8. You do one audition in front of a panel and get assessed for all the orchestras at once.

You can usually play in any college orchestra, especially if your instrument is in demand. Personally I didn't get into any university orchestras (I'll probably try again this year) but I now play in Christ Church orchestra, which is really good - we did Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto last term.

I feel like I've rambled on for ages now. Have I missed anything?

[sugar_cane]

Is the Merton college orchestra auditioning? And if so, what standard do you have to be?

[CJHackett]

(Original post by hermajesty)
Yay, a question i can answer. I play the cello and piano, and I'm joint conductor of Merton Orchestra.

For a relatively small college the music society is very good. We have a college orchestra open to everyone that rehearses each saturday, a non-auditioning choir, I think also an auditioning choir, and then there are opportunities to set up other groups if you want to. The music society gets money from the JCR each term which pays for hiring music and buying food for rehearsals etc. We have a concert each term where orchestra, choir, and a few individuals perform things, and we also have smaller weekly recitals where you can play anything.

The disadvantage of being a small college is that our orchestra is quite small, and this year we possibly have more flutes than strings (I love the flutes too though!). But we get some people from other colleges too, and we always manage to persuade enough people to play in the concert. In some ways it's really beneficial, because it means everything's quite informal and it's very easy to get involved. I had never conducted anything before last term, but everyone was really encouraging when I said I'd like to try, and now I'm choosing pieces, organising rehearsals and conducting. I think at a larger college I might not have been able to do that.

University wide there are a lot of orchestras and groups - look at http://oums.org for details. There are auditions at the start of Michealmas for the university orchestras which are quite competitive, generally post-grade 8. You do one audition in front of a panel and get assessed for all the orchestras at once.

You can usually play in any college orchestra, especially if your instrument is in demand. Personally I didn't get into any university orchestras (I'll probably try again this year) but I now play in Christ Church orchestra, which is really good - we did Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto last term.

I feel like I've rambled on for ages now. Have I missed anything?

Thanks for all that info - the opportunities sound fantastic. I'm a grade 8 pianist (looking forward to diplomas) and I can put my slightly lesser (but nonetheless good ) flute and clarinet skills to the test in more informal events, so I look forward to being a part of it - of course, if I get an offer!

[hermajesty]

(Original post by ∴ergo∴)
Is the Merton college orchestra auditioning? And if so, what standard do you have to be?

It's non-auditioning.

[tbtommyb]

Did anyone else get a whole big envelope of stuff today? I thought it would interesting but it was just the handbook and some stuff about fees and doctors. And they stuck in a whole load of stuff about international students, I hope they sent that to everyone and don't think I'm an international student.

[henryt]

(Original post by burntgorilla)
Did anyone else get a whole big envelope of stuff today? I thought it would interesting but it was just the handbook and some stuff about fees and doctors. And they stuck in a whole load of stuff about international students, I hope they sent that to everyone and don't think I'm an international student.

I got it too (including the stuff about international students, and I've lived in London forever!). I flicked through the Handbook (they have some weird rules, like no groups of more than 3 should congregate after the Time Ceremony?!) over my crunchy nut cornflakes, and then almost ruined the medical form by spilling orange juice near it. I was intially hoping that it would be a letter saying something along the lines of "Meh - your grades don't actually matter, we'll accept you anyway". Alas, wishful thinking!

[r3m0t]

(Original post by henryt)
I got it too (including the stuff about international students, and I've lived in London forever!). I flicked through the Handbook (they have some weird rules, like no groups of more than 3 should congregate after the Time Ceremony?!) over my crunchy nut cornflakes, and then almost ruined the medical form by spilling orange juice near it. I was intially hoping that it would be a letter saying something along the lines of "Meh - your grades don't actually matter, we'll accept you anyway". Alas, wishful thinking!

henryt - you're going to Merton too? Awesome!

I got it yesterday. I actually paused in reading Harry Potter 7 to read almost all of the Handbook. (Which, of course, I promptly forgot.) I skipped the appendix on drugs use ;-).

Edit: some details now that the book is in front of me
Important stuff: (if you want to abide by the rules, that is)
There are a few scholarships for the truly awesome.
Electrical equipment over 2 years old must be checked by a qualified electrician - and I think you even have to pay! What were they thinking!
Smoking is allowed in most open areas as long as you aren't by the doors. (I'm sure if you cared you would have already checked.)
You aren't allowed any "power splitters" or extension cables in your room.
No drinks in the library and computer rooms, not even water.
£50 if you lose your key.
First years arrive on the 1st of October.
Meal prices: £1.36 breakfast, £2.35 lunch, £3.00 dinner
Accomodation prices
You must uninstall any torrent or file-sharing programs from your computer if you bring it in. (Not that they can really check...)
You must must fill in the student finance form even if you won't be taking out the student loan. If you don't, you have to pay the £3,000 university fee + ~£5,000 to the college. Ouch!
You can play bowls in the gardens but you can't play any other games.
You can play croquet but no other games on the Chestnut Tree lawn in Trinity Term between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Unimportant stuff:
The text and translation of the Latin grace at formal hall.
Obviously there was much, much more.

[sherunsaway]

I skipped through most of it......the only thing that slightly worries me is that you aren't allowed to have utorrent or any torrent programs on your laptop if you use the college ethernet. I mean......I practically survive by downloading illegally music and programs. Oh well.....better transfer everything pretty quickly onto my new laptop when I buy it before I leave.

[Elbow]

A lot of those rules are more negotiable than they sound... eg I have an extension cable etc and no-one's ever told me off for it; ditto electrical equipment - if they've ever tested it they never told me they were doing so or left any indication they'd been there. Don't worry about that. Also eg many of the librarians will let you have water with one of those sports bottle top things - it's just subject to who's on the desk.

The Time Ceremony thing must be new, I think it's because last year there was a huge fuss about people being gathered together in random places (eg in the gardens) in groups of 10-ish (the normal number above which it becomes a "party" requiring permission), posting photos on facebook and getting in trouble because the DPoP saw the photos. I'm going to guess the "groups of no more than 3" is an exercise in arse-covering to ensure that if the DPoP gets fine-happy again this year, she's within her rights.

I don't use file-sharing things myself but I think some people do... the college notices your bandwidth use and has a daily download limit and as far as I've been told (not hugely accurate info here) as long as you stay within those limits you're fine. They do periodically get tough on it but usually even if they catch you, it's a small-ish fine or a 24-hour ban (again based on talking to friends though).

[Cirsium]

Dear all the lovely people at Merton
If any of you happen to be being slightly bored, and feeling helpful the section for Merton in my lovely Pros and Cons Wiki page is very sad and lonely because nobody has written anything! If you would like to help (just a few things like is the accomodation good or bad, the food, the college site, the sports pitches etc then the link is in my signature and I would be most obliged!

Alternatively if you PM me or post here then I can do the (really not that) hard bit myself! What are the best/worst things about your college?