[big A]

(Original post by Veritas)
I have an interview for Law at Oriel. Any other Orielite lawyers out there?

Me. Hope we recognise each other.

[soph87]

Sorry, these are not up to date charges but it will give you an idea. I stayed in a stunning room before the Open Day, which I would assume is A*. I would think it will depend on whether it's newly refurbished, has an ensuite etc etc. I have no idea how much of a difference there is between an A* and a D though. One would hope that a D grade room was just perhaps smaller, not recently redecorated and without an ensuite.....but who knows? It could be a shed in a field!! Can someone who is currently at Oriel enlighten us please?

I'm hoping that I might get an interview for Physics. Fingers crossed.

The A*/A rooms are generally on the island site (the pretty different coloured buildings) and are almost always ensuite (although bizarely sometimes you have your own bathroom but it's just outside your room so you do still have to leave your room, but it's just for your use). They have good carpets, newly painted, full-length mirrors and silly gimmicks like motion-sensored lights which actually annoys me a little. They've also got intercom systems which is pretty swish.

My room is a B/C and it's fine, it's on the main college site and to be honest it's identical in size to the island site rooms (there are probably a few that are bigger but similarly a few that are smaller). It just has older furniture, a slightly stained carpet and the walls are covered in blue-tack marks. I like it better though as on the new rooms you're not allowed to put stuff on the newly painted walls to protect them but in the older rooms you can go mental so my room's covered in photos and I really like it. Bathroom's are 3 between 6 of us so I never have to queue but they are downstairs which is a bit annoying.

My friend's room is a D and it is also fine, again the carpet has a dodgy pattern and the showers are not great but it's fine. I personally wouldn't like to live there just because of the showers, but it is one of the few staircases to have a kitchen on and it can be a really friendly staircase. In fact most of the main college staircases are more sociable as you live so close together and there can be 18 on a staircase rather than about 6 on the island site.

Hope that helps. Good luck with your interviews, Oriel's amazing. (PM me if you wanna know more or anything)

[oriel historian]

Someone's on staircase 8!!!

As for the rooms, erm as far as I heard they were upgrading the 1st years accommodation so those dodgy carpets might disappear soon (let's hope!) and it might also spell the end of blu-tac on the walls.

Wonder what the flats are like now though? Now they really were low of the low!

Likewise, PM if you want any info from an old hand.

[soph87]

(Original post by oriel historian)
Someone's on staircase 8!!!

As for the rooms, erm as far as I heard they were upgrading the 1st years accommodation so those dodgy carpets might disappear soon (let's hope!) and it might also spell the end of blu-tac on the walls.

Wonder what the flats are like now though? Now they really were low of the low!

Likewise, PM if you want any info from an old hand.

Haha yes, I love staircase 8!!

The flats are absolutely gorgeous, weren't quite finished for the beginning of Michaelmas but the rooms are all A* now and they're the best rooms in college. The kitchens are amazing and the common room area is really nice as well. If I'm high enough in the ballot next year I'd love to share there.

[big A]

Just came back from Oriel. I don't know whether its just my staircase, but my room in the main site wasn't renovated at all, it still seemed pretty Victorian, with the ugly furniture. But some of the rooms in the Island site where amazing. I am disappointed, I thought they would renovate all the rooms on the main site.

[JaxT]

(Original post by big A)
Just came back from Oriel........ some of the rooms in the Island site where amazing.

I stayed on the island for the Open Day in June. My room was fantastic. I'm hoping to be on the island again when I go on Sunday.

How were your interviews? How many did you have?

[big A]

(Original post by JaxT)
I stayed on the island for the Open Day in June. My room was fantastic. I'm hoping to be on the island again when I go on Sunday.

How were your interviews? How many did you have?

I had 2, which is typical for Law. I found the questions on the first to be OK, but in retrospect I felt my answers where nowhere near as good as they could have been had I not been nervous. I was very confident in the second but the questions where pretty hard and I felt my answers where sub-par. I personally got the feeling that I didn't show my potential and I didn't stand out. But that could just be pessimism.

[JaxT]

I had 2 interviews at Oriel and 1 at St. Hilda's. I actually enjoyed all three.....does that make me incredibly weird??

The first one was maths, the second physics and the third was a bit of both. I hadn't previously done very much about any of the stuff they asked me, but all of the tutors gave me a few prompts to point me in the right direction and I learned new stuff, which was great. I don't think I could have done any better in the interviews to be honest, which means that if I don't get in at least I won't be kicking myself. I'll just have to graciously accept that there were better candidates.

I have to say that the students and staff at Oriel were fantastic though. Really supportive and helpful and made me feel very much at home.

[ajadedidealist]

Hallo...I'm heading to Oriel next year for Theology. I haven't seen many other new Oriel-ites on the forums lately - anyone there?

Anyway, I'm quite curious about housing - are there kitchens available on the main/island site, or just at JMH?

(I'm also quite curious about everything about Oriel in general...come to think of it)

[barenangting]

Ok, everyone, first off, we are generally known as Orielenses. You may occasionally hear that used specifically as an old-boys term, but that is the correct terminology.

Secondly, to ajadedidealist, there are kitchens on the main site, at least two that I know of: Staircase 13/14, and Staircase 10. They are okay, nothing special. People don't clean up after themselves and they're bloody freezing at the moment, but they have everything you need.

Finally, JaxT, you are my new favourite person. I was one of the Oriel interview helpers! We did rule somewhat.

[JaxT]

(Original post by barenangting)
Finally, JaxT, you are my new favourite person. I was one of the Oriel interview helpers! We did rule somewhat.

Glad I'm someone's favourite person! I didn't get an offer but I really enjoyed my time at Oriel. It's a great college so congrats to everyone who got an offer (he said through gritted teeth! )

[Icy_Mikki]

*waves at JaxT*

Hey, I had an interview at Oriel as the same time as you- I haven't been able to figure out who you are but I talked to quite a few of the Physists (I think that's how the JCR notice board spelt it? ) so I probably met you!

The only possible thing I can think of that might mean you know who I am is that I was one of the two guys being interviewed for Maths + Compsci?

*waves at barenangting*

I remember a guy who had classics on his hoody at the open day- were you the only one with it?

Anyway, thanks very much for all the help you guys gave over the interview process- you were so helpful!

(Original post by soph87)
Haha yes, I love staircase 8!!

I stayed in Staircase 8! Yay!

Why is it so infamous at Oriel then? What's wrong with it? :s

[ajadedidealist]

Minor-ish Oriel question: is it possible to stay in college over vacations? (as an international student?)

[JaxT]

(Original post by Icy_Mikki)
*waves at JaxT*

Hey, I had an interview at Oriel as the same time as you- I haven't been able to figure out who you are but I talked to quite a few of the Physists (I think that's how the JCR notice board spelt it? ) so I probably met you!

The only possible thing I can think of that might mean you know who I am is that I was one of the two guys being interviewed for Maths + Compsci?

I didn't spend much time in the JCR to be quite honest. I'm not a sociable sort at all I'm afraid. The few times I went in there I was trying to impress/bore with my proficiency/speed at solving a Rubiks cube. Don't know if that helps. I was usually accompanied a really great Physics helper called Craig.

One of my friends from school (he's in all my Physics and Maths classes) got an offer for Maths + Compsci at Corpus.

[Icy_Mikki]

(Original post by JaxT)
I didn't spend much time in the JCR to be quite honest. I'm not a sociable sort at all I'm afraid. The few times I went in there I was trying to impress/bore with my proficiency/speed at solving a Rubiks cube. Don't know if that helps. I was usually accompanied a really great Physics helper called Craig.

Oh, Okay! I do remember Craig, he was a really nice guy- and I do remember a lot of the helpers playing around with the several Rubik's Cubes in the JCR but I don't remember any of the interviewees doing so! Sorry!

One of my friends from school (he's in all my Physics and Maths classes) got an offer for Maths + Compsci at Corpus.

Ah cool. My friend and I both got offers for the course at St John's and Oriel respectively, so I guess we'll meet him pretty regularly if we all get the grades since it's a fairly small course. Apparently there isn't a student currently at Oriel doing Maths+Compsci, so erm... I'm kinda feeling a little nervous about the possibility of being the only person in the whole college doing it! Did you get an offer for Physics?

[JaxT]

(Original post by Icy_Mikki)
Did you get an offer for Physics?

Nope, but I think I'll live! Well done on your offer though.

[barenangting]

1. If you're an international you can't stay in college itself in vac, but you can get accommodation at JMH, the Oriel annex down Cowley Road. Or Iffley. I can't remember.

2. There is a guy at Oriel currently doing Maths and Compsci, a first-year. So there's at least one.

[Icy_Mikki]

(Original post by barenangting)
2. There is a guy at Oriel currently doing Maths and Compsci, a first-year. So there's at least one.

Aha, so they lied! Muchos thanks.

[AFRiley]

Hi there. I'm Anna Kotova, I was there for Law interview (from Cyprus) and we went to the cinema to see Golden Compass.

Anyone who recognizes me here?

Offer AAA, by the way.

[Icy_Mikki]

(Original post by AFRiley)
Hi there. I'm Anna Kotova, I was there for Law interview (from Cyprus) and we went to the cinema to see Golden Compass.

Anyone who recognizes me here?

Offer AAA, by the way.

Are you on Facebook? There's an Oriel Freshers 2008 group on there that has about 30 people in it at the moment- at least three of whom have offers for Law.

http://hs.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19983313672