Most Prestigious Oxford College?

This is just a general interest post so people please don't attack me lol!

Just wondered if there was one College that generally stood out as being (rightly or wrongly) more prestigious than any others. At Cambridge it seems to be relatively clear that it's Trinity, probably with John's as a close second (though depends on your criteria, obviously).

But for Oxford I've heard its a bit more contentious, with names such as University, Christ Church, Magdalen and Balliol bounded around.

Is there any consensus at all on which one generally ranks highest in terms of being most prestigious then? A lot seem to say Christ Church, but they also joke about hating people there too lol.

Reply 1

faber niger

17

Balliol, probably. Not that prestige is necessarily a positive. It's apparently the most applied to college, also, if that has any relevance.

Reply 2

01zaporozhets

Needless to say you'll get rinsed for starting this thread, it's an impossible question to answer blah blah blah.

But if anything, pretty much the ones you mentioned, plus St John's and Merton are good too.

Reply 3

rotor

14

Most people I know would say christ church.

Reply 4

probably not

4

all souls by some distance

Reply 5

Schott

OP

11

Cool. I didn't really want it to turn into a 'which is best' thread or anything too serious. Just curious to see the counterpart to Trinity Cambridge. Is there not one that is generally cited most often?

Also is it true you need to get incredibly high grades to get into All Souls for postgrad study?

Reply 6

pendragon

13

Overall Balliol.

Academically Balliol and Merton.

Socially Balliol, Ch Ch and Magdalen.

St Johns is an also ran.

Reply 7

BJack

19

Magdalen has a deer park, if that counts for anything. >_>

Reply 8

Alexander

12

It's quite clearly Magdalen and Christ Church for Oxford.

Although it's a funny thing. John's (Cambridge) is rich with nice buildings, but always does mediocrely academically.

Reply 9

im so academic

15

Oh please, it's still Oxford at the end of the day, regardless of which college you studied at. :rolleyes:

Reply 10

Schott

OP

11

LOL ok thanks (though any others keep it coming). I quite liked the look of Christ Church when I was having a look around at xmas. Then again I also find St Antony's appealing and that seems the opposite (anyone know how it has such old buildings at the front considering it was founded in 1950???).

Reply 11

pendragon

13

tony_ron

LOL ok thanks (though any others keep it coming). I quite liked the look of Christ Church when I was having a look around at xmas. Then again I also find St Antony's appealing and that seems the opposite (anyone know how it has such old buildings at the front considering it was founded in 1950???).

St Antony's is a popular graduate college, Ch Ch is popular for undergrad but considered a bit rah, most of the grads I know who were there as undergrads decided to switch from Ch Ch saying it wouldn't be the best place to be a grad.

Reply 12

kuka

I think Balliol, Christ Church and Merton are quite prestigious - but anyway, it's the same university

Reply 13

Schott

OP

11

Aha. Interested in doing graduate studies in Oxford, with St Antony's, Ch Ch and Magd being all quite attractive choices. Worried if I put two popular ones down as my choices that I might not get either. Wondering if it's a better idea to put a popular one AND a less popular one on the form to ensure that you at least get to sort of decide where you go (assuming u get into the less popular of the two) rather than taking a risk. All Souls was appealing but have been warned off it as being far to competitive.

Reply 14

Dionysia

12

All Souls for postgrads.

I'd say ChCh, in general.

MSB

Trinity.

Definitely.

Yeah.

=P Well, if you're there...

Reply 15

Turdburger

16

Balliol is odd in that its not very old or exceptionally pretty (well the buildings arent) or very rich but still very popular and "prestigious".

I would say Merton, Magdalen and Balliol. Then Johns Ch Ch Univ, Brasenose, Trinity.

Reply 16

Icy_Mikki

13

+1 for All Souls. It is by far the most prestigious college.

Reply 17

kuka

Turdburger

Balliol is odd in that its not very old or exceptionally pretty (well the buildings arent) or very rich but still very popular and "prestigious".

I would say Merton, Magdalen and Balliol. Then Johns Ch Ch Univ, Brasenose, Trinity.

Seems reasonable. I would agree with that

Reply 18

pendragon

13

tony_ron

Aha. Interested in doing graduate studies in Oxford, with St Antony's, Ch Ch and Magd being all quite attractive choices. Worried if I put two popular ones down as my choices that I might not get either. Wondering if it's a better idea to put a popular one AND a less popular one on the form to ensure that you at least get to sort of decide where you go (assuming u get into the less popular of the two) rather than taking a risk. All Souls was appealing but have been warned off it as being far to competitive.

That is what I did when I applied to Camb. Seems a good idea. But the key thing in my experience is which gathered field you apply in, the later you apply the more of the popular colleges are full for grads. Any grad college is likely to take you, but St Ants is a favourite of many from amongst them. Teddy is another non-grad insurance you could put as it has a big MCR and is fun.

Reply 19

Turdburger

16

Just wondered if there was one College that generally stood out as being (rightly or wrongly) more prestigious than any others. At Cambridge it seems to be relatively clear that it's Trinity

I was under the impression that Kings was "the one" at Cambridge.

Most Prestigious Oxford College?

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