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American at Christ Church

Hi guys. This forum seems to be very undergrad-dominated. I am an American currently studying at an Ivy-League school (Columbia) in New York. I wen to high school in Oxford, but never really became familiar with university life. Last year I spent at Clare College, Cambridge where I studied Politics. So, I have experience with Oxford, Cambridge, and American Unis.

I have been accepted to pursue my MPhil at Oxford next year, and I have been offered a place at Christ Church. My question is: what is the deal with Christ Church? It seems that everyone hates it despite its beauty and grandeur. I applied mostly because they have tons of $$ and I am hoping that they will help me out with some.

Does anyone know what CH CH grad life is like? Is it significantly different than undergrad life? Do undergrads and grads interact? I read somewhere that the grads have their own tables in the dining hall. Also, is there really a hierarchy of colleges? Sure, at Cambridge everyone went on about how Trinity was so posh etc, but in the end, every college accorded all of the other ones a due amount of respect (esp. Clare, hehe).

So, I am ravenous for Christ Church knowledge - the fantastic and the mundane. Anyone able to help?

- Brad

Reply 1

Sock Puppet

Bradford_Jordan

My question is: what is the deal with Christ Church?

ChCh is often thought of as a college of pompous asses. It's not prestigious in the same way that Merton, Balliol and St John's are. And it's different from Magdalen as well, which despite being thought of as a bit of a toffs' college is also regarded widely as a fun place full of interesting people. "The Hice", by contrast, has a stereotype of being full of tedious snobs. Probably unfair, but probably with a grain of truth.

Reply 2

Grifter

ah, but its hall is used for the Harry Potter films :cool:

Reply 3

robmoore

Hi Jordan (or is it Bradford?),

I am also an American student (currently at Rice University in Houston) that will be starting work on an MPhil in October. You mentioned that you studied politics at Cambridge last year - are you reading for an MPhil in politics? Just curious, since I will be reading for the MPhil in International Relations.

Also, I am quite jealous that you have already received your college offer from CH CH. My dossier was forwarded to New College a few weeks ago, and I haven't heard anything. How long ago did you get it?

Robert

Reply 4

shiny

Sock Puppet

It's not prestigious in the same way that Merton, Balliol and St John's are.

Reply 5

Bradford_Jordan

robmoore

I am a generally impatient guy. So I called Christ Church on Wednesday. The lady there was really nice and told me that I had been offered a place and that the deadline for colleges to mail out decisions to those who applied in the 2nd gathered field is at the end of the month. So you will get a letter within a few weeks at the latest. I went to high school in Oxford, so I know it fairly well, but I dont really know about the colleges. I hear New is great though. I applied to Chirst Church for the resources and the American Friends grants of 7,000 per annum to americans.

Are you on a fellowship?

Reply 6

robmoore

No fellowship, although I am hoping to receive a funding award from the department (and I will receive notice on the status of my ORS application tomorrow). Good idea on the call to CH CH. I think that I will send an email to the admissions folks at New.

Which MPhil will you be reading for?

Reply 7

peliot

Hi Brad!
I think you'll fit right into Ch Ch. It was encouraging to read your email, but sadly, I'm not going to Ch Ch.

I can see you are intent on accumulating plenty of good universities in your 'dossier' and that's a good thing. You don't say what your subject is, but LSE is very highly thought of for anything like economics. And then there's Durham. All after your MPhil of course and good luck with that.

I wouldn't pay any heed to these people who belittle Ch Ch. They're probably not Anglicans. Harry Potter was filmed there, as was mentioned, which will be a great story to tell when you get back 'stateside', but Ch Ch has alot of tourists coming and going. Grad students are expected to do their bit and guide some tours of the college, but you'll be appraised of this when you arrive.

A pal of mine goes to The House and he says the porters/scouts only respect you if you are VERY rude to them. Traditionally, as you will know, they are only ever addressed by their surnames. Find out their names and get stuck in. Also, you are expected to talk about The House all the time. NEVER call it "Christ Church".

Other traditions might seen strange to modern Americans like yourself, but they're worth a go: at the weekends, 'drink with hearties at the Bullingdon'; during term, 'have lunch with a preposterous tutor'; in Trinity term, recite The Wasteland from a balcony in Meadows building (having had pluvers' eggs for lunch).
It will be great fun, Brad. God bless you and enjoy it.