Choosing a College

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  1. bazoolium's Avatar
    • Junior Member
    • Posts: 55
    Re: Choosing a College
    (Original post by nexttime)
    Why do you want to be 'central' i.e. what do you want to be near?! Those colleges are both obviously really central, but if you wanted to be near to the english faculty for example, colleges on that side of town might be just as useful.

    Paying attention to application numbers to individual college courses is a bit useless - they are going to vary a lot year on year. If you really didn't want to end up at particular colleges though, it might be worth a small consideration to look at application statistics.
    Well, that's the problem with being split between Classics and English. I think the middle is probably the best bet - and I know Regent's Park isn't exactly the middle, but it's a lot closer than say, LMH, which I really liked, but I thought it was too far out.

    Yeah, that was only for last year, and I thought that might be the case, but they did say that they've been very popular for English (more so than any other college) for a couple of years now.
  2. The_Lonely_Goatherd's Avatar
    • TSR Deity
    • Location: London!
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    Re: Choosing a College
    (Original post by bazoolium)
    Haha, I think Worcester does do Classics and English...I'm not too sure why I discounted it, actually, I might take another look!

    Yeah, Regent's Park does. I'm not sure how many share a kitchen, but there was at least one, sizeable kitchen on each corridor, I think.
    Woosta is 72% ensuite with access to good kitchen facilities, as well as being a very pretty - and indeed, the best - college :yep: That said, if you're set on Regent's Park, go for it! I've only been there once and haven't seen it all but have heard very positive things about it
  3. tooambitious's Avatar
    • TSR Demigod
    • Posts: 5,629
    Re: Choosing a College
    (Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd)
    Woosta is 72% ensuite with access to good kitchen facilities, as well as being a very pretty - and indeed, the best - college :yep: That said, if you're set on Regent's Park, go for it! I've only been there once and haven't seen it all but have heard very positive things about it
    this is probably said on every third page :lol: - your loyalty is quiite something, it must be a special college!
  4. The_Lonely_Goatherd's Avatar
    • TSR Deity
    • Location: London!
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    Re: Choosing a College
    (Original post by tooambitious)
    this is probably said on every third page :lol: - your loyalty is quiite something, it must be a special college!
    It really is :love: :yep: :love:
  5. mournfulpirate's Avatar
    • Full Member
    • Posts: 133
    Re: Best Oxford University College for Mathematics?
    (Original post by ben-smith)
    Well, if twistor theory is your thing then Wadham also has Roger Penrose who basically created the field.

    Oh I know all about him, but I thought he was more Phys/ Comp Sci. I also thought he was at a different college.
  6. ben-smith's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: Hilbert Space
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    Re: Best Oxford University College for Mathematics?
    (Original post by mournfulpirate)
    Oh I know all about him, but I thought he was more Phys/ Comp Sci. I also thought he was at a different college.

    He is definitely a fellow at Wadham.
    He does all kinds of stuff but his official capacity is in mathematics i.e. he's a professor at the mathematical institute. Furthermore his undergraduate degree and his Phd were both in mathematics.
    I don't know much about twistors but I'm pretty sure it was he who originally proposed them.
  7. anonette85's Avatar
    • New Member
    • Posts: 19
    Re: Choosing a College
    I'm applying to worcester but I honestly thought that colleges like Exeter/Trinity/Balliol/Merton were much more demanded then Worcester!
    Now I feel like I'm applying to the overdemanded college where I have less chance to be accepted...
    I've changed 5 times my college on UCAS already :P
  8. The_Lonely_Goatherd's Avatar
    • TSR Deity
    • Location: London!
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    Re: Choosing a College
    (Original post by anonette85)
    I'm applying to worcester but I honestly thought that colleges like Exeter/Trinity/Balliol/Merton were much more demanded then Worcester!
    Now I feel like I'm applying to the overdemanded college where I have less chance to be accepted...
    I've changed 5 times my college on UCAS already :P
    Just apply to Woosta anywhere. If you're deserving of an Oxford place, you are very likely to get one somewhere, even if it's not Woosta in the end :yes:
  9. anonette85's Avatar
    • New Member
    • Posts: 19
    (Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd)
    Just apply to Woosta anywhere. If you're deserving of an Oxford place, you are very likely to get one somewhere, even if it's not Woosta in the end :yes:
    Do I deserve or deserve not an oxford place? That is the question


    This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
  10. nulli tertius's Avatar
    • TSR Demigod
    • Posts: 7,133
    Re: Choosing a College
    (Original post by anonette85)
    Do I deserve or deserve not an oxford place? That is the question
    The one thing that is absolutely certain is that those who never apply, never find out.
  11. nexttime's Avatar
    • TSR Idol
    • Posts: 8,186
    Re: Choosing a College
    (Original post by anonette85)
    I'm applying to worcester but I honestly thought that colleges like Exeter/Trinity/Balliol/Merton were much more demanded then Worcester!
    Now I feel like I'm applying to the overdemanded college where I have less chance to be accepted...
    I've changed 5 times my college on UCAS already :P
    I think the best advice is to not let competition ratios influence you too much one way or another - they're just too unreliable.

    We can always give you further advice on here if you state what you are looking for but... just to re-emphasise, the thing that will make the most difference to your time at Oxford is the people you meet, and you just can't predict that! You don't have to stress this much over college applications
    Last edited by nexttime; 15-07-2012 at 09:12.
  12. anonette85's Avatar
    • New Member
    • Posts: 19
    (Original post by nexttime)
    I think the best advice is to not let competition ratios influence you too much one way or another - they're just too unreliable.

    We can always give you further advice on here if you state what you are looking for but... just to re-emphasise, the thing that will make the most difference to your time at Oxford is the people you meet, and you just can't predict that! You don't have to stress this much over college applications
    There should be more than one college to which you could apply chosing one is just too hard


    This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
  13. joth's Avatar
    • Full Member
    • Posts: 90
    Re: Best Oxford University College for Mathematics?
    Don't bother choosing a college because they have great person XXX or YYY, unless they are an undergraduate tutor. If not (e.g. Wiles, Penrose) chances are you will never see nor hear them. Far more important is to choose a college based on non-academic stuff. The only academic factor is which undergraduate tutors they have. I certainly recommend Merton's!
  14. Lm137's Avatar
    • New Member
    • Location: Poole, Dorset
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    Re: Best Oxford University College for Mathematics?
    I'll second the recommendation of Richard Earl at Worcester (which is fairly big in maths compared to some colleges (something like 15 undergrads/year across the joint schools) and has a number of other great maths undergrad tutors) but also agree that the college as a whole is far more important. Fortunately, Worcester's lovely! check out as many colleges as you can at open days to get a 'feel' for them - it helps if you've narrowed them down a little beforehand by size, whether they have a tutor for your specific subject, college accommodation availability (i.e. for one, two, three or even four years) etc. - and then choose the place you'll be happiest.
    Even if one college were better at maths than the others, it's not exactly going to affect your prospects in life. You're not going to be complaining that you're not doing enough maths. Much better to make friends and be happy for three/four years!
  15. mournfulpirate's Avatar
    • Full Member
    • Posts: 133
    Re: Best Oxford University College for Mathematics?
    (Original post by joth)
    Don't bother choosing a college because they have great person XXX or YYY, unless they are an undergraduate tutor. If not (e.g. Wiles, Penrose) chances are you will never see nor hear them. Far more important is to choose a college based on non-academic stuff. The only academic factor is which undergraduate tutors they have. I certainly recommend Merton's!

    Yes. This is what I meant, despite name-dropping 'big names'.
  16. mournfulpirate's Avatar
    • Full Member
    • Posts: 133
    Re: Best Oxford University College for Mathematics?
    (Original post by Lm137)
    I'll second the recommendation of Richard Earl at Worcester (which is fairly big in maths compared to some colleges (something like 15 undergrads/year across the joint schools) and has a number of other great maths undergrad tutors) but also agree that the college as a whole is far more important. Fortunately, Worcester's lovely! check out as many colleges as you can at open days to get a 'feel' for them - it helps if you've narrowed them down a little beforehand by size, whether they have a tutor for your specific subject, college accommodation availability (i.e. for one, two, three or even four years) etc. - and then choose the place you'll be happiest.
    Even if one college were better at maths than the others, it's not exactly going to affect your prospects in life. You're not going to be complaining that you're not doing enough maths. Much better to make friends and be happy for three/four years!

    From my experience, when people actually get started at Oxford they compare tutors and there are significant differences in styles, effort and experience! Familiarity breeds contempt.
  17. Lm137's Avatar
    • New Member
    • Location: Poole, Dorset
    • Posts: 11
    Re: Best Oxford University College for Mathematics?
    (Original post by mournfulpirate)
    From my experience, when people actually get started at Oxford they compare tutors and there are significant differences in styles, effort and experience! Familiarity breeds contempt.
    I am of course not claiming Worcester's tutors are the only good ones in the University - I've been particularly impressed in lectures (and I suspect that would be maintained in tutorials) by Peter Neumann of Queen's, Marc Lackenby of Catz, and I hear good things about Hilary Priestley of St. Anne's, amongst others, but perhaps it's significant that in my experience familiarity has bred more respect than contempt.
  18. Minnie_Mouse95's Avatar
    • Junior Member
    • Posts: 36
    University of Oxford - Best colleges?
    Hey guys

    So I'm in year 12 and I've been researching which college to go to in the university of Oxford

    But I need some help

    I'm going to be doing Law so I've cancelled out all the colleges which don't do the Law course (which is not many)

    But now I need to think of is accommodation cost, food costs, food quality, if there's a gym...etc

    What I'm asking you guys is: What are your opinions on the best colleges? Any past experiences? (Even if they are bad ones!) Do you have any of the information up there? ^

    Do worry I have been researching myself... I'm not just posting this to get out of doing research. However some of the college websites don't have the vital information I need to choose which one to go to ... especially accomodation costs

    Any Help would be greatly appreciated!
  19. Minnie_Mouse95's Avatar
    • Junior Member
    • Posts: 36
    University of Oxford - Best colleges?
    Hey guys

    So I'm in year 12 and I've been researching which college to go to in the university of Oxford

    But I need some help

    I'm going to be doing Law so I've cancelled out all the colleges which don't do the Law course (which is not many)

    But now I need to think of is accommodation cost, food costs, food quality, if there's a gym...etc

    What I'm asking you guys is: What are your opinions on the best colleges? Any past experiences? (Even if they are bad ones!) Do you have any of the information up there? ^

    Do worry I have been researching myself... I'm not just posting this to get out of doing research. However some of the college websites don't have the vital information I need to choose which one to go to ... especially accomodation costs

    Any Help would be greatly appreciated!
  20. Lord of the Flies's Avatar
    • The foul fiend Flibbertigibbet
    • Location: Paris, France
    Re: University of Oxford - Best colleges?
    (Original post by Damini Sharma)
    Hey guys

    So I'm in year 12 and I've been researching which college to go to in the university of Oxford

    But I need some help

    I'm going to be doing Law so I've cancelled out all the colleges which don't do the Law course (which is not many)

    But now I need to think of is accommodation cost, food costs, food quality, if there's a gym...etc

    What I'm asking you guys is: What are your opinions on the best colleges? Any past experiences? (Even if they are bad ones!) Do you have any of the information up there? ^

    Do worry I have been researching myself... I'm not just posting this to get out of doing research. However some of the college websites don't have the vital information I need to choose which one to go to ... especially accomodation costs

    Any Help would be greatly appreciated!
    Have you had a look at this? http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki..._Pros_and_Cons

    It may help!
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