looking for information about Exeter, Queen's, St John's and Christ Church
Hey guys,
I've scrolled through a few threads, read the TSR wiki, did some reserach but still haven't found enough info about what the students are like at Oxford, more precisely, at particular colleges.
I know the students really are pretty much the same across all colleges but just wondering about the "general" atmosphere at certain ones.
The ones I'm really interested in are Exeter, Queen's, St John's and Christ Church.
I've got some impressions of them from various sources and can anyone tell me whether I've got the right impressions?
Exeter:
-Used to have lots rahs who look down at the state-scoolers, but not anymore after the new rector;
-isn't a very popular college to be chosen by students;
-the lack of on site accommodation is a pain in the neck for some, especially some finalists.
-People are relatively friendlier, but talk less than others (?)
-The college places lots emphasis on academic work but the students are fairly relaxed about work and don't perform amazingly.
-Generally (e.g. atmosphere, college situation, e.g. the accommodation) is like a mixture of Cam's Emmanuel, corpus and Caius?
Queen's:
-A very friendly college with lots of chatty people (?)
-One of the popular colleges
-Knd of resembles Cam's Emmanuel college?
St John's:
-People there are informal, but fairly "rah" like at times, laid back but also workaholics.
-An extremely popular college
-Rent is pretty cheap
-Resembles a little of Cam's St. John's and Christ's?
Christ Church:
-Lots people are pretentious
-Resembles Cam's trinity a lot?
Anyways, just wondering if anyone, whether you're a student, knows someone there or etc, can give some insight into how the student and their lifestyles are like at Oxford, and particularly at these colleges named above. Thanks!
I've been told Exeter is cliquier than many colleges (I know a medic changing from there to New, and one changing from Hilda's to Exeter, so take from that what you will...), but I wouldn't imagine it's an unpopular college choice - what with being Philip Pullman's college, and a cental, Turl St college with decent food (from my experience).
Queens - I've been pretty sociable while at uni, and I know literally nobody from Queens, nor do I know anybody who knows anyone from Queens! It's one of the few colleges I've not been inside since the open day. The only thing I do know is that the biology and biochemistry tutor is evil incarnate. Take from that what you will!
John's - the St John's people are know are all non-rahs (however you define rah), and my main impressions of it are that is has more accommodation that one college should be allowed to have
I've been told Exeter is cliquier than many colleges (I know a medic changing from there to New, and one changing from Hilda's to Exeter, so take from that what you will...), but I wouldn't imagine it's an unpopular college choice - what with being Philip Pullman's college, and a cental, Turl St college with decent food (from my experience).
Ah I see, thanks for the help.
Oh, are you allowed to get transferred to another college? I thought once you get into a college, you're pretty much guaranteened there and you'll only get transferred under extreme circumstances or something.
A friend of mine went to Exeter on an open day and she did say the students didn't appear to be "bubbly/excited" as others (namely Jesus and Lincoln). According to her, the exeter students were quite "quiet/hardly smiled" and harder to get to known with.
This sounds a bit different from the way they portrayed themselves in the alternative prospectus lol.
Though she did comment that the tutors she met were lovely.
Just wondering whether I'm getting a biased impression or not.
A college can make you an open offer, which they underwrite (meaning that you aren't allocated a college until results day, when you get the place of someone who missed their grades - if no one misses their grades, the college that underwrote you makes a space for you). If your college suddenly ceases to have a tutor in your subject for some reason (they are sacked, leave and are not replaced, die unexpectedly [this one happened to me...]) you can be looked after by a tutor at another college, eg. Harris Manchester Human Scientists are now all looked after by St Catz, and Wadham and Mansfield HumScis all ended up being looked after by St Catz as well in my year... but that is pretty unusual!
Ah I see, thanks for the help.
Oh, are you allowed to get transferred to another college? I thought once you get into a college, you're pretty much guaranteened there and you'll only get transferred under extreme circumstances or something.
A friend of mine went to Exeter on an open day and she did say the students didn't appear to be "bubbly/excited" as others (namely Jesus and Lincoln). According to her, the exeter students were quite "quiet/hardly smiled" and harder to get to known with.
This sounds a bit different from the way they portrayed themselves in the alternative prospectus lol.
Though she did comment that the tutors she met were lovely.
Just wondering whether I'm getting a biased impression or not.
Is this really a good way to judge a whole college? Bear in mind it was, like, 3 students she would have met (if that) and it is her opinion and you may have felt differently.
Tbh, it seems to me you are reading way too much into college stereotypes. These are only ever true of a minority of students what will not affect your experience, and it would be better to base you decision on more measurable qualities like accommodation, how the grounds are, the location, the food etc.
Re: looking for information about Exeter, Queen's, St John's and Christ Church
Hey guys, thanks for the replies so far.
@nexttime :
Sorry, I didn't mean to portray Exeter as some kind of "bad" place. Of course, relying on someone's account isn't a good way to judge and thanks for pointing that out too.
I'm just wondering as I've gathered other's opinions on various colleges and read a few articlse about it from others' points of view(like this one: [link] , I think this is fairly biased but an interesting read ) and even though I'm sure Exeter is a lovely college and pretty much like all others, it just seem to be a little "that different". But like I said, I've nothing against that college and just interested to know.
Yeah, you're right, I'm probably reading a bit too much into it, but I can't help it really as I've had way too many experiences of "steoreotypes being true" (all the 5 different schools I went to were like that - pretty much the same as what the stereotypes.).
I know I shouldn't generalise to other places, but I can't help it but thinking the same thing will applydue to my experiences. Though i promise I'll try my best to "wear it off" in the future.
Re: looking for information about Exeter, Queen's, St John's and Christ Church
Originally Posted by Yellowsky
Hey guys, thanks for the replies so far.
@nexttime :
Sorry, I didn't mean to portray Exeter as some kind of "bad" place. Of course, relying on someone's account isn't a good way to judge and thanks for pointing that out too.
I'm just wondering as I've gathered other's opinions on various colleges and read a few articlse about it from others' points of view(like this one: [link] , I think this is fairly biased but an interesting read ) and even though I'm sure Exeter is a lovely college and pretty much like all others, it just seem to be a little "that different". But like I said, I've nothing against that college and just interested to know.
Yeah, you're right, I'm probably reading a bit too much into it, but I can't help it really as I've had way too many experiences of "steoreotypes being true" (all the 5 different schools I went to were like that - pretty much the same as what the stereotypes.).
I know I shouldn't generalise to other places, but I can't help it but thinking the same thing will applydue to my experiences. Though i promise I'll try my best to "wear it off" in the future.
lol, as soon as the website came up i saw 'guardian' and just thought: . They periodically find someone who has had a bad experience at Oxford and pay them to slag it off - is sells papers, unfortunately (this guy even admits that he had a bad experience and that others enjoyed it more, but continues to have childish digs at various stereotypes anyway). If this is like anything they've ever written before, i doubt even 10% is true.
To be honest, I haven't heard of anything you said about Exeter - it doesn't really have a stereotype and the things you wrote seem to be just what individual people have said rather than the 'general trends' you seem to be seeking.
Re: looking for information about Exeter, Queen's, St John's and Christ Church
Originally Posted by nexttime
lol, as soon as the website came up i saw 'guardian' and just thought: . They periodically find someone who has had a bad experience at Oxford and pay them to slag it off - is sells papers, unfortunately (this guy even admits that he had a bad experience and that others enjoyed it more, but continues to have childish digs at various stereotypes anyway). If this is like anything they've ever written before, i doubt even 10% is true.
To be honest, I haven't heard of anything you said about Exeter - it doesn't really have a stereotype and the things you wrote seem to be just what individual people have said rather than the 'general trends' you seem to be seeking.
Lol, I understand why my biology teacher never reads the guardian now.
I can't really give my own opinion about it when I haven't seen it myself and I hope that's a good thing in some ways.
If you don't mind me asking, can I get some of your views on a few colleges that you've had experience with and made quite an impression on you? =P
Re: looking for information about Exeter, Queen's, St John's and Christ Church
Originally Posted by Yellowsky
Lol, I understand why my biology teacher never reads the guardian now.
I can't really give my own opinion about it when I haven't seen it myself and I hope that's a good thing in some ways.
If you don't mind me asking, can I get some of your views on a few colleges that you've had experience with and made quite an impression on you? =P
err, well, i can only really claim to make accurate assertions about my own college (merton). We're stereotyped as nerdy etc, but I am for sure not like that as are many other people, leading to an experience very similar to what you would experience anywhere else (the stereotype comes mainly from the warden who is notorious for disapproving of anyone who leaves their room lol )
St Peters seems to be pretty laid back, as does Hertford to and extent (from my limited experience!). I would also speculate that, as you say, Christchurch has a higher proportion of 'posh' people - this is merely based on it being known for that trait to begin with, it would by no means be true of a significantly greater number of people than other colleges and i'm willing to be corrected also!
When it comes down to this kind of thing its actually quite hard to tell and, as i say, i don't think it should rank too highly on your list of criteria for choosing a college.
I've been told Exeter is cliquier than many colleges (I know a medic changing from there to New, and one changing from Hilda's to Exeter, so take from that what you will...), but I wouldn't imagine it's an unpopular college choice - what with being Philip Pullman's college, and a cental, Turl St college with decent food (from my experience).
Queens - I've been pretty sociable while at uni, and I know literally nobody from Queens, nor do I know anybody who knows anyone from Queens! It's one of the few colleges I've not been inside since the open day. The only thing I do know is that the biology and biochemistry tutor is evil incarnate. Take from that what you will!
John's - the St John's people are know are all non-rahs (however you define rah), and my main impressions of it are that is has more accommodation that one college should be allowed to have
What does he/she look like? I had an interview at Queens for biochem and i preferred their tutors to the ones at St Johns lol
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looking for information about Exeter, Queen's, St John's and Christ Church
. They periodically find someone who has had a bad experience at Oxford and pay them to slag it off - is sells papers, unfortunately (this guy even admits that he had a bad experience and that others enjoyed it more, but continues to have childish digs at various stereotypes anyway). If this is like anything they've ever written before, i doubt even 10% is true. 
