Cambridge College Pros and Cons
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TSR Wiki > University > Choosing a University > University Guides > Cambridge > Cambridge_College_Pros_and_Cons
Choosing a college can be difficult, and there are detailed guides for most Cambridge undergraduate colleges. Here is a brief overview of the main pros and cons of each college that may help you!
Pros
- The only college that sometimes gives EE offers.
Cons
- Has a reputation for being one of the colleges which pushes its students the hardest.
Pros
- Big, modern, light rooms - most of the rooms are of the same standard and there are a lot on ensuites
- Big playing fields on site
- You can walk on the grass
Cons
- Building is ugly.
- Out of the center of town
Pros
- Very cool underground college bar and JCR, Clare Cellars.
- Really good weekly ents playing d'n'b, dubstep and the like.
- Nice fresher community in Memorial Court.
- You can walk on the grass at Memorial Court
- College Gardens are among the prettiest in Cambridge
Cons
- Unfortunately, the stuff on Old Court is out of bounds.
- No on-site gym.
Pros
Cons
Pros
Cons
Pros
- It's just graduate students
- Beautiful grounds, good river access and lots of punts
- Everything operates year-round, rather than being really busy in term time and dead in the vacs - DarBar (the college bar) is busy all the time.
- The fellows and the students eat the same food, therefore it is of a edible/good standard
Cons
- It's just graduate students
- Some of the accommodation desperately needs modernising
- All colleges have their eccentricities, but they're pretty odd at Darwin (eg the college don't provide toilet roll in communal bathrooms...)
- The communication during the application process is somewhat *sketchy*
Pros
- Amazing, hotel standard first year accommodation
- All accommodation either on site or very nearby so even when you're in a house you can still use all the college facilities.
Cons
Pros
- Each room has a mini fridge for you to store all kinds of goodies in!
- The ducks. =P
- Its location is probably one of the best in Cambridge: close enough to the shops and the Downing Site (like what's been said in the prospectus - "a stone's throw away"), but far enough to hide from the masses of tourists each day.
- The only college to offer a free laundry service in Cambridge, so no need to do your own if laundry isn't your kind of thing.
- Probably has the cheapest college bar of them all.
- Amazing welfare provision in the summer - bouncy castle, free yoga classes, Thai massages, mug painting on the paddock and the college Wii.
- The college shop, selling stash, stationery, sweets, crisps and drinks all for cheaper than you'd find anywhere in town.
- Having the swimming pool in the summer.
Cons
- You can't walk on the grass in the front court.
- There are very few ovens so self-catering can be difficult.
Pros
- Friendly and supportive atmosphere
Cons
Pros
Cons
Pros
Cons
Pros
- Voted "friendliest college in Cambridge"
- Largest college in terms of student numbers, although Trinity is slightly bigger if you count fellows.
- On-site accommodation for everyone. Mostly ensuite. All West House rooms (where the freshers live) are ensuite.
- Informal atmosphere. We're allowed to walk on the grass, and the only time when a gown is required is graduation.
Cons
- The location. Not quite as far as Girton, but still a 10-minute cycle into town.
- Not actually a college. Yet. We should be getting our royal charter this year.
Hughes Hall (mature students, undergraduates and graduates)
Pros
- Near the shops and leisure centre
- Quite pleasant atmosphere
- Leafy 'campus' with garden feel
- Mix of old and new buildings
Cons
- Small and far from main colleges and departments
- Not well known, little reputation
- No famous alumni
- Poorly endowed
- Feels 'out on a limb'
Pros
- Lots of interesting art and sculpture about the place
Cons
Pros
- The college is very central and the undergraduate accommodation is either on site or very nearby.
- Informal atmosphere (students don't have to wear gowns, May week event is a cheaper version of the May Balls and you don't have to wear Black tie)
- Good canteen
- Has an Art Centre with a resident artist who runs classes
Cons
- Tourists
- Gym is a basement room with 1 treadmill, 1 cross trainer and a load of weights
- You can't walk on the grass in the main courts (though there is a huge, private, fellows garden where you can walk on the grass)
Lucy Cavendish (mature students, female undergraduates)
Pros
Cons
Pros
cheapest formal in cambridge but still good food, candlelit atmosphere and gowns etc
very friendly and small enough you can know everyone if you want to
far enough out that there are very few tourists but still 5 mins walk from sainsburys so fairly central
Cons
may ball very expensive and only every 2 years but the only white tie ball
Pros
- Not an insular college - people know a lot of people from other colleges and there isn't a claustrophobic atmosphere at all.
- Community with the hill colleges - Fitz and Churchill. They share a lot of ents together.
- Relaxed atmosphere - gowns not compulsory for formals and you can walk on whatever grass you like.
Cons
- Misconception that people from girls colleges are not as intelligent as people from mixed colleges.
- Different architecture - the modern, white and grey brick buildings are not to everyone's taste.
Pros
- Opposite the Sidgwick Site (where most of the Arts faculties are)
Cons
- Misconception that people from girls colleges are not as intelligent as people from mixed colleges.
Pros
- Possibly one of the prettiest colleges
- The holy grail that is Pembroke Brunch!
Cons
Pros
- Has a proper tiered theatre
Cons
Pros
- 3 years accomodation on site
- Good location (center of town, close to most subjects)
- Not baraged by tourists like others nearby
- Some beautiful old buildings
- Not too big/Not too small (obviously depends on personal taste)
- Stephen Fry studied here.
Cons
Pros
- Modern, comfortable building with plenty of heating and toilets
- Relaxed atmosphere (you can walk on the grass!)
- Pleasant location in nice surroundings well away from the tourists
Cons
- Not for people who don't like red bricks
- College doesn't have much money so you don't get luxuries like college-owned punts, a proper gym or much in the way of bursaries
- Rents are expensive
Pros
Cons
St Edmund's College (mature students, undergraduates and graduates)
Pros
- Mature, laid-back atmosphere - students and fellows
- Next to the curry-mile
- Large choice of en-suite, modern accommodation
- Small and very friendly
- Excellent sporting tradition
- Very diverse international student body
Cons
- Nobody ever knows where it is.
- Poor
- Small, perhaps claustrophobic
- Lack of heavyweight reputation
- Expensive accommodation
- Expensive, uninspiring food
Pros
- Rich college
- The St. John's May Ball was famously declared the "7th best party in the world" by Time magazine. Number 6 was the Oscars after-party.
Cons
- All the students say "I'd rather be at Oxford than St John's"
Pros
- Next door to the Sidgwick Site (where most of the Arts faculties are)
Cons
Pros
Cons
Pros
- Rich college
- One of the biggest May Balls
Cons
Pros
Cons
Wolfson College (mature students, undergraduates and graduates)
Pros
- Out of the centre, away from tourists.
Cons
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