Cambridge College Pros and ConsTSR 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
- Great accommodation
- Generally easygoing, despite the reputation that it has for pushing its students.
- Sacha Baron Cohen went there!
- Very central - 30 seconds away from nearest club, literally 10m from a takeaway, 1-2 minutes to restaurants (Nandos, Pizza Hut), 2 minutes to the nearest cinema, 5 min from Sainsbury's, close to Downing and New Museum sites for lectures
- Accrding to their website, 1/3 applicants who are successful get an easy offer (EE). Only College still to do this routinely, but also see first "con" below.
Cons
- Sometimes gives out very hard offers (A*A*A*A for 2010 entry) to balance out all the easy offers they make.
- Push you hard academically
Pros
- Big, modern, light rooms - most of the rooms are of the same standard and there are a lot on ensuites.
- Biggest on-site playing fields of all colleges. Good gym, 4 squash courts, 5 tennis courts.
- Very open plan - walk on all grass, large buildings, easy entry everywhere.
- Highest ratio of sciences (70%) to arts (30%) students.
- Very friendly porters.
- Springball.
- Friday Night Pav is very popular.
Cons
- Buildings are a bit ugly.
- Out of the center of town (though a 3 minute bike ride).
- Highest ratio of sciences (70%) to arts (30%) students.
Pros
- Very cool underground college bar and JCR, Clare Cellars.
- Really good weekly ents with a variety of student bands and DJs in the Cellars.
- Nice fresher community in Memorial Court.
- First year accommodation is right next to the University Library and two minutes from the humanities faculty buildings.
- May Ball every year.
- Known as the 'friendly college' - really open, welcoming environment.
- One of the strongest colleges for music - excellent choir and only college orchestra to play a termly concert in the university concert hall.
- You can walk on the grass in Memorial Court.
- College Gardens are among the prettiest in Cambridge
- Position on the river
- College owned punts
- Old Court has the perfect balance of being detached from the town centre yet two minutes away.
- Good mix of genders and private/state educated people.
Cons
The view from Clare Bridge (oldest bridge in Cambridge) attracts a fair amount of tourists to it.
Pros
- Modern buildings, spacious rooms
- Large kitchens
- Indoors swimming pool
- Friendly atmosphere
- Very good food
- Graduates only
Cons
- Graduates only
- Informal - a con if you like Cambridge because of its traditions
- A bit far away from town
- Although the buildings are very comfortable on the inside, they are unattractive on the outside.
Pros
- Very central - 2 minutes from town centre, 2 mintues from the Science faculties, 7 minutes from the Sidgewick (arts) site.
- New library (just been built) - spacious and really nice
- Very small (approx 80 students a year): this and Peterhouse are the smallest colleges. If you like to know everybody in your year and feel intimidated by the larger colleges, this is great.
- Great accomodation for first years - you either live in New Court, or right next to Corpus in Botolph or Benet Street. None of these ugly blocks miles away from the main college that other colleges seem to have.
- Very old, attractive architecture
- Lovely family atmosphere
- Has one of the best, and most comfortable, college bars and jcr in Cambridge.
- Get the chance to live in Old Court, the oldest court in all of Oxbridge, whose buildings are 1,000 years old.
Cons
- Very small: can feel a bit too insular and gossip gets around incredibly quickly.
- Bit public school dominated
- Has also been very male dominated for most years, although this has begun to even out.
- Pretty crap in terms of famous alumni (apart from obviously Christopher Marlowe) - in recent years it's mainly been old Tory MPs (Francis Maude, Neil Hamilton, etc) and very right wing journalists (Tom Utley, Simon Heffer, etc) But don't be put off.
- College and bar food is quite expensive compared with other colleges.
- The College's state of financial crisis means a lot of student services and perks have been cut in recent years, and rent raised dramatically - although it is still no higher than the university average.
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.
- Right next to the Downing site and New Museums site (as well as the Chemistry department), so very good for scientists!
- Surrounded by restaurants - Nando, Pizza Express, Charlie Chan (only Dim Sum restaurant in central Cambridge), NannaMexico, Pizza Organic, the Varsity Restaurant, Pizza Hut, Zizzi.
- 'Spoons is just down the road.
- Parker's Piece (park) only 30 seconds across the road.
- Library designed using Golden Ratio
- John Cleese went there
- If you want to sue someone, there are so many Lawyers around you'd get a competitive price.
Cons
- So many Law students
- You can't walk on some of the grass.
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.
- Drinks in the bar are watered down.
Pros
- Friendly and supportive atmosphere
- Excellent theatre and sport facilities
- kitchen space so self catering can be done
- truly beautiful gardens
- lack of pretentiousness
- close to the West Cambridge site
- out of the way of busy tourist places in the Summer
- reasonably spacious
- brand new, very good library
- some very modern buildings
Cons
- Out of the town centre
- Some unattractive buildings
- Most accommodation is of poor quality and really tiny
- Food served in halls is not varied and some find it unacceptable
Pros
- Indoor heated swimming pool
- Really good college community - because it's further out people really spend time together and gel
- Not as pushy academically as some of the other colleges, but people still get good grades
- Not pretentious - You can walk on the grass
- The cycle in and out gives you some time to wake up/clear your head after a hard day's work
- Sports pitches are on-site
Cons
- Furthest college out. Not good if you don't want a 15 minutes cycle in the mornings
Pros
- Very central
- Gives perhaps the fullest experience of Oxbridge traditions of any Cambridge college.
- The canteen arrangements means there's a strong vibrant community spirit.
- SHB is arguably the nicest accommodation in Cambridge.
Cons
- Canteen arrangements where you have to eat in hall a certain amount of the time.
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.
- Lots of buses, easy to get into town
- Near to the cinema, tesco, nandos etc only 2 minute walk
Cons
- The location. 10-minute cycle into town.
Hughes Hall (mature students, undergraduates and graduates)
Pros
- Near the shops and leisure centre
- Pleasant postgraduate atmosphere
- Leafy 'campus' with garden feel
- Great accommodation
- Overlooks the cricket grounds
- Excellent food
Cons
- Not well known, little reputation
- Postgraduate and mature undergrad only
Pros
- Lots of interesting art and sculpture about the place
- Huge grounds with the sports pitches right next to the college
- May Ball has a really good reputation
- Surprisingly close to the centre of town, but without all the tourists
- All 3 years accommodation within college or on the adjacent roads (Jesus Lane, Park St, Malcolm St)
- Modern, spacious 24hr library
- Free washing machines
- JCR Common room has good TV/xbox/pool table
- Free full size snooker table/dart boards
Cons
- Slightly more expensive college bar, in relative terms (not student run)
Pros
- Very central and undergraduate accommodation is either on site or very nearby.
- Easy to fit in and be yourself because of informal and accepting atmosphere. Not at all stuffy (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)
- Amazing, popular college bar and quality student-run club nights in the underground Cellar bar.
- Proper Hogwarts hall and library.
- Has an Art Centre with a resident artist who runs classes
- On the river, and with College-owned punts and kayaks you can take full advantage.
- Voted the best formals in Cambridge
- Canteen food - lots of choice and really nice (especially the puddings).
Cons
- Tourists outside the main gate. It's ok in the College itself (because they control entry) but you have to walk through tourists to get in.
- Gym is a basement room with 1 treadmill, 1 cross trainer and loads of weights equipment.
- You can't walk on the main lawns except for special occasions (though there is a huge, private, fellows garden as well as lawn by the river and riverbank where you can go on the grass)
- Formals are only once a week and tickets are limited, getting them is like getting festival tickets but I have managed to get tickets for every one so far
- Because of the informal atmosphere it doesn't necessarily feel like the authentic cambridge experience.
Lucy Cavendish (mature students, female undergraduates)
Pros
Cons
Pros
- Cheapest formal in Cambridge but still good food, candlelit, very atmospheric, and held every evening
- 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 Sainsbury's, so fairly central
- Most river frontage of all colleges and has a 'beach'
- College-owned punts for undergraduate and graduate students
- The only (compulsorily) white-tie May Ball, but see "con" below.
Cons
- May Ball tickets and hiring white tie outfit very expensive (most expensive in Cambridge), and only held once every 2 years.
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.
- There are many modern artworks on display everywhere, and these are different from the classical paintings the older colleges get. They definitely give the college a fresher feel. There are also regular exhibitions on which students are free to go to.
- The girls here are absolutely lovely and really supportive. They are not overly-competitive, so it makes studying a lot more enjoyable.
- Different architecture
Cons
- Misconception that people from girls colleges are not as intelligent as people from mixed colleges - probably because of Con 2 below.
- ~90% of people there were pooled and didn't pick it as a first choice.
- 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)
- Attractive (old) buildings with beautiful, large gardens in which you are allowed to walk (sit, picnic) on the grass
- The longest corridor in Europe
- Accommodation on site all three years
- Beautiful, beautiful student bedrooms, allocated by random ballot (as opposed to one based on grades in exams - Scholars' ballots) so that in your third year you are guaranteed a beautiful room usually with a sofa or armchairs and a garden view
- Excellent kitchens and buttery (cafeteria) which was built only in 2009
- All sports grounds on site, netball and tennis courts
- Drama studio and an excellent college based drama society
- A friendly atmosphere, rather than one which is based wholly on the attainment of firsts and thus encourages students to live in the library (*not* an exaggeration - at Christ's the library has showers...)
Cons
- Some of the grumpiest porters in Cambridge
- Everyone assumes you were pooled.
- College atmosphere not as strong as in other Colleges as the all-girls thing makes people go elsewhere for mixed company.
Pros
- Possibly one of the prettiest colleges (fantastic looking gardens)
- Pembroke College is famous for its Medicine, Natural Sciences (bio - especially physiology), Maths, Histroy and Law exam performances
- Oldest bowling green in use in existence in Europe
- The holy grail that is Pembroke Brunch
- As a scientist: close to all the lecture theatres
- As an arts student: one of the best colleges in terms of reputation and supervisors, produces many starred firsts
- Some of the friendliset porters you will ever meet
- Accomodation for all 3 years (plus another 3 years if a clinical medical student)
- Has travel grants and book grants ever year for students
- Has research grants for summer work for students
- Prof. Ken Smith (Prof of Medicine at Addenbrooke's hospital) is a fantastic contact to have as a clinical medic (he is your Director of Studies)
- Can play croquet on green (during summer term)
- Very quiet during exam term, which is a bonus for concentration!
- seems to attract an especially laid-back, unpretentious bunch of people
- strong academic performance (5th in 2011), without being a massive hot-house. You are still encouraged to do other things.
- Pembroke Players (the drama soc) has one of the best reputations for student theatre
- few tourists, slightly off the beaten track even though v central - tranquil atmosphere
Cons
- Some accommodation is not central (e.g. on Barton road)
- Overzealous bedders
- Supervisors are very VERY keen, will keep you on your toes
- Some rooms are rather old
- unlikely to be on main site in second year
Pros
- Has a proper tiered theatre
- Looks really pretty
- Small so tutorials likely to be shared with fewer people
- Close to sciences and engineering departments
- Far enough away from the centre not to be bothered by tourists
- Great Deer Park that you can walk on
- Excellent accommodation
Cons
- Smallest college at 75-80 a year so might not be for everyone
- William Stone Building is a horrible-looking 60's accommodation tower
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
- Cripps building is ugly
- Some accommodation is shared sets of rooms - one person has to walk through the other person's room to get to theirs.
Pros
- Modern, comfortable building with plenty of heating and guaranteed accommodation for all 3 years on site.
- In the main college block there's a maximum of 3 people per bathroom, although almost all rooms have 2 or fewer per bathroom and many rooms are en-suite (more toilets per undergraduate than any other college).
- Relaxed atmosphere (you can walk on the grass!) and the gardens are extremely nice in summer.
- Pleasant, quiet location in nice surroundings well away from the tourists.
- Nearest college to the University Library.
- Close to the university astroturf (hockey) and athletics track, as well at the university rugby pitch. Free-to-use squash courts literally 1 minute's walk from the porter's lodge.
- Lots of socialising between years, which doesn't happen at all colleges.
- Excellent canteen and formal food.
- Cool porters.
- 60 inch television (with free access to consoles through the Video Game Society) and incredibly comfortable beanbags in the JCR.
- Jelly Society.
- Free films in the Auditorium every Sunday.
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.
- Because of the modern facilities and college's skintness, rents are expensive.
- No cash machines or shops nearby.
Pros
- Second-year accommodation is really good: big, modern rooms in flats of 4 or 5 with proper kitchens (ovens etc) rather than college gyp rooms, plus it is up by the Sidgwick Site so very useful if you study Law, English, History, Economics, Philosophy, Music or Languages and don't like getting up too early in the morning
- Excellent hockey teams - only college with its own astroturf
- First Fairtrade college in Cambridge
- Main college site is very central and convenient for everything in town
- Good value bar
- I am going there
Cons
- Food in hall not great - and the hall itself is pine-panelled, not as impressive as those in many of the older colleges
- small - not much to the grounds and not many students.
- You are going there
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.
- college-owned punts
- generally good facilities and standards of rooms (it's rich...)
- free laundry!
Cons
- All the students say "I'd rather be at Oxford than St John's"
- People immediately assume that you're a rich twat if you're at St John's
Pros
- Next door to the Sidgwick Site (where most of the Arts faculties are)
- Really pretty gardens
- Has the Snowball rather than a May Ball
- Closer than many colleges to the Computer Lab
Cons
Pros
- Opposite Sainsbury's - this is amazing!
- Lovely big gardens in which you are allowed to sit on the grass.
- Very friendly atmosphere.
- The Fellows are very helpful and supportive
- Very beautiful buildings
- The Porters are very kind and helpful
- The college bar is student run and is therefore one of the cheapest in Cambridge
Cons
Pros
- Rich college
- Amazing academic reputation (top of the Tompkins Table for 2009, lots of nobel prize winners)
- One of the biggest May Balls
- the largest college in terms of undergrads so it's not claustrophobic
Cons
- The largest college in terms of undergrads, so you don't get to know and gel with everyone as easily.
- Lots of tourists around, especially in the summer
- The bar doesn't have a great atmosphere
- Hall food is not fantastic, but it is cheap
Pros
- One of the Smaller, Prettiest Colleges
- Great Location in the City Centre and on the river
- Relatively Rich, so good financial support.
- One of the best mixes (male / female, state / private)
- Close Community
- Great Library overlooking the river
Cons
- Some accommodation is further out, but is very modern.
- Some people find it claustrophobic as everyone knows everyone very well.
Wolfson College (mature students, undergraduates and graduates)
Pros
- Out of the centre, away from tourists.
- They put on really good comedy nights called "Wolfson Howlers"
Cons
- Far from centre, quite inconvenient
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