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Choosing your college

Is it important to consider the number of student in your course in the college you choose? Is it really awful to be in a college where there are only 4 or 5 students in your course?
Depends on the college size, though most do have under 15 per course.
Original post by shasingap
Is it important to consider the number of student in your course in the college you choose? Is it really awful to be in a college where there are only 4 or 5 students in your course?

It's entirely up to you. Some people prefer to be with many fellow students on a same course, some don't.
But if you're at a college with a larger population of students on the same course as yours, it may be more likely your college library has a better stock of books in your subject, though if they don't have a particular book you need, you can request them to get it for you.
And you'll have a department library and University Library, too, so your college library is not the only source. Also these days many books in University Library are digitally available (and their digital books are constantly increasing as we speak), how well your college library is stocked is probably less relevant for choosing a college.
Reply 3
Original post by hxfsxh
Depends on the college size, though most do have under 15 per course.


Oh ok, thanks a lot
Reply 4
Original post by vincrows
It's entirely up to you. Some people prefer to be with many fellow students on a same course, some don't.
But if you're at a college with a larger population of students on the same course as yours, it may be more likely your college library has a better stock of books in your subject, though if they don't have a particular book you need, you can request them to get it for you.
And you'll have a department library and University Library, too, so your college library is not the only source. Also these days many books in University Library are digitally available (and their digital books are constantly increasing as we speak), how well your college library is stocked is probably less relevant for choosing a college.


I'll take this into consideration! Thanks a lot for taking time and providing these detailed infos!
Original post by shasingap
I'll take this into consideration! Thanks a lot for taking time and providing these detailed infos!


You're most welcome.
The most important thing to know and remember is that virtually everyone at Cambridge loves their college and thinks theirs is the best, including the people who were pooled to the college from the one they chose originally. Many of them even say they're glad they were pooled, in many case even though it's a completely different from the original college in many aspects, including a size of fellow students. I've even met someone who chose a college because they had the largest number of students on her particular course but was pooled to a college where there were only two in the year on the same course, and still she said it was the best thing that happened to her.

Regarding the issue on college libraries, having many fellow students can also mean you'll be competing for one (or two if you're very lucky) book in the library with them especially in the first year when it's more likely you'll be on a same lecture with many of them and they need it at the same time as you. 'Well-stocked' doesn't mean they have same number of one book as the number of students. :wink:

So in short, don't spend too much time and effort on choosing 'the right college' or agonising over it. Whichever college you end up at will be your 'right college' and you'll love it. :smile:
(edited 6 years ago)
Reply 6
Original post by shasingap
Is it important to consider the number of student in your course in the college you choose? Is it really awful to be in a college where there are only 4 or 5 students in your course?


For some courses it's even fewer...

Screen Shot 2017-07-26 at 11.30.30.jpg

It's not really a major issue. :smile:

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