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Balliol College 2022 applicants

Hi everyone!

I couldn’t find a thread for Balliol College 2022 applicants so I thought I’d start one! Here’s some questions to get to know each other:

1. Why Balliol?
2. Which course have you applied to?
3. What are your predicted/achieved A-Level grades?
4. If you couldn’t go to Balliol, which college would you go to instead (if you had the choice)?

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Original post by louisecarter01
Hi everyone!

I couldn’t find a thread for Balliol College 2022 applicants so I thought I’d start one! Here’s some questions to get to know each other:

1. Why Balliol?
2. Which course have you applied to?
3. What are your predicted/achieved A-Level grades?
4. If you couldn’t go to Balliol, which college would you go to instead (if you had the choice)?

I may as well start!

1. It’s so beautiful and the tutors seemed to have similar research interests to me. The size is also ideal - not too big or too small. :smile:
2. History and English
3. A*A*A* (predicted)
4. Pembroke College! I looked at this one too and thought it was beautiful but the tutors had a bit less in common with me in terms of interests.
Hi! There doesn't seem to be too many of us here, but I'll go ahead.

1. Why Balliol? I love the college and the classics tutors are just wonderful. The history (Browning and Walter Pater and Gerald Manley Hopkins and Jowett and Derek Parfit!) is also absolutely fascinating.
2. Which course have you applied to? Classics
3. What are your predicted/achieved A-Level grades? I'm an international student, but I have achieved 11 5s on AP exams, one 4, and I'm taking 6 more exams this year.
4. If you couldn’t go to Balliol, which college would you go to instead (if you had the choice)? Magdalen. I almost applied for Classics and English there as the grounds are beautiful and one of the English tutors specializes in the Victorian period (my favorite by far), but after I decided I wanted to do pure classics Balliol seemed the best choice.
Original post by homoloquens
Hi! There doesn't seem to be too many of us here, but I'll go ahead.

1. Why Balliol? I love the college and the classics tutors are just wonderful. The history (Browning and Walter Pater and Gerald Manley Hopkins and Jowett and Derek Parfit!) is also absolutely fascinating.
2. Which course have you applied to? Classics
3. What are your predicted/achieved A-Level grades? I'm an international student, but I have achieved 11 5s on AP exams, one 4, and I'm taking 6 more exams this year.
4. If you couldn’t go to Balliol, which college would you go to instead (if you had the choice)? Magdalen. I almost applied for Classics and English there as the grounds are beautiful and one of the English tutors specializes in the Victorian period (my favorite by far), but after I decided I wanted to do pure classics Balliol seemed the best choice.

Oh I loved Magdalen but couldn’t really consider it as they didn’t actually offer joint History and English :frown:

I visited Balliol in the summer and I just fell in love with it :smile:
Original post by louisecarter01
Oh I loved Magdalen but couldn’t really consider it as they didn’t actually offer joint History and English :frown:

I visited Balliol in the summer and I just fell in love with it :smile:

I’ve never been to Balliol (or England, for that matter, though I’ve been elsewhere in Europe), so it’s nice to hear it’s as wonderful as the pictures and testimonials make it seem! Hopefully we’ll both get to meet there next fall :smile:
Original post by homoloquens
I’ve never been to Balliol (or England, for that matter, though I’ve been elsewhere in Europe), so it’s nice to hear it’s as wonderful as the pictures and testimonials make it seem! Hopefully we’ll both get to meet there next fall :smile:

Oh it’s definitely as nice as the pictures! :smile: Oxford in general is such a beautiful city - I’m sure you’d love it. I hope so - good luck to us both!! :smile:
Original post by homoloquens

1. Why Balliol? I love the college and the classics tutors are just wonderful. The history (Browning and Walter Pater and Gerald Manley Hopkins and Jowett and Derek Parfit!) is also absolutely fascinating.

Robert Browning and Walter Pater were not undergraduates at Balliol. Hope that does not change your opinion.
Original post by John Foley
Robert Browning and Walter Pater were not undergraduates at Balliol. Hope that does not change your opinion.

I am aware that they were not undergraduates :smile:. Pater, however, was affiliated with Balliol’s very strong literary tradition, which of course included Browning as well. I think it’s pretty implausible to limit a college’s history to its undergraduates.
1. Why Balliol?
Looked up, 'Best Oxford college for physics', found Balliol first. Later found out that Balliol is pretty much at the center of the city. That's pretty nice.

2. Which course have you applied to?
Physics - F303

3. What are your predicted/achieved A-Level grades?
A*A*A*A*A : Maths, Further-Maths, Chemistry, Biology, Physics. Ironically the A is for physics. (Achieved grades)

4. If you couldn’t go to Balliol, which college would you go to instead (if you had the choice)?

Any college is alright, but I am an international student and I've heard.. things about Christchurch and those other posh ones, so I guess any college other than them.
Original post by homoloquens
I am aware that they were not undergraduates :smile:. Pater, however, was affiliated with Balliol’s very strong literary tradition, which of course included Browning as well. I think it’s pretty implausible to limit a college’s history to its undergraduates.

Indeed, undergrads are part of a social nexus within the university and beyond. By the way, the play Into Battle, which closes, tonight gives another interesting fin de siècle perspective on Balliol.
Original post by louisecarter01
Hi everyone!

I couldn’t find a thread for Balliol College 2022 applicants so I thought I’d start one! Here’s some questions to get to know each other:

1. Why Balliol?
2. Which course have you applied to?
3. What are your predicted/achieved A-Level grades?
4. If you couldn’t go to Balliol, which college would you go to instead (if you had the choice)?

1. Balliol really stood out as a thriving intellectual environment based on what I read and saw online. The tutors for my course also seem great, and the location is ideal. There is also something remarkable about Balliol's past alumni and overall history.

2. Philosophy, Politics and Economics (L0V0)

3. I'm an International student doing the French Baccalaureate, so the grading system differs from the British one. My three specialty subjects though are Maths, Economics and Geopolitics, all predicted at A*.

4. Probably Merton College 😁 . The tutors and alumni all seem super nice there and the atmosphere, although very different to Balliol, is quite appealing.
Off I go haha!

1. The vibe of it genuinely just really appealed to me. That's genuinely the basis I used last year and it carried through.

2. PPE ! <3
3. A*AB achieved - turning the B into an A/A*
4. Not sure - I did minimal research into the colleges and I found Balliol pretty early. I liked the look of Univ and New though - and Worchester's outdoors space is amazing.
1. Why Balliol?
Balliol has a strong academic performance, central position, and inclusive vibe.

2. Which course have you applied to?
Physics (F303)

3. What are your predicted/achieved A-Level grades?
A*A*A achieved and A*A*A* predicted (including one subject that I have already got an A)

4. If you couldn’t go to Balliol, which college would you go to instead (if you had the choice)?
Merton. I struggled a lot while choosing between Balliol and Merton, as Merton is extremely academically outstanding as far as I know.
Original post by lcfrmrngstr
1. Why Balliol?
Looked up, 'Best Oxford college for physics', found Balliol first. Later found out that Balliol is pretty much at the center of the city. That's pretty nice.

2. Which course have you applied to?
Physics - F303

3. What are your predicted/achieved A-Level grades?
A*A*A*A*A : Maths, Further-Maths, Chemistry, Biology, Physics. Ironically the A is for physics. (Achieved grades)

4. If you couldn’t go to Balliol, which college would you go to instead (if you had the choice)?

Any college is alright, but I am an international student and I've heard.. things about Christchurch and those other posh ones, so I guess any college other than them.


Hah, we are applying to the same course, and I am also an international student. Good luck to you!
I’ve applied for E&M at Balliol
I visited in summer and thought it was so friendly and a good size. Also the tutors seem to have similar interests to me
Hi all! I just got an interview for Classics I at Balliol!
Original post by JoeZheng7
Hah, we are applying to the same course, and I am also an international student. Good luck to you!

Oh sorry mate, just say the reply right now. The best of luck to you too!
Original post by homoloquens
Hi all! I just got an interview for Classics I at Balliol!

Congrats, hope it goes well.
Original post by homoloquens
Hi all! I just got an interview for Classics I at Balliol!

Congratulations! :smile:
Has anyone heard back for History or English at Balliol? I haven't yet!

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