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Reply 1
1
I have never met an undergraduate from Merton. There are only three colleges I haven't met any undergraduates from: Merton, Harris Manchester and New. Read into this what you want.
(But the lectures thing's irrelevant, as they're university-wide)
(But the lectures thing's irrelevant, as they're university-wide)
Reply 2
I'm led to believe they work hard and think less of those that don't (but this is a sweeping generalisation)! Good college though.
Reply 3
Well it's certainly stressful. I was tute partners with someone there who told me about a months out of exams she was "totally stressed out" and that "At Merton, if you don't get a distinction for history, you're no-one"!
Reply 4
I'm definitely gonna apply there.I went there last open day,it's such a stunning college. But one thing I am also concerned about is the workloads.Having heard from everybody I spoke to,Merton students are workaholic people.Is that true.Can anyone tell me?
Reply 5
16
i applied there for 05 entry (unsuccessful). it's a really fantastic college, relatively small with a friendly atmosphere. the people i met there didn't seem at all like workaholics, just interested in their subjects, which i guess would lead them to work considerably hard anyway.
i don't think workloads can be something to be concerned about if you want to apply to oxford. i can't say whether certain colleges would involve more work than others, but i'm sure that nowhere allows for much dossing.
i don't think workloads can be something to be concerned about if you want to apply to oxford. i can't say whether certain colleges would involve more work than others, but i'm sure that nowhere allows for much dossing.
Reply 6
at merton, the bops are timed at precisely two hours (all clocks are accurate, visible and synchronised), spaced so candidates are accurately distanced at 1.25m long, and heavily invigilated to ensure no conferral.
...oh, and there are NO calculators.
...oh, and there are NO calculators.
Reply 7
I had an interview at Merton for law last December and was unsuccessful 
. My team even won the bar quiz and so obviously I should have got in. I was down there for a whole week as well - what a waste of time! The college is pretty small and most people were really friendly and nice. There were however some real weirdos there, too. You had candidates who were so obsessed with the place they went to one of the many shops and bought Merton scarves and other Merton clothing - how sad. It was also distressing that so many people couldn't play pool, or never had! The bar is nice but I heard that it's empty during term time (workaholics, perhaps) and the JCR and TV room are good. The Hall is great (they like courgettes for some reason) and the chapel is stunning. There's also some strange tradition involving walking around backwards drinking port - bizarre!
It came top of the college tables last year (and this year?) and so it's evident that the competition is stiff. Only half of the people were interviewed for law this year (damned LNAT!) and even then they could only offer a place to one in three of us. My friend got in for History and French but both of us thought we hadn't got in. If you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to ask.
Oh, and by the way, in case you don’t know: you live in college in the first and third years I think. In the second you stay in the houses in Merton Street or Holywell Street. I stayed in Holywell Street for my interview and that too was really nice – we drank the wine in their fridge.
. My team even won the bar quiz and so obviously I should have got in. I was down there for a whole week as well - what a waste of time! The college is pretty small and most people were really friendly and nice. There were however some real weirdos there, too. You had candidates who were so obsessed with the place they went to one of the many shops and bought Merton scarves and other Merton clothing - how sad. It was also distressing that so many people couldn't play pool, or never had! The bar is nice but I heard that it's empty during term time (workaholics, perhaps) and the JCR and TV room are good. The Hall is great (they like courgettes for some reason) and the chapel is stunning. There's also some strange tradition involving walking around backwards drinking port - bizarre!It came top of the college tables last year (and this year?) and so it's evident that the competition is stiff. Only half of the people were interviewed for law this year (damned LNAT!) and even then they could only offer a place to one in three of us. My friend got in for History and French but both of us thought we hadn't got in. If you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to ask.
Oh, and by the way, in case you don’t know: you live in college in the first and third years I think. In the second you stay in the houses in Merton Street or Holywell Street. I stayed in Holywell Street for my interview and that too was really nice – we drank the wine in their fridge.
Reply 8
16
i think it's 2nd in this year's norrington table. it was 1st for the previous three years running.
Reply 9
ryan342
My team even won the bar quiz and so obviously I should have got in.
Was that the quiz where someone was asked what pi equalled and someone had it on their T-Shirt?!
Reply 10
I've been to Merton quite a lot and have a few friends there. They have great facilities, a really nice bar and the people were really friendly. They do have a lot of pressure on them work-wise and so you expect them to be hard-working but these people do know how to party =P I love their bops! Ooh but there isn't usually much gossip so people holding hands is simply SCANDALOUS.
Reply 11
Fiona87
Was that the quiz where someone was asked what pi equalled and someone had it on their T-Shirt?!
Not exactly but I wouldn't have been surprised if anybody had that on their T-shirt. One of the rounds was the 'Merton' round and every answer included the word 'Merton' (e.g. what borough of London in Wimbledon in?) or part of it (e.g. 'me' or 'rton' etc.). It was pretty straight forward but some didn't get it at all! The JCR people thought they were very clever though when they had a round where you had to guess which of them had been out with somebody from Harry Potter or Fidel Castro’s granddaughter - again, quite strange.
Reply 12
It sounds really great.Now the problem for me is how to get into. 
Reply 13
robrob
It sounds really great.Now the problem for me is how to get into.
Well, good luck! What course are you looking at?
Reply 14
ryan342
Well, good luck! What course are you looking at?
I'm applying for biochemistry course there.Though not as competitive as the others,still I think it seems dificult to get in.
Reply 15
14
robrob
I'm applying for biochemistry course there.Though not as competitive as the others,still I think it seems dificult to get in.
If you need any advice with biochemistry applications then speak to Oxymoron (he's away performing in Edinburgh for 3wks at the moment) or Hellsbells who have both just finished their first year at Oxford. Neither of them go to Merton though (Lincoln and Hertford respectively)
Reply 16
15
Fiona87
Was that the quiz where someone was asked what pi equalled and someone had it on their T-Shirt?!
That must have been a big t-shirt
Or do you just mean they were a messy eater?
Reply 17
RichE
That must have been a big t-shirt
Or do you just mean they were a messy eater?
Or do you just mean they were a messy eater?
i really hope the latter.
Reply 18
I don't think that the guy with pi on his t-shirt got in... I'm at Merton and although I'm not its biggest fan, the grounds are beautiful, we're rich, the food is YUM and cheap, the bar is bargainous, there are two free pool tables and the accomodation is pretty much luxury on the Oxford scale. Its down sides (for me) are the Warden's obsession with topping the Norrington table and a very intense "work and only party if you have time" attitude! All in all though, a pretty good college.
Reply 19
11
srmcit
at merton, the bops are timed at precisely two hours (all clocks are accurate, visible and synchronised), spaced so candidates are accurately distanced at 1.25m long, and heavily invigilated to ensure no conferral.
...oh, and there are NO calculators.
...oh, and there are NO calculators.
What do you mean no calculators??
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