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Brasenose for PPE

I was informing my careers adviser about my college choice this morning which was (until that point) Brasenose (for PPE). However, I was discouraged from applying as I was told that it was "possibly the hardest college to get into for PPE" and that it would decrease my chances applying there etc.
That really suprised me as I had thought that 3.8 ppl/place was rather average compared to colleges like Magdalen or Balliol.
How can someone say that a college is difficult to get into if it has an average ratio? Just hear-say? Or does Brasenose actually have such reputation? :confused:

Reply 1

H&E

3

That's very strange. Balliol has a huge rep for being by the toughest for PPE (though whether that's borne out through results is questionable). Magdalen also has a strong rep. Never heard of Brasenose having one though...

Reply 2

oxymoron

7

gioia

I was informing my careers adviser about my college choice this morning which was (until that point) Brasenose (for PPE). However, I was discouraged from applying as I was told that it was "possibly the hardest college to get into for PPE" and that it would decrease my chances applying there etc.
That really suprised me as I had thought that 3.8 ppl/place was rather average compared to colleges like Magdalen or Balliol.
How can someone say that a college is difficult to get into if it has an average ratio? Just hear-say? Or does Brasenose actually have such reputation? :confused:

It really starts to annoy me when careers advisors do this - scare people about applying to certain colleges because they think it's "difficult to get in".
College choice is quickly becoming less important in deciding whether or not you get in to the university due to the good pooling system during interviews where candidates are passed round other colleges if they are good enough for the university but the college has too many applicants.
I'm afraid I don't know anything specific for PPE so can't comment on that, but my advice is that you should apply where you want to based on the college and not on your (usually fictitious) chances of getting in. Often this sort of advice is based on anecdotal evidence from years ago when things were very different.

Certainly for some science subjects college choice is becoming *completely* irrelevant in determining whether you get a place as the whole admissions process is becoming centralised.

Reply 3

H&E

3

At my school there were two university advisors with very different attitudes to this. The first let people apply wherever they liked. We had three unspectacular candidates going for Christ's, Trinity and Emma, probably the toughest Cambridge colleges. Not one got in, but all of them got pool offers and they're all now at Cambridge.

The other was constantly stressing people about difficult colleges and even difficult courses. It got to the point where one year no-one applied for a certain fairly popular course because he'd scared everyone away! And virtually all the unspectacular candidates who applied to supposedly 'easy' colleges still didn't get in.

Reply 4

gioia

OP

What really annoys me is that the Brasenose PPE thing seems to be quite unfounded. Therer seems to be no statistical evidence that supports this view. I mean surely a ratio of 3.8ppl/place is not that intimidating, nor is Brasenose's position in the Norrington table or the number of PPE firsts last year!? :frown:

Also I was advised to apply to a more "humane" college like "pembroke or LMH"...what a weird point to make. I know quite a lot ppl at Brasenose everyone seemed ok, even the Economics tutor I've talked to seemed really nice.
I know that ultimately I can apply to the college of MY preference - it just seems dubious for a teacher to make such comments - especially because surely an IB diploma with 45 points is not a weak position from which to apply? :confused:

Reply 5

oxymoron

7

gioia

What really annoys me is that the Brasenose PPE thing seems to be quite unfounded. Therer seems to be no statistical evidence that supports this view. I mean surely a ratio of 3.8ppl/place is not that intimidating, nor is Brasenose's position in the Norrington table or the number of PPE firsts last year!? :frown:

Also I was advised to apply to a more "humane" college like "pembroke or LMH"...what a weird point to make. I know quite a lot ppl at Brasenose everyone seemed ok, even the Economics tutor I've talked to seemed really nice.
I know that ultimately I can apply to the college of MY preference - it just seems dubious for a teacher to make such comments - especially because surely an IB diploma with 45 points is not a weak position from which to apply? :confused:

Absolutely ... very strange comment indeed. I know several people at Brasenose who are all relatively normal and also happy with the college. There's nothing wrong with the college, it's not known as being any more academic than other colleges and I have no idea why this teacher would class LMH or pembroke as being more humane. :confused:

As you say, you're in a good position to be applying from, go with the college you like the feel of - ie Brasenose.
It might be worth having another chat with this teacher to ask why they think it's particularly tough to get into - you don't want to offend them by going against their advice, especially if they will write your reference, but on the other hand - remember it is your choice and they are supposed to help you and not hinder you!

Reply 6

H&E

3

If you have 45 points at IB there's no reason for you to apply anywhere else than where you want to. Certainly not for such a daft reason as your teacher wrongly claiming the college is too tough!

Reply 7

gioia

OP

Thanks for the encouragement! :smile:

btw the teacher didn't actually go to Oxford himself :wink:

Reply 8

RxB

1

Brasenose PPEists think they're the PPE college. Seriously. (They also got 5 out of 10 distinctions in Prelims) They do seem to do loads of work though, which might put you off.

Reply 9

gioia

OP

RxB

Brasenose PPEists think they're the PPE college. Seriously. (They also got 5 out of 10 distinctions in Prelims) They do seem to do loads of work though, which might put you off.

What do you think about Hertford or New instead?

Reply 10

easops

RxB: What is your college if I might ask? I want to apply for Univ (PPE) and since I won't be able to visit, I'd appreciate any comment on the college!!

Reply 11

gioia

OP

easops

RxB: What is your college if I might ask? I want to apply for Univ (PPE) and since I won't be able to visit, I'd appreciate any comment on the college!!

A friend of mine will be reading PPE at Univ. He told me that the interviews mostly concentrated on articles given to them during or prior to the interview and not so much on current affairs.
I did an IB revision course in Oxford and stayed at Univ for 2 weeks. I thought the location was great and my room was very nice (but then - some people had tiny rooms) Food was not great but I thought that showers were very clean compared to other colleges I've visited. Generally Univ PPEists are doing very well I think but also seem to work quite hard.

Reply 12

RxB

1

I'm at Hertford, which I'd recommend. I don't know what New's like particularly. It's probably best to ask Drogue about Univ PPE, as he does E&M there.

Reply 13

gioia

OP

Isn't there a German politics tutor at Hertford? :smile:

(I'm from Germany)

Reply 14

easops

gioia: where exactly are you from? i'm from austria as you can see from my sig... cool meeting other "foreign" applicants here :smile:

Reply 15

kitsune

12

I'm foreigner as well :biggrin:

but applying to Engineering :p:

Reply 16

Queen_A

10

RxB

I'm at Hertford, which I'd recommend. I don't know what New's like particularly. It's probably best to ask Drogue about Univ PPE, as he does E&M there.

I went to Ox on Tuesday, and I must say Hertford is beautiful. Do you find that the size of the college leads to it having a reputation of being 'gossipy'? I'm applying for PPE, and am trying to avoid Magdalen, although I love it very much.
I was actually told that Christ Church was just as impossible as Magdalen for PPE (which is annoying as it's currently my second choice), would anybody know why this is? I have a feeling it may be Potter-related (Magdalen receives many applications due to the deer who one rarely sees - although I have only be there twice, and am hardly an expert), so any small reason seems to have a large impact upon applications.

Reply 17

kitsune

12

Queen_A

I went to Ox on Tuesday, and I must say Hertford is beautiful. Do you find that the size of the college leads to it having a reputation of being 'gossipy'? I'm applying for PPE, and am trying to avoid Magdalen, although I love it very much.
I was actually told that Christ Church was just as impossible as Magdalen for PPE (which is annoying as it's currently my second choice), would anybody know why this is? I have a feeling it may be Potter-related (Magdalen receives many applications due to the deer who one rarely sees - although I have only be there twice, and am hardly an expert), so any small reason seems to have a large impact upon applications.