Merton or Magdalen, Oxford

Right, I have narrowed the choice of colleges between Merton and Magdalen for law. I need a little more help! If there are any Merton or Magdalen Lawyers out there, why did you choose your college and why is it better than the other? What is the Oxford Law Course like?

i have a friend doing law at magdalen

Right, I have narrowed the choice of colleges between Merton and Magdalen for law. I need a little more help! If there are any Merton or Magdalen Lawyers out there, why did you choose your college and why is it better than the other? What is the Oxford Law Course like?

Both have very distinctive cultures and aren't that similar.

Please explain. What is the difference?

well they are both academic colleges, not too sure about any other comparisons to make.

I think those of us from other colleges would generally consider Merton to be more academic than Magdalen. Merton's regular slot at the top of the Norington table seems to mean that it attracts those who feel they are strong candidates and those who are comfortable with the competition to get in. Anecdotally it seems that even if the numbes don't look high, the quality of applicants means that it is particularly competitive. Tagzt, is this fair?

Maglalen has a reputation for being one of the posher colleges, being particularly popular with the wealthier public school set. Not wholly a myth.

yeh thats a fair comment, merton may not have the highest number of apps per place but the people who do apply will be of very high calibre. however the same is true of magdalen, it usually has by far the highest number of people applying for law...although someone told me that is usually because a lot of public schooled candidates who are not actually that good apply hoping the "old boys network" still exists. however it does not, i the second year at magdalen i think something like 10/11 of the 13 studying law are from state school (thats a rough number, i cant remember the exact numbers but its very much state school dominated for law at least)

Right, I have narrowed the choice of colleges between Merton and Magdalen for law. I need a little more help! If there are any Merton or Magdalen Lawyers out there, why did you choose your college and why is it better than the other? What is the Oxford Law Course like?

I come from a private 'public' school but i was wondering if the universities actually ask the income in your household? If they do I think that is extremely prejudice and unfair to those who have not been as priveliged to be educated in a public school (however there are many state schools that are better than state schools).

merton does not have any bias against state/public school...our tutors genuinely did not know what type of school we went to until we had our meetings with them and it came up in conversation...they are looking for your academic potential not your income! just give it your best shot, both the colleges u have picked r excellent so just go for it.

I come from a private 'public' school but i was wondering if the universities actually ask the income in your household? If they do I think that is extremely prejudice and unfair to those who have not been as priveliged to be educated in a public school (however there are many state schools that are better than state schools).

What would Merton be like for Maths (purely theoretically speaking)..... i'm not going to apply there, but was considering it....... I know two people there who are doing PhDs in Chemistry and sum form of Medicine respectively, and they say it's the best college all round anyway (i don't know of any other colleges, havent really been to them either)

I think those of us from other colleges would generally consider Merton to be more academic than Magdalen. Merton's regular slot at the top of the Norington table seems to mean that it attracts those who feel they are strong candidates and those who are comfortable with the competition to get in. Anecdotally it seems that even if the numbes don't look high, the quality of applicants means that it is particularly competitive. Tagzt, is this fair?

I live near oxford and go there quite often. I have a friend at merton, and from what i can tell its one of the best, most open and friendly colleges with a brilliant mix of people. Magdalen (or however you spell it) is rather stuck up in general (im sure not all). They stand on street corners and choir sing, and one of my etachers went there for an interview and said it was terrible. he ended up at queens.