Oxford college groups

Right, for most Arts subjects the Oxford colleges seperate themselves into 3 different groups, so that your second and third preference colleges will alwauys come from the same group as your first preference college.

Group 1: Brasenose, Christ Church, Jesus, Lincoln, Magdalen, Mansfield, Merton, Oriel, St Hilda's and Somerville.

Group 2: Balliol, Exeter, Keble, Pembroke, St Anne's, St Edmund Hall, St John's, St Peter's and Wadham.

Group 3: Corpus Christi, Harris Manchester, Hertford, Lady Margaret Hall, New College, queen's, St Catherine's, St Hugh's, Trinity, University and Worcester.

Is it just me, or does Group 1 look like it'd be incredibly difficult to get into for Law? Or maybe all subjects? I don't know a great deal about the different colleges prestige and difficulty to get in, but it does seem that Group 1 is packed with a disproportionate amount of the best colleges.

Reply 1

RxB

1

Amazing

Right, for most Arts subjects the Oxford colleges seperate themselves into 3 different groups, so that your second and third preference colleges will alwauys come from the same group as your first preference college.

It's not most arts subjects, just English, History, Law and PPE.

Group 1 has some colleges that usually don't have that many applicants (Mansfield, Somerville, St. Hilda's) and colleges like Christ Church don't have that high an applicant :tongue:

lace ratio as they're massive.

None of the groups is easy to get into..

Reply 2

hildabeast

7

I applied for an arts subject and my first choice was in group one, my second in group two, and my third in group three. So that doesn't really work.

Reply 3

Tek

7

hildabeast

I applied for an arts subject and my first choice was in group one, my second in group two, and my third in group three. So that doesn't really work.

Your subject doesn't come under RxB's list though does it?

Reply 4

scanner

RxB

It's not most arts subjects, just English, History, Law and PPE.

Group 1 has some colleges that usually don't have that many applicants (Mansfield, Somerville, St. Hilda's) and colleges like Christ Church don't have that high an applicant :tongue:

lace ratio as they're massive.

None of the groups is easy to get into..

Oxford would help themselves if they explained the groups rather more clearly. Group 1 includes the two colleges that seem to be the most active 'passers on' - Magdalen and Merton. If they feel you are up to the standard but can't offer you a place they will try to give you an opportunity elsewhere.

Having said that the groups are not as rigid as they seem. You may get a second interview almost anywhere. This is particularly true of the joint subjects where often small numbers are involved and I've been told that in several of these the details of all candidates go to all colleges as part of the 'pooling' process that goes on.

Reply 5

kildare

8

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Oxford would help themselves if they explained the groups rather more clearly. Group 1 includes the two colleges that seem to be the most active 'passers on' - Magdalen and Merton. If they feel you are up to the standard but can't offer you a place they will try to give you an opportunity elsewhere.

Having said that the groups are not as rigid as they seem. You may get a second interview almost anywhere. This is particularly true of the joint subjects where often small numbers are involved and I've been told that in several of these the details of all candidates go to all colleges as part of the 'pooling' process that goes on.

When I had my second interview at Queen's (for History) the person before me had come from Merton and was then going directly to another interview at Teddy Hall...

Reply 6

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kildare

When I had my second interview at Queen's (for History) the person before me had come from Merton and was then going directly to another interview at Teddy Hall...

'History at Merton' is one of those well known combinations and people say that it attracts a particularly strong field. I'd imagine that people who just miss out there may well get places elsewhere because Merton may have more stronger candidates. It would be interesting to see referral figures published. Without these you don't get an accurate picture of the ratio of applications to offers.

Reply 7

emzie

that's not true!!!
for me (geography):

1st - Jesus (grp 1)
2nd - Keble (grp 2)
3rd - Brasenose (grp 1)

Reply 8

aliel

1

For me it was right; got into my first choice tho so wasn't interviewed elsewhere.

1) Pembroke
2) BAlliol
3) St. Peters

Reply 9

DaKewLesT

i had
1)balliol
2)pembroke ..!
3)keble

i applied for ppe...

so yeah all from the 2nd group...
clearly, this group system doesnt apply for all the courses...

and.. i believe groups and thAT much difference..

1st.. had Christ Magdlene, oriel... even jesus purhaps..
2nd.. st Johns, Balliol and other than pembroke, all others have approximately an average number of apps per place..
3rd.. Corpus , new , univ...

if there r any differences they are quite small... ! i am not perfectly sure about law though ... but overall it is as i said..

Reply 10

kildare

8

I was assigned Trinity and New (both from group 3) but ended up in Queen's (which is also from group 3, but errr yea:P )

Reply 11

Schmelen

hehe, I also though the group thing would be stuck to entirely. I was wrong. I applied to corpus, for a subject that the group system applied to, and was indeed allocated new and queen's as my other choices (all from the same group). one of the reasons i applied to corpus was because i thought i would be able to avoid my two 'no way' colleges, hildas and christ church (which were in different groups)... again, i was wrong! i got interviewed at corpus and then again at christ church (v. not in the same group) and got an offer at Christ Church, eek! as far as i can gather, the group system is for administrative purposes and seems to hold no realistic influence - i'd say subject connections with other colleges are far more important (as in my case, corpus and christ church share some ancient history tutors). on the other hand, perhaps the second and third choices are used more when there school is larger - mine is tiny.

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