The Student Room Group

Balliol College - Left wing?

Hi, I'm considering applying to oxford, and really like balliol college (and it comes highly reccomended from people who have gone there). The only problem is: its fairly renowned for being left wing, I don't want to start a political debate here, but I would certainly class myself a conservative and have had moderate involvement with the party - would this predjudice my application? More importantly perhaps, even if it didn't would it make it dificult to fit in? If anyone here knew how seriously balliol students take their politics that would be really useful.

Thanks! :smile:
Reply 1
SmurfGod
Hi, I'm considering applying to oxford, and really like balliol college (and it comes highly reccomended from people who have gone there). The only problem is: its fairly renowned for being left wing, I don't want to start a political debate here, but I would certainly class myself a conservative and have had moderate involvement with the party - would this predjudice my application? More importantly perhaps, even if it didn't would it make it dificult to fit in? If anyone here knew how seriously balliol students take their politics that would be really useful.

Thanks! :smile:


Balliol is more left leaning than most other colleges without cultivating the sham 'right on' image of Wadham. The politics bit applies mainly to people in the humanities type subjects im my experience. Generalising, I'd say that Balliol attracts students who are probably a bit less keen on formality and tradition than at many other colleges. There is also quite a strong strand of internationalism.

Your politics will not prejudice your application in any way and I don't think you would find your dubious views a problem if you got in! There are plenty of people interested seriously in politics but not necessarily active in terms of political parties. At worst you would find less people of the same poltics than you would at say Oriel or Christ Church. Unless you label youself by your politics, people will treat you as an individual.

Best thing to do is visit and talk to students. I'd guess that it would put your mind at rest but there are many more c/Conservative colleges than Balliol.
Reply 2
Boris Johnson went to Balliol. Says it all really.
Reply 3
Thanks, thats what I thought was just a bit worried by the stereotype of balliol, thought it was worth asking in case they out all tories and burn
them at the stake of progressive socialism.. :smile: The international thing sounds good I hadn't heard that, lived in asia for years and would like to work abroad so thats another plus!

(btw, 'dubious' is definitely the most generous thing i've heard anyone on this forum say about the conservatives so far :smile: , long way to go it seems...)

Boris Johnson is quality! (in a bumbling, 'he's not seriously an MP!?' way)
Reply 4
Balliol has this diverse population of students which make any background acceptable i would think. Yes it is triditionally left, and there are people who are enthusiastic about some marxism, not all..

As a result, it is extremely friendly, n not many public schoolers, some , but not many..
My offer from balliol is to read PPE. Most the people I meet who were applying for the same course weren't really lefty...

it just gave the college a rather more relaxed less formal attitude, which i found attractive...
Reply 5
I have a friend who's a first year at Balliol, and she was telling me about this one guy at college. Apparently when he introduced himself, he said "I'm Dan, and I'm extremely interested in right-wing politics"

Anyway, she said they do make fun of him, but because he's a bit of a weirdo, not because of his right wing beliefs.

I don't think your political viewpoints will prevent you from getting in, and there are enough people there who just aren't interested in politics for you to feel right at home.
Reply 6
Balliol was the first college in Oxford to have a right-wing common room president, so these things change. I suppose applying for maths I don't really care about that sort of thing anyway.
SmurfGod
Hi, I'm considering applying to oxford, and really like balliol college (and it comes highly reccomended from people who have gone there). The only problem is: its fairly renowned for being left wing, I don't want to start a political debate here, but I would certainly class myself a conservative and have had moderate involvement with the party - would this predjudice my application? More importantly perhaps, even if it didn't would it make it dificult to fit in? If anyone here knew how seriously balliol students take their politics that would be really useful.

Thanks! :smile:


Though i don't know much about it, I doubt that the general political climate of a college will be so overt as to inconvenience anyone. I think it is on a much more abstract level than that.