Trinity or Caius?

Ellie4

Ok, so after going to the Cambridge open day yest I've narrowed it down to those two. Both have good points, but does anyone know more about them? Looking to study Land econ btw.

CAIUS!!!!!!!!!!!

I only say this cos i will hopefully be going there this year...so there may be some bias there! Lol!

I chose Caius cos i loved the place over any other college...and also cos i looked at the admissions stats.....hehe...

If i were you...choose the one you'd prefer to spend 3 years at...don't worry about much else...like teaching....cos teaching is done on a university level.

Its just about which environment you'd prefer to live in.

G

Reply 2

Ellie4

Ok, so after going to the Cambridge open day yest I've narrowed it down to those two. Both have good points, but does anyone know more about them? Looking to study Land econ btw.

Btw- I remembered.....apparently the food at Caius was once voted the worst in the Cambridge....but when i went there...i thought it was quite good actually.

First years live in Harvey Courts on the other side of the river...not the main college site in the centre of cambridge....and these are relatively modern courts.

You should check out their websites

G

Reply 3

Mentally Ill

Ellie4

Ok, so after going to the Cambridge open day yest I've narrowed it down to those two. Both have good points, but does anyone know more about them? Looking to study Land econ btw.

Caius do well on University Challenge - if you like that sort of thing

Reply 4

jolity

yeah their in the final against magdalene, oxford

Reply 5

OP

Lol, I can't see myself basing this decision on their performance in Univeristy Challenge, but thanks for the advice all the same! I'm swayed more towards Trinity at the moment, just because I want a really big college but the gate thing at Caius sounds cute! Heh!

Reply 6

Ah, they did better than Jesus against London Metropolitan then? hehe.

Ellie, what would you like to know about the colleges? Most people on here can tell you objective facts about both the colleges or about the way they're viewed, if any of that helps you.

gzftan made a good point about accommodation: Caius first years live a fair way from college, although it's handily close to the Sidgewick site (place for arts/economics lectures). I happen to know that they have to pay for about £40 of hall meals up front though, meaning that even though they live a long way away from their Hall they have to use it until their meal tickets are spent, or they'll have effectively poured money down the drain - that seems a bit of a pain. Trinity first years live on-site in a modern monstrosity of a building called Wolfson Court; the rooms are pretty big though (and a fair few are ensuite).

If you're at Trinity you get coddled because the college is so rich: you can take out books on loan for the whole year rather than buy them, the food is very nice and reasonably priced and they'll give you money for just about anything you can dream of, especially if it's to do with travel or music. But their college scarf is minging. (Well I had to find something!)

Don't know too much about Caius, except that the people I know there are nice. Oh, and they have a funny traditional race for their economists at the start of the year... don't know if land economists are included in that! (And no, I'm not saying any more - wouldn't want to spoil the surprise for anyone headed there.)

What else? Both Caius and Trinity have beautiful main sites and a few well-known fellows - if you're at Caius you'll see Stephen Hawking quite a lot (which I think is quite cool, sad though I am) and Trinity have the Astronomer Royal for their Master, amongst others. I assume you'll have visited them both, from what you said... I'd suggest you see if you can visit both during term-time as well and just go with the one that feels most right. Can you see yourself living there? That's the really important thing.

Reply 7

OP

Thanks for your reply; it was really helpful :smile:

I did visit them both, but as it wasn't the individual college open days, I didn't get to see the accomodation or talk to any students there (my guide was from Jesus). The only big concern I have with Trinity is that it's apparantly harder to get into than some of the other colleges because it's so popular (might be a concern considering there will only be 1 or 2 places there for land econ). I do know this much though, of all the colleges I've seen, both Oxford and Cambridge, Trinity is the one that felt most like home!

Reply 8

Ellie4

Thanks for your reply; it was really helpful :smile:

I did visit them both, but as it wasn't the individual college open days, I didn't get to see the accomodation or talk to any students there (my guide was from Jesus). The only big concern I have with Trinity is that it's apparantly harder to get into than some of the other colleges because it's so popular (might be a concern considering there will only be 1 or 2 places there for land econ). I do know this much though, of all the colleges I've seen, both Oxford and Cambridge, Trinity is the one that felt most like home!

OK, in that case I'd definitely recommend you go there during term-time - maybe at half-term this summer (think that's before we break up, lol) or perhaps if you can spare a day during study-leave (if that starts earlier). the atmosphere of the colleges in the holidays is very different to that during term-time - going during the term I suspect will seal it for you, if you're already headed in that direction :smile:

I know there are people who suggest you play the numbers game, but I would go for the one that feels like home, I really would - it's three years of your life after all. If it feels right, go for it, even if it is Trinity. If you're good and there aren't enough places, they'll pool you. If you're good enough you'll get in :smile:

Reply 9

OP

Guess I'll just have to go for it then! Give me 9 months, I'll let you know how it all goes! :biggrin:

Reply 10

I'm sure I'll still be here, please do :smile:

Reply 11

Ellie4

Lol, I can't see myself basing this decision on their performance in Univeristy Challenge, but thanks for the advice all the same! I'm swayed more towards Trinity at the moment, just because I want a really big college but the gate thing at Caius sounds cute! Heh!

Trinity is the largest college at Cambridge...but i'm pretty sure..correct me if i'm wrong..that Caius is something like the 3rd largest??? So there isn't that much difference between the two i think....Caius admits something like 160 undergraduates every year...so quite a fair few!!

G

Reply 12

MyNameIsNeo

Go to Trinity. I am at Trinity!

Reply 13

Alaric

10

MadNatSci

I happen to know that they have to pay for about £40 of hall meals up front though, meaning that even though they live a long way away from their Hall they have to use it until their meal tickets are spent, or they'll have effectively poured money down the drain - that seems a bit of a pain.

Is it only 40? thought it was more than that, you have to buy guest meal tickets etc too, which encourages inter-college socialising, but could be a total waste of money. Someone I know at caius bemoans the vegetarian selection, considering the buttery in my college (that I regard as terrible) as much much better, and I just feel their entire meal system is archaic. Last time I went to formal I was served chicken kiev (like from a ready made frozen thing) which everyone else thought wasn't very good, but I happen to like it as I like frozen kievs and it was a novel thing I can't cook for myself in cam. I wasn't impressed at all with the minging camembert and grapefruit starter or with them neglecting to serve me dessert at all. They do have formal every day, where you just need your gown to attend and not formal attire ut it must be the quickest in cambridge at about half an hour.
Harvey court is known as 'the prison', but it has internet connections and isn't too badly located. Second years tend to live down in the gresham road area by the uni gym which is, frankly, the other side of the world. The rooms there seem to be quite nice though. They don't have pigeon holes down in gresham road area, so they have to go all the way back up to the old bit to get mail etc. They also don't have any formal booking system, so you can arrive and be turned away with no food because they're full, although this is apparently rare.
One further thing to note, is that Caius isn't renewing the lease on a very popular city centre fast food establishment that serves me chip buttys with houmous late at night. That means they'll be closing next december and although nobody blames the students, you may still get ribbed a bit about having such a nasty bursar, or something.

Basically, I'd go with Trinity I think, mainly just because of the meal thing. I get annoyed enough at paying the KFC given I never use the buttery :frown:

, it's not nice enough food, too expensive in comparison to what I can cook and 8 minutes walk at full speed to get there.

Trinity's hall was pretty reasonable when I went, their burrell's field accommodation looks good and is modern. They are also totally minted and on the river. As an example of their wealth, on the Queens' road they have a huge ostentatious gate into their burrell's field bit with a security entry system and electric automatic gate - but the security and size is just for show - two metres to the side the fence reverts to being just over a metre high and easily jumpable.

Alaric.

Reply 14

OP

The only thing about Trinity is the isolation aspect, I suppose with such a big college it's harder to feel part of a tight-knit community. But then, I think I might feel a bit suffocated if it was too cosy! I've heard some people saying they applied to 4 colleges, how does the application process work exactly?

Reply 15

Ellie4

The only thing about Trinity is the isolation aspect, I suppose with such a big college it's harder to feel part of a tight-knit community. But then, I think I might feel a bit suffocated if it was too cosy! I've heard some people saying they applied to 4 colleges, how does the application process work exactly?

You can only apply to one I'm afraid - you can only apply to more than one college if you're a choral scholar or an organ scholar. (If you're applying to Oxford you apply to more than one too, but we don't talk about that.) Basically you apply to your chosen college and if they don't have enough space, but think you're Cambridge standard, they 'pool' you: all the other colleges can have the chance to give you an offer. Sometimes if you're pooled you get another interview, sometimes you're just plucked straight out (although I think this is rarer).

I think with Trinity you can find your own niche: my friend there doesn't know nearly everyone in his year, but he has his own close-knit group of friends anyway so he's as happy as pie. Also I guess you don't have the problem that you get in a small college, where everyone knows all the gossip about everyone within a day of it happening... :rolleyes:

Alaric - I don't really know about the £40, I just sort of plucked it out of the air because that was around the figure Sidney were suggesting (we rebelled! hah!). Can't remember the figure I was told... if anyone wants an exact number I can find out though :smile:

Reply 16

MyNameIsNeo

It is also important to remember that social life does not need to be centred around your college. I met most of my close friends through the sport clubs and other activities that I do.

Anyway, Trinity is rich and that is sufficient justification for choosing it.

Reply 17