Mansfield College (Oxford) Students and Applicants

doivid

I was trying to sort out my finances today using this page on the Mansfield website
http://www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk/prospective/fees-and-finances.html

and I noticed that it gives food costs as:
Continental breakfast: £2.30
Cafeteria meals for cooked breakfast £3.43; lunch and supper: £3.89
Formal hall second sitting on Wednesdays and Fridays: £7.75
Special Formal Halls £12.90

Do these figures represent the actual price of food at the college, or are there some cheaper options? If someone was to have breakfast, lunch and dinner, using these figures they would spend £10.08 on food in one day. This is £70.56 in one week.

The website does state that there will be some food at affordable prices so can anyone tell me what they would expect a typical Mansfield student to spend on food in one week if they were to use the cafeteria?

Thanks,
Dave

Those aren't standard meal costs, there are four price brackets for mains (ranging from £1.86-£4.44) and potatoes and veg costing around 40p each. There's plenty of choice.

Also, word to the wise, no one eats breakfast in hall, except on Saturdays, when they have cooked breakfast.

Reply 122

Fandango

Andy the Anarchist

Those aren't standard meal costs, there are four price brackets for mains (ranging from £1.86-£4.44) and potatoes and veg costing around 40p each. There's plenty of choice.

Also, word to the wise, no one eats breakfast in hall, except on Saturdays, when they have cooked breakfast.

Should probably mention that you'll have access to full kitchen facilities in E block with fridges, freezers, cookers etc and a fridge in your room, so its quite common for people to make their own meals (especially breakfast) as a way to keep costs down.

you pay for meals from hall on your bod card, and you're billed the tab at the end of term, so its quite easy to rack up a pretty large sum.

also, just as some additional info, formal halls don't replace normal hall, its a second much fancier sitting (smart dress etc.) You also get 'formal formals' perhaps once or twice a term along with a fair few dinners for various things which are usually black tie.

These represent really good value for money (compare to say, going to a restaurant) and the food is pretty good. Also, 'formal swapping' is a cheap way to eat out. (you bring a friend from another college to a mansfield formal, then they return the favour by taking you to theirs.)

Reply 123

Andy the Anarchist

...

Fandango

...

Thanks for the advice. :smile:

Reply 124

josilaphina

Will be seeing you all in October! Am so relieved it is untrue! If there are any other english students starting in october I would love to chat!

Reply 125

I got in as well. :biggrin:

Reply 126

Fandango

doivid

I got in as well. :biggrin:

congratulations all who made their offers,

if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

p.s.

a few titbits of advice for coming up:

Don't make binding plans with your parents on the day (lunch reservations etc.) or if you do, be prepared to be flexible. College parents [who hopefully have got in contact already] should get you sorted, and usually you won't want your parents hanging around too long and stopping you getting to the Turf.

Bring an extension lead, or possibly 2. Especially in B, C and D blocks.

For the first day at least get plenty of cash out ahead of time, rather than using cards. It stops the need to find a cashpoint every 15 seconds and is more reliable than plastic.

Leave your door open as you unpack and try and go and meet your new neighbours as soon as possible. you'll get to know them soon enough regardless, but making a few quick friends should make the whole experience a lot less daunting.

Mansfield is quite small and 2nd/3rd/4th years will no doubt be hanging about as you arrive (they sure as hell won't be working.) Don't be afraid to approach them, they're usually happy to help. It is common and not a crime to confuse a finalist with a fresher, so don't worry if you do.

Reply 127

Fandango

College parents [who hopefully have got in contact already] should get you sorted, and usually you won't want your parents hanging around too long and stopping you getting to the Turf.

Thanks for the advice. :smile:

I haven't had anything from the college yet. I've spoken to a few other freshers, and they haven't had anything either.

Reply 128

It's a bit quiet in here. :curious:

Reply 129

Histrionics

6

Original post by shoshin

It's a bit quiet in here. :curious:

Agreed! Then again, it seems there may only be three of us who got offers for 2011 on TSR :tongue:

Hello!

Original post by Histrionics

Agreed! Then again, it seems there may only be three of us who got offers for 2011 on TSR :tongue:

Hi there

I'm straight History. I was the creaky old mature student. Spent most of my time during the interview period camped out by the notice board waiting for the inevitable pooling notices that never came.

Congrats on your offer! I remember that you are History & Politics - noticed you on another thread. The only other History based successful candidate I spotted on TSR was 'TAPSmith' (Hist & Pol too), but he was pooled to Mansfield, so we wouldn't have seen him I don't think. Bit funny that nobody was pooled out therefore. If you were up against pooled candidates as well as all of the ones that were there with you, it makes your achievement even more impressive! I wonder if the girl got in (was it Henrietta - Hist & Pol too?) who was called back for a third Mansfield interview?

The main reason I'm loitering around these threads is that I would be interested to learn who else was successful in our interview group. Not sure if you have kept in touch with anyone?

See you in October, best wishes till then.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 132

Original post by doivid

Hello!

Hi! I feel a bit guilty about hinting that the thread was moribund now; it hasn't even been five months since you last posted here :biggrin:

Reply 133

Original post by shoshin

Hi! I feel a bit guilty about hinting that the thread was moribund now; it hasn't even been five months since you last posted here :biggrin:

When you posted it appeared in my watched threads list. :smile:

Reply 134

Histrionics

6

Original post by shoshin

Hi there

I'm straight History. I was the creaky old mature student. Spent most of my time during the interview period camped out by the notice board waiting for the inevitable pooling notices that never came.

Congrats on your offer! I remember that you are History & Politics - noticed you on another thread. The only other History based successful candidate I spotted on TSR was 'TAPSmith' (Hist & Pol too), but he was pooled to Mansfield, so we wouldn't have seen him I don't think. Bit funny that nobody was pooled out therefore. If you were up against pooled candidates as well as all of the ones that were there with you, it makes your achievement even more impressive! I wonder if the girl got in (was it Henrietta - Hist & Pol too?) who was called back for a third Mansfield interview?

The main reason I'm loitering around these threads is that I would be interested to learn who else was successful in our interview group. Not sure if you have kept in touch with anyone?

See you in October, best wishes till then.

Oh I remember you! Congratulations!
I know at least 3 History & Politics applicants were interviewed a third time, myself included. I was phoned about an hour after my Politics interview and I had a second History interview. I know someone else had a second Politics interview as well.

I haven't kept in touch with any History applicants. In fact, no one I kept in touch with was successful!

Congrats again, see you in October.

Reply 135

Actually Working

I'm giving in. I was lurking, but I'm too bored not to post :biggrin:

I have an offer for English, so hopefully I'll be joining you next year. I applied to Magdalen, and had a lucky surprise interview at Mansfield, which means I haven't really looked around... I've done the virtual tour :tongue:

And, bizarrely, my piano teacher's the director of music. I didn't know that until after my interview...

I've just seen my post and this forum has scary smilies.

Reply 136

Original post by Actually Working

I'm giving in. I was lurking, but I'm too bored not to post :biggrin:

I have an offer for English, so hopefully I'll be joining you next year. I applied to Magdalen, and had a lucky surprise interview at Mansfield, which means I haven't really looked around... I've done the virtual tour :tongue:

And, bizarrely, my piano teacher's the director of music. I didn't know that until after my interview...

I've just seen my post and this forum has scary smilies.

Congratulations!

Mansfield is small but perfectly formed. More conveniently located than Magdalen in some ways, but a bit disappointing when it comes to deer parks :smile:

Reply 137