Balliol College (Oxford) Students and Applicants

So, should I have applied to Balliol or Brasenose? I've heard Balliol has a reputation for conservatism and 'public-school-ism'...
How is Brasenose regarded?

So, should I have applied to Balliol or Brasenose? I've heard Balliol has a reputation for conservatism and 'public-school-ism'...
How is Brasenose regarded?

Balliol is famously lefty, though I'm not sure how far this still applies.

Wikipedia:

"Balliol also takes pride in its college tortoises. The original tortoise, who resided at the College for at least 43 years, was known as Rosa, named after the notable German Marxist Rosa Luxemburg...Taking care of the resident tortoise is one of the many tasks assigned to Balliol students each year. This position, known as "Comrade Tortoise", has been filled by a student every year..."

Balliol students are noted for their left-wing tendencies; the college ethos has been described as "conservatively left-wing". The JCR has had requests for the Sun and News of the World newspapers several times, but each time a majority of students voted against the idea."

They've also got a 'Left Caucus' which still seems to be fairly active, based on the alternative prospectus.

The tutor I met there described them as one of the first two colleges to really become "open" in their admissions policy, though I think most of the colleges make the same sort of claim.

Someone who is actually there can expand for you, hopefully.

Hey, I applied to Balliol based on it supposedly being quite left-wing.

Good luck, comrade

Most of the college is furious about this, and trying to get it overturned. David Bagg is a complete nob and I wish he wasn't our secretary. The one thing that everyone agrees on is the need to prevent its introduction in 2011, and in this respect the JCR is in a very strong position. We would leave the college up **** creek if we refused to cooperate by helping out with open days and interviews.

It's not actually that bad considering we have the best financial support of any college...

Alot of people will easily be able to afford it, and the ones who can't (and I mean that ones who don't eat in pantry for breakfast/lunch, have hassans and several drinks everyday and complain they can't afford it) should be entitled to a bursary anyway. Though I do think they can save money elsewhere...



At least they would save money

Meh...

I'll certainly pay the extra if I get in, because Balliol is fantastic for PPE with Cerberus etc, and personally I wouldn't have chosen another college even with the charge, but I think that it is totally unreasonable for them to charge the additional fee on students who have already applied without knowledge of it. Alot of people apply pretty much arbitrarily. But on top of that it's just the general principle that people should know what they are signing up for when they sign up for it, not after. And once you've chosen your college there isn't really any backing out.

It's a short-sighted policy in more than one respect. The college is trying to introduce the change at a time of huge upheavel in the university funding system, and if they wait until 2012 they may well find that the financial situation of the college is improved by modified arrangements. Also, though we do have a good financial support system in place it is still far from ideal. People will be put off from applying for this college because of the charge, that is simply inevitable. And as a result the overall quality of successful applicants will be lower. And personally I think that as a student of Oxford University I should be treated equally with respect to fees no matter which college I apply to. I think that if the university has a funding crisis they should deal with it at a university level rather than trying to charge individuals £1000+ extra over the course of their degree. Why should the operations of an archaic system of semi-autonomous colleges compromise our education?

Also I am strongly in support of the principle that university education should be free at the point of access, which the domus charge would completely destroy.

This has to be the most ridiculous plan Balliol have ever cooked up... which is saying something. I don't believe they're in such financial trouble that anything approaching this level of thievery is justified. If they are, then why haven't they sent out begging letters to us (i.e. alumni) first? I'm sure they'd find a fair proportion of old members willing to chip in to stop something quite so ludicrous.

Also, what is the JCR doing electing some first-year prat Secretary?

Gah. The place is going to the dogs.