The Student Room Logo
Applying to Uni for 2024? Find your Uni here and chat with others! >>
Applying to Uni for 2024? Find your Uni here and chat with others! >>
Applying to Uni for 2024? Find your Uni here and chat with others! >>
University of Oxford, Pawel-Sytniewski
University of Oxford
Oxford

Balliol College (Oxford) Students and Applicants

Scroll to see replies

Reply 400
Avatar for BGN
BGN
Thank goodness for that, eh? Sorry for the palpitations- and I'm glad I was wrong! I suppose the moral of this story is check your information, stand your ground when you know and-ahem-hedge your bets when you don't!

Good Luck with your application,
BGN
University of Oxford, Pawel-Sytniewski
University of Oxford
Oxford
So could someone give me some details as to accomodation over the three years, the site is pretty threadbare on details and I'm trying to pick a college.
Reply 402
Avatar for mevidek
mevidek
16
Hello people, I was just wondering what makes Balliol better than the other colleges? I'm hoping to apply to Oxford this October, so I was just hoping to find out a little more about the life at the uni.
Any Balliol lawyers here that could shed some insight on the subject in the College?

(I've asked in the Oxford Law thread as well, not sure where is most appropriate.)
Reply 404
Avatar for warndog
warndog
3
Current Undergrads (particularly Balliol students):
I am a Fresher starting at Balliol next year and I was wondering what accommodation category you think I should apply for?
These are the prices:
Price bracket £970 to £1,100 a term: LOW
Price bracket £1,100 to £1,400 a term: MID
Price bracket £1,400 and upwards a term (very few rooms available in this bracket): HIGH

Could any current students give me an idea of what you get with each category (i.e. space, ameneties, people per bathroom etc.)
Thankyou!
I'm thinking of applying to Balliol and I was just wondering whether they had formal halls? I know they were stopped some time ago but I want to know if they have been reinstated. I really want to take part in all of Oxford's traditions and I think wearing gowns to formals sounds so fun! :smile:
Original post by warndog
Current Undergrads (particularly Balliol students):
I am a Fresher starting at Balliol next year and I was wondering what accommodation category you think I should apply for?
These are the prices:
Price bracket £970 to £1,100 a term: LOW
Price bracket £1,100 to £1,400 a term: MID
Price bracket £1,400 and upwards a term (very few rooms available in this bracket): HIGH

Could any current students give me an idea of what you get with each category (i.e. space, ameneties, people per bathroom etc.)
Thankyou!


Hi, I'm a Balliol fourth year. :smile:

I applied for mid, and was put in low anyway, so it's pot luck really. The rooms vary a lot - my first year one was small (about 15m^2) but decent, with a sink, desk, wardrobe, shelves, and enough floor space to walk around a bit, but some of my friends got massive rooms. there tends to be 2 toilets and a shower or two between 8-10 people, depending on the staircase, but that will be the same for any category (unless you get an en-suite one, which apparently some are).

My advice would be apply for mid, and you'll probably get low, as there are a lot more of them, but it'll probably be near the upper end. However, if you have limited money just go for low. If you have unlimited money go for high, because the high ones are massive (25m^2 or so).

It doesn't matter too much what you have in first year - it goes so quickly, and rooms in second and third year are much better anyway, and you get to choose them personally.


Original post by calla_lily
I'm thinking of applying to Balliol and I was just wondering whether they had formal halls? I know they were stopped some time ago but I want to know if they have been reinstated. I really want to take part in all of Oxford's traditions and I think wearing gowns to formals sounds so fun! :smile:


Hi. :smile:

We have formal hall (which is once a week, and £13, so expensive), BUT don't wear gowns. I love my college, but that's one thing I don't like, so if it's a deciding factor for you, another college may be better - Merton and Christ Church are famous for it, but most colleges do it.
To current/past Balliol students: what are the rooms like?
How big are they?
What is the furniture like in them?
How do the cheaper rooms differ from the more expensive rooms?
How does Balliol accommodation compare to rooms in other colleges?

I haven't been able to find much information online about Balliol accommodation, in a particular a lack of photos except the single photo that I have seen on the Balliol website.

Thanks in advance for any answers! :smile:
Original post by Octohedral
Hi, I'm a Balliol fourth year. :smile:

I applied for mid, and was put in low anyway, so it's pot luck really. The rooms vary a lot - my first year one was small (about 15m^2) but decent, with a sink, desk, wardrobe, shelves, and enough floor space to walk around a bit, but some of my friends got massive rooms. there tends to be 2 toilets and a shower or two between 8-10 people, depending on the staircase, but that will be the same for any category (unless you get an en-suite one, which apparently some are).

My advice would be apply for mid, and you'll probably get low, as there are a lot more of them, but it'll probably be near the upper end. However, if you have limited money just go for low. If you have unlimited money go for high, because the high ones are massive (25m^2 or so).

It doesn't matter too much what you have in first year - it goes so quickly, and rooms in second and third year are much better anyway, and you get to choose them personally.




Hi. :smile:

We have formal hall (which is once a week, and £13, so expensive), BUT don't wear gowns. I love my college, but that's one thing I don't like, so if it's a deciding factor for you, another college may be better - Merton and Christ Church are famous for it, but most colleges do it.


Hello there, I applied for straight Maths at Balliol. Today is the day of receiving offers/or not as Im sure you know. Do you remember when exactly Balliol replied by e-mail? And should I be expecting a letter today?
Thanks
Original post by nahomyemane778
Hello there, I applied for straight Maths at Balliol. Today is the day of receiving offers/or not as Im sure you know. Do you remember when exactly Balliol replied by e-mail? And should I be expecting a letter today?
Thanks


Hi. :smile:

When it was me we got our letters before Christmas, and I don't remember being told a precise day (though it was four years ago). I don't have that e-mail address any more, so I can't check that either.

I know it's horrible waiting, but it really won't help you if I speculate, because I'll almost certainly get it wrong. I definitely found out by letter rather than by e-mail or Track, so I suspect you'll get a letter today, but don't take it as a bad sign if you don't - the whole system has changed since then, and in some places the post is just bad.

Good luck! Feel free to ask anything else.
Original post by nahomyemane778
Thanks it arrived not long after i messaged you :smile:


Just saw on another thread that you got in. Congratulations! :biggrin:

I didn't mention in my other post, but I do straight maths. If you want to know anything about the course / college / tutors etc just ask. You'll probably get Frances as a tutor - she's really nice.
Original post by Octohedral
Just saw on another thread that you got in. Congratulations! :biggrin:

I didn't mention in my other post, but I do straight maths. If you want to know anything about the course / college / tutors etc just ask. You'll probably get Frances as a tutor - she's really nice.


Yeah she was really nice I agree. There are three people in the maths department according to the college subject website but I was also interviewed by another nice lady who is not on there. What's her name?
Original post by Arcane1729
Yeah she was really nice I agree. There are three people in the maths department according to the college subject website but I was also interviewed by another nice lady who is not on there. What's her name?


Was she Italian? That was probably Giovanna - she interviewed me. She may well do some of your teaching in the first and second year. I don't really know the other two, as they are new - we used to have Keith Hannabuss, who has just retired, but still does a bit of Quantum teaching. We have a lot of mathematicians.
Original post by Octohedral
Was she Italian? That was probably Giovanna - she interviewed me. She may well do some of your teaching in the first and second year. I don't really know the other two, as they are new - we used to have Keith Hannabuss, who has just retired, but still does a bit of Quantum teaching. We have a lot of mathematicians.


Yeah probably- she had that kind of accent- she was very happy and always smiling as soon as I stepped in :smile:

Edit: Ahh- she is a college lecturer but not tutor it seems
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Octohedral
Hi, I'm a Balliol fourth year. :smile:


Just realised- we will not be meeting next year :bawling:
(Unless you're doing PhD...)
Hi, I've just received an offer to do Biomedical Sciences at Balliol and was wondering how cliquey is the college?
Also, is there anyone else who received an offer for Balliol?
Original post by Arcane1729
Yeah probably- she had that kind of accent- she was very happy and always smiling as soon as I stepped in :smile:

Edit: Ahh- she is a college lecturer but not tutor it seems


To be honest, there's not much difference between the two - she'll probably teach you at some point in the college anyway.

Original post by Arcane1729
Just realised- we will not be meeting next year :bawling:
(Unless you're doing PhD...)


I'm applying for a couple of things, so I may be staying at Balliol, or possibly not. And I still have friends in lower years, so I may be around the JCR occasionally if I'm still in Oxford. Not as an undergraduate though, sadly. :frown: :smile:
Original post by thisisjessyeah
Hi, I've just received an offer to do Biomedical Sciences at Balliol and was wondering how cliquey is the college?
Also, is there anyone else who received an offer for Balliol?


Hi, I'm a fourth year. :smile:

It has a very good JCR compared to some colleges - that's the common room, run by a student committee. There are plenty of chances to get a position on it if you want that, and that's a very good way of getting to know people, but I've found that everyone knows everyone anyway and it's all very friendly. So long as you put yourself out there and spend time in the bar and common room, you shouldn't have problems.

Any particular reason?
Original post by Octohedral
Hi, I'm a fourth year. :smile:

It has a very good JCR compared to some colleges - that's the common room, run by a student committee. There are plenty of chances to get a position on it if you want that, and that's a very good way of getting to know people, but I've found that everyone knows everyone anyway and it's all very friendly. So long as you put yourself out there and spend time in the bar and common room, you shouldn't have problems.

Any particular reason?


Thank you! I just wondered because I'm quite shy and I'm not sure if I'd fit in, thank you though! Do most people eat in the hall or the pantry
Original post by thisisjessyeah
Thank you! I just wondered because I'm quite shy and I'm not sure if I'd fit in, thank you though! Do most people eat in the hall or the pantry


Definitely Hall for regular meals - Pantry is more pasta, cheese and toasties - good for a casual meal, but not exactly healthy. In your first term I recommend getting a meal card for Hall (doesn't matter if you miss a few days for societies). It's a very good way to get to know people.

I was shy too, and the best advice I can give you is to leave your room. It may sound silly, but it's very easy at first, when you don't know many people, to get into a routine of not really seeing anyone. However, there's lots of stuff going on in the bar and common room, so just make sure you go and talk to anyone you can - there are a lot of shy people at Oxford and you'll definitely meet people you get on with that way. Same with people on your corridor - go and knock on their doors and say hello. :smile:

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Trending

Latest