Balliol College (Oxford) Students and Applicants

Original post by Arcane1729

Hi again- I read in the Balliol for beginners page that there is a Balliol Undergraduate Maths society- I was wondering does this include lecturers and all undergraduates going to events?

It's not currently a massively active society (though maybe your year will make it one), but we have a BUMS dinner every year, which tutors and undergraduates go to. However, there are other social events - in first year you get (free) drinks with your tutors after tutorials once or twice a week. Plus a subject formal dinner at the end of each year. You should also be given a college parent or two, from amongst the second years, who are supposed to mentor you when you first get here.

Because there are only eight or so students per year, you will get to know your tutors and course-mates very well.

If you want a more involved maths society, the Invariants (Oxford undergraduate maths society) meet every Tuesday, and have weekly competitions and talks. :smile:

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Original post by Octohedral

It's not currently a massively active society (though maybe your year will make it one), but we have a BUMS dinner every year, which tutors and undergraduates go to. However, there are other social events - in first year you get (free) drinks with your tutors after tutorials once or twice a week. Plus a subject formal dinner at the end of each year. You should also be given a college parent or two, from amongst the second years, who are supposed to mentor you when you first get here.

Because there are only eight or so students per year, you will get to know your tutors and course-mates very well.

If you want a more involved maths society, the Invariants (Oxford undergraduate maths society) meet every Tuesday, and have weekly competitions and talks. :smile:

How much choice is there in course modules? Can I completely neglect applied maths if I want to?

Reply 423

Original post by Arcane1729

How much choice is there in course modules? Can I completely neglect applied maths if I want to?

You may already know that 'applied' at university isn't the same as applied at school - calculus is in the applied category at university, for example. Broadly they fit the same boxes, but you may well change your mind after two years.

The syllabus has changes since my first year, so the following may not be completely accurate, but it should be roughly the case still.

There is no choice available in first year. On some exam papers you get a choice of question (or used to), but you are expected to learn everything. This is about 50% pure and 50% applied.

In second year you have a core of subjects of the type you would currently call pure, and you get to choose the others. Your options will probably have to cover some applied areas, but you can focus on pure.

In third and fourth year you get complete free choice (almost too much), and choosing options for those is actually very hard, as it essentially specialises your degree.

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Original post by Octohedral

You may already know that 'applied' at university isn't the same as applied at school - calculus is in the applied category at university, for example. Broadly they fit the same boxes, but you may well change your mind after two years.

The syllabus has changes since my first year, so the following may not be completely accurate, but it should be roughly the case still.

There is no choice available in first year. On some exam papers you get a choice of question (or used to), but you are expected to learn everything. This is about 50% pure and 50% applied.

In second year you have a core of subjects of the type you would currently call pure, and you get to choose the others. Your options will probably have to cover some applied areas, but you can focus on pure.

In third and fourth year you get complete free choice (almost too much), and choosing options for those is actually very hard, as it essentially specialises your degree.

Oh I see- by applied I meant the stuff that is referred to as applied at A-level- all the mechanics stuff. Do you know where I can get a list of all the modules on the course and the options- year by year?

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Original post by Arcane1729

Oh I see- by applied I meant the stuff that is referred to as applied at A-level- all the mechanics stuff. Do you know where I can get a list of all the modules on the course and the options- year by year?

http://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/courses/material :smile:

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Original post by Octohedral

http://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/courses/material :smile:

Thanks

Reply 427

Original post by Octohedral

http://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/courses/material :smile:

hi there- do you have to live in the college if you are a first year?

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Original post by Arcane1729

hi there- do you have to live in the college if you are a first year?

Yes, I believe it's compulsory. Why, do you not want to? I guess you could ask them, but I recommend it, it's a nice place to live. :smile:

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Original post by Octohedral

Yes, I believe it's compulsory. Why, do you not want to? I guess you could ask them, but I recommend it, it's a nice place to live. :smile:

Health/very personal reasons- why should they care though as long as I maintain the college's high academic standards? I wouldn't ask if this wasn't a serious issue to me. Surely they can make one exemption? I got the impression that intellectuals at uni especially are more understanding and less dogmatic than many of idiot teachers who refused to listen and could have prevented such a hard time for me at school. Balliol was ok I guess- I stayed there for a week during the summer and then a few more days at interview of course. It's not the college itself though that is the problem. Anyway- I cannot imagine living there for as long as one year at all.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 430

Original post by Arcane1729

Health/very personal reasons- why should they care though as long as I maintain the college's high academic standards? I wouldn't ask if this wasn't a serious issue to me. Surely they can make one exemption? I got the impression that intellectuals at uni especially are more understanding and less dogmatic than many of idiot teachers who refused to listen and could have prevented such a hard time for me at school. Balliol was ok I guess- I stayed there for a week during the summer and then a few more days at interview of course. It's not the college itself though that is the problem. Anyway- I cannot imagine living there for as long as one year at all.

Fair enough, I won't ask. You are allowed to apply to the proctors for exemptions, and they will take it on a case by case basis. They will be reluctant, because they will believe it's in your best interests socially and academically to be in the college. However, without knowing your circumstances I have no idea what the outcome will be.

I'd imagine they will listen to you, but I really don't know what I'm talking about here. Maybe there's something in the college handbook. Good luck, anyway. :smile:

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Original post by Octohedral

Fair enough, I won't ask. You are allowed to apply to the proctors for exemptions, and they will take it on a case by case basis. They will be reluctant, because they will believe it's in your best interests socially and academically to be in the college. However, without knowing your circumstances I have no idea what the outcome will be.

I'd imagine they will listen to you, but I really don't know what I'm talking about here. Maybe there's something in the college handbook. Good luck, anyway. :smile:

Cheers- I will also check the handbook-btw do you know of anyone who ever thought of doing the same/was given an exemption?
Academically I believe I will almost certainly be hindered- and the social aspect is not something I care for - I eventually had to leave school and had to study from home for last 3 months which was a tremendous liberation. I am hoping a doctor's/school's/parent's explanation will sway them.

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fluteflute

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Original post by Arcane1729

hi there- do you have to live in the college if you are a first year?

The rules are that you have to live within six miles of the city centre. This is increased to 25 miles (unless your college objects) if you're living with a parent/guardian.

But if this isn't acceptable to you, I'd get in contact with your college about this as soon as possible. Exemptions are possible, but rare. If you have recommendation from a doctor that this would be best, I'd have thought they'd let you.

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Original post by Octohedral

Yes, I believe it's compulsory. Why, do you not want to? I guess you could ask them, but I recommend it, it's a nice place to live. :smile:

Hello Octahedral I hope you are enjoying your summer- (I have just starting looking at the course materials on the Oxford page and have started looking at groups- very interesting so far.) (after wasting a month and a bit watching movies)
I was wondering what obligations there are of me on freshers week. No work is started I believe- do I have to turn up at all? I'm not really the partying type as you may have gauged from our conversations. How do people spend the whole week?- How did you?

Reply 434

Original post by Arcane1729

Hello Octahedral I hope you are enjoying your summer- (I have just starting looking at the course materials on the Oxford page and have started looking at groups- very interesting so far.) (after wasting a month and a bit watching movies)
I was wondering what obligations there are of me on freshers week. No work is started I believe- do I have to turn up at all? I'm not really the partying type as you may have gauged from our conversations. How do people spend the whole week?- How did you?

Thanks, you too. :smile:

There are a couple of 'obligations', such as library tours, tutor meetings and introductory lectures. I would advise going (certainly to any meetings with tutors) but only for the sake of information and setting an initial impression - it's all fairly informal.

There will be social events planned, but you certainly don't have to go to those. Freshers' week was torturous for me because I felt obligated to go out clubbing (at the time I was very shy and awkward). However, more recently they've introduced nicer, more friendly events such as film nights, which a large proportion of Oxford students massively prefer.

During the day you just go to the common room and try to identify potential friends. People form little groups, and it's all very school-like. To be honest, I hated it. However, friendships made during freshers' week are usually irrelevant a few weeks later, and people don't make really close friendships until the second or third year, so the pressure to make friends is just an illusion. In short, you won't be missing out if you don't go (though it might be useful to introduce yourself, as it's the one time people are really open, and you can ask people's names without feeling awkward).

My advice would depend on what you want to get out of it. It's certainly not the once in a lifetime experience people make it out to be, but it can be fun, and it's a useful time to make yourself known and learn about other people. If you do go, remember that the 'party' people are only the loudest, and there are a huge amount of very shy people around. If not, it should be easy enough to pick up at the start of full term.

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Original post by Octohedral

...

What a wonderfully reassuring response. Thank you :smile:

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Original post by Arcane1729

What a wonderfully reassuring response. Thank you :smile:

No problem. I've just found out I'm staying at Balliol for another year (Master's), so let me know if you need help / showing around. :smile:

Reply 437

Original post by Octohedral

No problem. I've just found out I'm staying at Balliol for another year (Master's), so let me know if you need help / showing around. :smile:

Another year?

o.O

I thought you just finished 4th year?

(edited 9 years ago)

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Original post by Arcane1729

Another year?

o.O

I thought you just finished 4th year?

I have - I'm doing a second master's (maths and the foundations of computer science). It's kind of complicated, but there is a point to it. I'll be a graduate, but I'd like to sneak back into the JCR from time to time. :smile:

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