Girton College

People tease people who go to Girton cos Girton is a funny name.
babyballerina has a point about people's obsession with prestigious colleges, but i dont see what's wrong with that. Part of the charm of going to oxbridge is that it is stooped in academic history, and most people want to feel a part of that history, rather than just being at any old university. Teaching standards at oxbridge arent that much higher than at other universities, and in fact, standards at other institutions are even higher for particular subjects, you just have to look in the subject league tables to see that. People want to go to university not ONLY because of it's high class teaching facilities - i certainly did not make my choice of universities based on this factor alone.
If you feel that you just want to be at cambridge, because it's cambridge, then that's fine, nobody is gonna treat you any differently for not caring which college you go to. A lot of people feel like this. But then again, a lot of people like to have that little bit extra that oxbridge has to offer - i certainly do!

Reply 4

babyballerina

This is quite true. The people on this board are OBSESSED with 'prestige' of different colleges. This is purely a personal view. I am a New Hall graduate, so according to people on this board I must be retarded to have gone to such a 'non-pretigeous' college. Yet NEVER have I even been asked which college I attended in a job interview. A degree from any college is treated just the same.

There is some in college teaching. In supervisions you are more likely to be taught by a fellow of your college. Some people are obsessed with this and feel that outside their top 2-3 'prestigeous' colleges that teaching will be massively substandard. if that was the case, why would all colleges ask for at least AAB and how come I got a 1st anyway? Sure, some colleges have more famous tutors. But those who write the most books/make the most research break throughs, are not necessarily the best teachers. Plus you will probably get lectures by them anyway. I did NatSci and in my final year I just arranged supervisions with whoever I liked, no matter which college they were associated with. 'Prestigeous' colleges tend to be those with the most money. So they have more fellows because they can offer them more money/perks.

Yes, there are league tables of colleges. These are compiled to make sure the colleges keep their standards up. The real differences in student attainment between colleges are very small and vary from year to year.

Unfortunately I think the people who go on and on about college 'prestige' are more than likely part of a small minority of public school prats who think they are better than everyone else and want the world to know it. Pity them as they will go home and work for Daddy when they graduate, and never know the real world.

I am sure you will have a great time at girton. The swimming pool is ace but cold (solar heated apparently.....)

Congratulations on your First.

Reply 5

gzftan

12

I think one of the main reasons people slate Girton is cos it's quite far out from the town centre compared to the other colleges...but that' doesn't mean anything....its a great college...and i was seriously thinking about applying there...though i decided not to cos my friend was already.....adn i had my heart set on Caius

G

Reply 6

babyballerina

....

What you're ignoring, 'though, is that some colleges are easier to get into than others. That can't be denied. That seems to be at the root of the majority of opinions about various colleges. The difference between the students may not be particularly great (although it can be) but students at some colleges will be of a generally higher calibre than students at other colleges. You must feel that's true to some degree? Perhaps you mentioned that you got a first because you're aware that there's a general assumption that not many people at New Hall are capable of getting one?

Reply 7

babyballerina

d750

What you're ignoring, 'though, is that some colleges are easier to get into than others. That can't be denied. That seems to be at the root of the majority of opinions about various colleges. The difference between the students may not be particularly great (although it can be) but students at some colleges will be of a generally higher calibre than students at other colleges. You must feel that's true to some degree? Perhaps you mentioned that you got a first because you're aware that there's a general assumption that not many people at New Hall are capable of getting one?

Colleges are slightly easier to get in to because they have lower number of applicants. This is because some colleges are less famous than others. I didn't apply to New Hall. I'd never heard of it. I'd never been to Cambridge before in my life and no-one from my school ever went there. I went to an open day and looked round some colleges in the town centre and picked Caius. I was pooled to New Hall but I was happy there. I am sure I would have been happy at Caius too. I do feel that girls are more likely to be pooled than boys, because the colleges know that a girl is more likely to get picked out of the pool as New Hall and Newnham can only take girls.

I hope I never meet you in real life d750. I would probably punch you for saying people at New Hall are not capable of getting a first! They don't give offers to people with poor grades you know. I have 4 A's at A-level. (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths and General Studies but I know that doesn't count.). Poor applicants are no more likely to get in at 'less prestigeous' (read less snobby, because that's what we're talking about here. I always get the impression that people who are looking for a 'prestigeous' college really want to say 'I only want to go to a college with other public school students like me because I look down on all other people.') because the colleges know they can get good applicants from the pool.

There are only two real disadvantages to going to a 'less prestigeous' college college
1) Such colleges are likely to be poor so fewer scholarships and the like. unfair but true.
2)People like d750 look down on you. Since I wouldn't like to associate with such people anyway, I see this as an advantage.

Reply 8

babyballerina

I hope I never meet you in real life d750. I would probably punch you for saying people at New Hall are not capable of getting a first!

I don't think he was really saying that as such. He was saying that there seems to be an assumption that the students at less presitigious (sp?) colleges are less likely to obtains firsts. I think that is a bad assumption anyway......only a small handful of people get firsts anyway.

Reply 9

babyballerina

I hope I never meet you in real life d750. I would probably punch you for saying people at New Hall are not capable of getting a first!

That's a bit unfair. I wasn't saying that they weren't capable, just that there won't be as many firsts at New Hall as at some of the other colleges. Wouldn't you agree that if you asked someone what degree classification they got you would expect more people from, say, Trinity, to say they had firsts than people from New Hall.

babyballerina

There are only two real disadvantages to going to a 'less prestigeous' college college
1) Such colleges are likely to be poor so fewer scholarships and the like. unfair but true.
2)People like d750 look down on you. Since I wouldn't like to associate with such people anyway, I see this as an advantage.

I don't look down on you. A first from Cambridge is a reasonable achievement and certainly something to be proud of.

You don't seem to have a problem pigeonholing people, by the way. That seems a bit hypocritical, to be honest.

Reply 10

i dont like this attitude about "colleges that are easier to get into"....surely even the most undersubscribed college will turn you down if you arent cambridge material! When people say "I got turned down by my college...i bet it's cos it was oversubscribed" - i tend to think to myself "no, it's just that you're not cambridge material...if you were, they would have pooled you". Obviously people in the pool run a lottery, and i know a couple of people who didnt get a second interview after getting to the pool. I say: Apply to the college you want to apply to - be it prestigious or a concrete monstrosity (*cough* churchill *cough* :tongue:

)

Reply 11

MentallyIll

I don't think he was really saying that as such. He was saying that there seems to be an assumption that the students at less presitigious (sp?) colleges are less likely to obtains firsts. I think that is a bad assumption anyway......only a small handful of people get firsts anyway.

Thanks. That was what I was trying to say.

Reply 12

Willa

i dont like this attitude about "colleges that are easier to get into"....surely even the most undersubscribed college will turn you down if you arent cambridge material! When people say "I got turned down by my college...i bet it's cos it was oversubscribed" - i tend to think to myself "no, it's just that you're not cambridge material...if you were, they would have pooled you". Obviously people in the pool run a lottery, and i know a couple of people who didnt get a second interview after getting to the pool. I say: Apply to the college you want to apply to - be it prestigious or a concrete monstrosity (*cough* churchill *cough* :tongue:

)

Well, it's all relative, but some colleges are easier to get into than others. Just look at the figures.

Reply 13

Willa

i dont like this attitude about "colleges that are easier to get into"....surely even the most undersubscribed college will turn you down if you arent cambridge material! When people say "I got turned down by my college...i bet it's cos it was oversubscribed" - i tend to think to myself "no, it's just that you're not cambridge material...if you were, they would have pooled you". p)

This is all true. Although, whether the definition of 'Cambridge material' is consistent across all tutors at all colleges is still to be proven.

Reply 14

yes granted....but you might as well apply to the college you want to be at - if cambridge uni wants you, you'll get pooled at the least

Reply 15

Willa

yes granted....but you might as well apply to the college you want to be at - if cambridge uni wants you, you'll get pooled at the least

Yes, true.

Reply 16

Willa

yes granted....but you might as well apply to the college you want to be at - if cambridge uni wants you, you'll get pooled at the least

Yes, of course. But that doesn't argue against the supposition that students at some colleges will be of a slighter better calibre than students at other colleges.

Reply 17

d750

Yes, of course. But that doesn't argue against the supposition that students at some colleges will be of a slighter better calibre than students at other colleges.

Yes I agree, but not based on the subscription rates of the colleges. What is to put off the highest of calibre of student applying to the most undersubscribed college if they really like the college? I am quite sure this occurs regularly. Just 'cos you are of the highest standard does not mean you will naturally gravitate towards an oversubscribed college.

Of course, there are going to be Girton students who are of a higher calibre than Trinity students, and vice versa. I don't think the so called presitge of the college is going have much bearing.

Reply 18

MentallyIll

Yes I agree, but not based on the subscription rates of the colleges. What is to put off the highest of calibre of student applying to the most undersubscribed college if they really like the college? I am quite sure this occurs regularly. Just 'cos you are of the highest standard does not mean you will naturally gravitate towards an oversubscribed college.

Of course, there are going to be Girton students who are of a higher calibre than Trinity students, and vice versa. I don't think the so called presitge of the college is going have much baring.

agreed

Reply 19