Colleges (Balliol vs St Anne&#x27;s?)

Gowns are evil. I'm quite glad that I only have to wear them for exams... it'd be so annoying having to wear the damned thing for dinner, collections, meeting the Master, or some things that people at those crazily formal colleges do...
Saying that, had I worked hard enough to earn a scholar's gown... my position may have reversed itself - they're so much better!

Reply 23

OP

Hi everyone!

Thank you so much for your replies- they've been sooo useful! Sorry it took me so long to reply, but the new look Student Room threw me off (maybe Oxford academia doesn't beckon?!).

It's interesting that a few of you mentioned St Catz. I never got chance to look round it on the open day and really regret it. It looked nice, but I wondered if it was a bit TOO fun, so I'd have less spurring me to get down to the library and work, and hundreds of people trying to get me in fancy dress parading round the city! Lol, actually, that's making me want to apply to st catz...

I take your points about the pooling system, but isn't it better to get into a college you want to be at than get pooled to any old place? I'd rather be at St Anne's than risk Balliol and then get pooled to St John's (no offence- it just looked really stuffy and terrifying on the open day!).

I like that you say there'll be a mix of people at all colleges. I feel like I'm a mix of people, so I should fit into wherever go!

Owwwwww. I think St Anne's. Its at least as pretty. It's not that far out of the centre. It's strong in PPE. It has fun people. It has clever and passionate people. It has an awesome library. It'll be more willing to let me defer for my gap year (tres important). It has better accommodation.

All Balliol has over it is closeness to the copyright library, faculty, bars, events, and main shops, better financial support, and more super-human lecturers, and a bigger body of (probably) brighter PPE students...

OH!!! This is not helping me!!! :eek:

Please send help! (including info about st catz?)

Thank you soooooo much you guys. We should be together :smile:

much love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Reply 24

OP

oh, ps. you asked about my grades so far.

There're pretty good :-)

11A*s at GCSE including one "top 5" (french)

AS levels:

History: A (100% in 2 out of 3 modules)
Philosophy: A (but a B in one module)
Maths: A
English Language: A (100% in one module)
General Studies: A (298/300!)
French: A in one module, not taken the rest yet

And I've done my A2 Economics and got an A (with 100% in one A2 module)

I'm not sure if that really indicates my chances of getting into Balliol though, coz it takes more than grades doesn't it? What else can I do anyone?

Again, I'm feelin the love for you all right now. Thank you from the bottom of my competitve, greedy, selfish heart x x x

Reply 25

They're better than pretty good! You're going to stand a good chance at whatever college you apply to!
You came to our open day, right? Don't you remember what lovely, wonderful people we all were?
If I have to, I will do the whole Balliol sales pitch... I could get a first in encouraging people to apply to us - the joys of open day and interview volunteering!

Reply 26

ravenous_soup_dragon

9

sally_mmm

oh, ps. you asked about my grades so far.

There're pretty good :-)

11A*s at GCSE including one "top 5" (french)

AS levels:

History: A (100% in 2 out of 3 modules)
Philosophy: A (but a B in one module)
Maths: A
English Language: A (100% in one module)
General Studies: A (298/300!)
French: A in one module, not taken the rest yet

And I've done my A2 Economics and got an A (with 100% in one A2 module)

I'm not sure if that really indicates my chances of getting into Balliol though, coz it takes more than grades doesn't it? What else can I do anyone?

Again, I'm feelin the love for you all right now. Thank you from the bottom of my competitve, greedy, selfish heart x x x

Lol - I think they just ask for 3As so you definitely qualify! :p:

But yes, St. Anne's is the way forward - I'm proud you made the right choice!

Reply 27

No... with grades like that, she's Balliol material!!
Don't settle for second best! Aim for Balliol... you wouldn't want to be thinking "what if?" were you to go for St. Anne's.

Mind you, the words 'competitive, greedy, selfish" do sound just right for PPEists... don't you think?! Well, competitive, at least.

Reply 28

OxyMoron.

7

sally_mmm

oh, ps. you asked about my grades so far.

There're pretty good :-)

11A*s at GCSE including one "top 5" (french)

AS levels:

History: A (100% in 2 out of 3 modules)
Philosophy: A (but a B in one module)
Maths: A
English Language: A (100% in one module)
General Studies: A (298/300!)
French: A in one module, not taken the rest yet

And I've done my A2 Economics and got an A (with 100% in one A2 module)

I'm not sure if that really indicates my chances of getting into Balliol though, coz it takes more than grades doesn't it? What else can I do anyone?

Again, I'm feelin the love for you all right now. Thank you from the bottom of my competitve, greedy, selfish heart x x x

Haha you're grades are waaaaaay better than mine and I'm applying to Balliol for PPE...
Not much hope for me then :s-smilie:

Reply 29

>> peaches

Haha you're grades are waaaaaay better than mine and I'm applying to Balliol for PPE...
Not much hope for me then :s-smilie:

As long as there are three As in there somewhere, nobody's really going to care. Assuming they're in real subjects.

Reply 30

Kourosh

GCSE: 7 A*s, 6 A's
AS Levels: AAAAA (maths, physics, politics, economics, history)

Note that my A's at AS level all have low UMSs. Highest is 367.

Should I still be thinking of applying to Balliol?

If I get pooled, will I end up in some far-out, small college

Reply 31

ravenous_soup_dragon

9

cpchem

No... with grades like that, she's Balliol material!!
Don't settle for second best! Aim for Balliol... you wouldn't want to be thinking "what if?" were you to go for St. Anne's.

Mind you, the words 'competitive, greedy, selfish" do sound just right for PPEists... don't you think?! Well, competitive, at least.

Lol, I've got pretty good grades too and I applied to St. Anne's straight out :wink:

OP, if you want a really great, friendly college where you'll feel at home and find lots of friends for three years then definitely apply to St. Anne's. I can't speak for Balliol because I don't know anyone who goes there but I can vouch for St. Anne's!

Reply 32

Cirsium

19

Well since lots of people still want information on lots of colleges there's a link in my signature - incidentally anybody who is a current student and hasn't yet contributed feel free - the more detailed it is, the more use it is to current applicants! (Sorry for advertising it all over the forum but it's my baby...)

Reply 33

Huw Davies

11

If I get pooled, will I end up in some far-out, small college

All the far-out colleges (essentially all the former women's ones, now I come to think of it) are pretty big. The small colleges are in the middle of Oxford.

We are unlikely to be able to soothsay what college is appropriate for you based just on your grades: all Oxford applicants are pretty similar on those terms. Apply where you want to go. Simple as.

Reply 34

Huw Davies

All the far-out colleges (essentially all the former women's ones, now I come to think of it) are pretty big. The small colleges are in the middle of Oxford.

We are unlikely to be able to soothsay what college is appropriate for you based just on your grades: all Oxford applicants are pretty similar on those terms. Apply where you want to go. Simple as.

Exactly. You'll end up loving whatever college you go to... virtually everyone does. Which is why we engage in the whole 'you don't want to go there... come to us!' thing... college pride!

Reply 35

ravenous_soup_dragon

9

cpchem

As long as there are three As in there somewhere, nobody's really going to care. Assuming they're in real subjects.

Exactly! Why are people so obsessed with thinking grades are everything? The admissions tutors are looking for people they would really like to teach, not someone who's got a thousand A*s, 150% in everything and no life. Obviously if you have a thousand A*s, 150% in everything and a varied, interesting life - er..good.

The other problem with A-levels is that it's pretty easy to learn by rote and get really high UMS marks without much effort. I did that with English Lit and found the course incredibly boring, whereas the AEA was the only English exam that actually challenged me in any way.

Reply 36

OP

Well, it's very nice that you think I have a chance at Balliol, the "PPE college" at the PPE university, but I have to say I don't feel like I'd get in. I've not read widely enough (time constraints, not lack of enthusiasm!) and I'm better at thinking when I'm given a minute, not on the spot like in interviews. I also am concerned that Balliol PPEists may be scary and arrogant, coz I'd feel pretty arrogant applying.

CPChem, the Balliol open day was amazing. You really made me feel at home and no one was scary or inhuman at all. It didn't feel pretentious either. Your people seemed more my kind of people than those at St Annes. BUT, times change, and it's only getting more competitive, so I imagine that the people who'll be going in for 2008/9 will be less down-to-earth.

Also not sure they'll want me to have a gap year, even though I'm SURE it'll help my study. I'm going to volunteer for 3 months in the UK and 3 months in the developing world, always with a partner from the developing world. I'm also going to spend at least a month volunteering with Monks in Cambodia. And I'm going to devour as many books as can. How could that put me at a disadvantage???!!!! But *alas, I suspect it will

:-P

You'll notice I write a lot.

Aaaarrrgghhh any tips for getting in/ contacts... you now who to PM. And WHY can't you state a second choice???!!!

Sorry, less love than last time is coming through here, but still, love to you all. Those people who seem disuaded by my grades please see that its about so much more than that. They ask for 3As and want so much more, but not more grades!

Cheers my darling, darling advice-monkeys

x x x

Reply 37

sally_mmm

Well, it's very nice that you think I have a chance at Balliol, the "PPE college" at the PPE university, but I have to say I don't feel like I'd get in. I've not read widely enough (time constraints, not lack of enthusiasm!) and I'm better at thinking when I'm given a minute, not on the spot like in interviews. I also am concerned that Balliol PPEists may be scary and arrogant, coz I'd feel pretty arrogant applying.

CPChem, the Balliol open day was amazing. You really made me feel at home and no one was scary or inhuman at all. It didn't feel pretentious either. Your people seemed more my kind of people than those at St Annes. BUT, times change, and it's only getting more competitive, so I imagine that the people who'll be going in for 2008/9 will be less down-to-earth.

Also not sure they'll want me to have a gap year, even though I'm SURE it'll help my study. I'm going to volunteer for 3 months in the UK and 3 months in the developing world, always with a partner from the developing world. I'm also going to spend at least a month volunteering with Monks in Cambodia. And I'm going to devour as many books as can. How could that put me at a disadvantage???!!!! But *alas, I suspect it will

:-P

You'll notice I write a lot.

Aaaarrrgghhh any tips for getting in/ contacts... you now who to PM. And WHY can't you state a second choice???!!!

Sorry, less love than last time is coming through here, but still, love to you all. Those people who seem disuaded by my grades please see that its about so much more than that. They ask for 3As and want so much more, but not more grades!

Cheers my darling, darling advice-monkeys

x x x

They're really not scary and arrogant - it was unfair of me to say that. Most of our PPEists are a good bunch (even if there is a slight 'critical mass' factor!). We see a few like that for interviews, but knowing the PPEists that we have, the tutors tend not to pick them. As far as thinking on the spot is concerned - it's not something to worry about... as long as you can talk through your thought processes (which is what they're really interested in anyway!), you'll be OK. Not to mention the fact that an interview is an interview, whatever college you apply for.
PPE isn't the sort of subject where a gap year will put you at a disadvantage - it can in the sciences, but I can immediately think of one PPEist in my year who took a gap year - and he got an overall distinction for his first year!

Anyway, the best of luck whatever you decide upon, and feel free to PM me if you have any questions!

Reply 38

Cirsium

19

The point isn't that they think having a gap for you is bad - the gap year is good! - it's the deferred entry that's the problem. Say they have 10 spots every year and they've got 9 filled and then you're the 10th best then that's cool they'll give you a place this year. But then if they're giving you a place for 2009 then it's like well ok but what if next year there are TEN people who are better than her? Do we want to give her a place when there might be someone better? On the other hand if you're number 2 they might not care.

Reply 39