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Selwyn College

Hey,

I am thinking of applying to Selwyn College, mainly because it is very close to the faculties departments (I am thinking of either SPS or Philosophy or even perhaps History, I am late making my decisions!), and it looks quite nice. I just wondered what people on this board thought of it? There doesn't seem to be alot of chatter re Selwyn, so I wondered if it was a particuarly low-down college?

Any rumours/information/etc.would be cool.

Thanks!

John

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Reply 1
Avatar for Willa
Willa
11
It's what I class as a "neutral college".....it hasn't got much to shout about (It apparently does v. well at economics though)....although you cant really put it down in any way...It's in a good location, it's pretty, friendly. With other colleges you can put them down somehow, e.g. Girton = Not actually in cambridge :tongue:, Churchill = Conrete monstrosity, Caius = Closing Gardies :mad:
and so on. But you cant really say anything about Selwyn...it's not got anything special but it isnt bad at all!
Reply 2
Avatar for RxB
RxB
1
I've only heard bad things about Selwyn. This is mostly from one of my history teachers, who's only recently graduated. Apparently the History tutors are twats and won't be much help, despite making it as hard as possible to get through the interviews. I've also heard bad things about the Music tutor, though this probably isn't relevant to you.

I've also heard generally bad things about the social life; specifically that loads of the men spend all their time at Newnham, making life awkward for both the Newnhamites and the women at Selywn.

Note this is all second-hand information.

Edit: It's also next to my house, so I can go and look at it and possibly take photos if you really, really want.
Reply 3
Avatar for jdahlep
jdahlep
OUCH! selwyn bashing. The history teachers are legends, Sewell is the nicest man on the planet (including Nelson Mandella, FACT). And about it being anonymous; you said yourself that its pretty, friendly and in a good location. OK so you forgot the fact that its the prettIEST and friendlIEST college in cambridge, ill let you off, but thats hardly saying nothing about it.

Some ppl just dont like the fact that its unpretentious, theres a word you can slap on it.

Also you forgot to mention the fact that selwyn houses the snow ball, which is THE EVENT not to miss come christmas.

Interview hell: apply to cambridge, get interviewed, if you cant handle it your gonna have hell, selwyn or not.

If you have anymore myths about how crap it is, ill be happy to RUIN them for you.

Jdahlep
Reply 4
Avatar for John_n
John_n
OP
Wow - I wasn't expecting such conflicting views!

Just out of interest, are any of you members of the college itself? I just wondered what the accomodation is like? Big/small? En suite :biggrin: etc. ? I presume all first years are in cripps and the rest in the big old court?

Why do all the men spend their time at Newham? I presume this is more of a rumour than...fact?
Reply 5
Avatar for Willa
Willa
11
jdahlep
OUCH! selwyn bashing. The history teachers are legends, Sewell is the nicest man on the planet (including Nelson Mandella, FACT). And about it being anonymous; you said yourself that its pretty, friendly and in a good location. OK so you forgot the fact that its the prettIEST and friendlIEST college in cambridge, ill let you off, but thats hardly saying nothing about it.

Some ppl just dont like the fact that its unpretentious, theres a word you can slap on it.

Also you forgot to mention the fact that selwyn houses the snow ball, which is THE EVENT not to miss come christmas.

Interview hell: apply to cambridge, get interviewed, if you cant handle it your gonna have hell, selwyn or not.

If you have anymore myths about how crap it is, ill be happy to RUIN them for you.

Jdahlep


it's definitely not the prettiest and friendliest....but that doesnt mean it's not pretty or friendly. All I'm saying is that personally I didnt see anything special in it, and nor did most of the people I spoke to....although there was nothing I could see about it which I didnt like....it was a nice college, just not the nicest.....that's why I call it "neutral". Just like I consider robinson a "neutral" college

Although this Snow Ball does sound good...if i get into that mayhaps my opinions will change
RxB
I've also heard bad things about the Music tutor



LOL, yes that was me I think. Also the bar is quite small.

MB
Reply 7
Avatar for jdahlep
jdahlep
Ill be a member come october, and although there maybe bias in my opinion, at least its informed bias :smile:
Reply 8
Avatar for RxB
RxB
1
musicboy
LOL, yes that was me I think.


Not you exclusively... but then again, given that this guy isn't going for Music, it's not that relevant. Also, if anyone remembers as far back as "Stewie" and his vitriolic Theology thread, it seems the Theology tutors aren't too friendly either.
RxB
Not you exclusively... but then again, given that this guy isn't going for Music, it's not that relevant. Also, if anyone remembers as far back as "Stewie" and his vitriolic Theology thread, it seems the Theology tutors aren't too friendly either.



oooh, gossip, who else have you heard from about AVJ?

MB
Reply 10
Avatar for RxB
RxB
1
musicboy
oooh, gossip, who else have you heard from about AVJ?


Really not much, just that one of my friends applied to Selwyn last year (that is, for 2003 entry) and he was a dick.
RxB
Really not much, just that one of my friends applied to Selwyn last year (that is, for 2003 entry) and he was a dick.


i've met him and he seemed ok, but then again it was only for a 5 minute audition!
Reply 12
Avatar for RxB
RxB
1
amateurish
i've met him and he seemed ok, but then again it was only for a 5 minute audition!


Possibly. Like I said, this is all second-hand information, and I doubt rejections will help people's opinions of him...
RxB
Really not much, just that one of my friends applied to Selwyn last year (that is, for 2003 entry) and he was a dick.



sounds about right.

MB
Reply 14
Avatar for fishpaste
fishpaste
There's someone starting Maths at Clare who applied to Selwyn the year before. He got an AAB + 1,1 offer from them. Ended up with AAAAAA + 2,2. But they wouldn't take him, so he reapplied to Clare (got an S,1 second time around). The point of that anecdote? It gives the impression that they're quite mean about their entry requirements, as quite frankly 1,1 seems rather high to be demanding when you're not Trinity or similar.
jdahlep
Ill be a member come october, and although there maybe bias in my opinion, at least its informed bias :smile:


hi! i'm going to be a member in october too!

i thought selwyn was lovely when i visited. the old court was beautiful, the students i spoke to were friendly, and my interview went really well. its a good size, near the sidgwick site and off the tourist trail. :smile:

i can't comment on the newnham thing obviously...
scarlet ibis
hi! i'm going to be a member in october too!

i thought selwyn was lovely when i visited. the old court was beautiful, the students i spoke to were friendly, and my interview went really well. its a good size, near the sidgwick site and off the tourist trail. :smile:

i can't comment on the newnham thing obviously...


as an architect did you not think that the neo-gothicness was a bit weird?

MB
Reply 17
Avatar for John_n
John_n
OP
Right, I see. So generally people are quite indecisive about the whole thing! I think I’ll make a proper trip up to the College, though I have to admit, I’ve since decided I want to do Philosophy, and I don’t think Selwyn take that many Philosophy students! (0 or 1!). Still, it’s close to the phil faculty….

It’s a shame there are not some ‘currently attending selwyn’ students on the boards…
Reply 18
Avatar for jdahlep
jdahlep
to be fair though, the only ppl whove said crap things about it (i get the impression) were rejected anyway, cept that teacher. And im not gonna go on about teachers and their ways. My point is, is that the bad press is a bit ill founded and from my experience of selwyn, doesnt make sense at all.
Reply 19
Avatar for Ticki
Ticki
8
jdahlep
Sewell is the nicest man on the planet (including Nelson Mandella, FACT).

Sorry, any such statement is purely opinion. And whether he's nice or not, it IS fact that he is such a boring lecturer that he almost put me off applying for History at Cambridge.

jdahlep
OK so you forgot the fact that its the prettIEST and friendlIEST college in cambridge, ill let you off, but thats hardly saying nothing about it.

Actually I went on 4 proper college open days (Newnham, Sidney, Selwyn and Pembroke) and I found it the least pretty and least friendly of the 4. It depends on the people you meet. You wouldn't say it was the friendliest if you knew one of the girls from my school who went there, but you might think it the friendliest if you met the girl from my school who's going this year.

jdahlep
Also you forgot to mention the fact that selwyn houses the snow ball, which is THE EVENT not to miss come christmas.

Sorry, wasn't this the most poorly organised social event in Cambridge last year?! I hear that those whose tickets weren't double booked didn't even have a good time.

Let's try to be balanced. Selwyn is very popular amongst Arts students so you're less likely to be bashed by scientists about how lazy you are. It's close to the faculty, but this means it's also out of town. When I visited I thought it was nice but nothing special - it just didn't click for me. Obviously everyone's tastes are different. If you really liked it then go for it and don't worry about what its reputation is. Selwyn is one of the lucky few without a massive reputation and is generally considered to be very nice.

Love Vicki xx

P.S. Sorry if this post sounds a little harsh. I've got a kidney infection and am in a bad mood from sitting at home all day. :frown:

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