Opinion on Pembroke college Oxford

4

im at merton and we're supposed to hate pembroke coz its a pile of shit...apparently so i hear

Reply 2

10

Pem*BROKE*, the most expensive college in Oxford by a mile.

Go to St Johns and pay £54-69/week for accommodation and get to live in for the duration of your course.
Go to Exeter and pay £59-76 a week for accommodation.
Go to Pembroke and pay an extortionate £84-147 a week, plus be kicked out in the 2nd year to sign a 52 week contract on the private market.

If you want to save thousands and thousands of pounds, look elsewhere.
If Daddy can afford it, then go ahead.

Reply 3

loftx

7

You could always go and speak to people there and find out. I was almost going there, so would have been able to tell you. But from what I've been told, Pembroke, is one of the poorer, and less academic colleges. One guide book to Oxford said their only notable achibvement is to have a chmpion darts team.

From what I've seen at my openday, half the buildings are really nice, half are crap. My room was at the top of 5 or so filghts of stairs and really small. Also the rent was really expensive, becase pembroke being so poor, the can't afford to subsadise the students. However everyone seemed really nice and friendly, and their wasn't a cmoptative and elitest feel there was at some of the other college open days I went to. Oh yeah also a good location, right in the centre of town.

That's all I know really, why not go meet some people there and find out for yourself

Reply 4

loftx

7

Jools

Pem*BROKE*, the most expensive college in Oxford by a mile.

Go to St Johns and pay £54-69/week for accommodation and get to live in for the duration of your course.
Go to Exeter and pay £59-76 a week for accommodation.
Go to Pembroke and pay an extortionate £84-147 a week, plus be kicked out in the 2nd year to sign a 52 week contract on the private market.

If you want to save thousands and thousands of pounds, look elsewhere.
If Daddy can afford it, then go ahead.

Yeah, even their self chosen nickname is 'Broke, which is probably a source of much ammusemet to the richer colleges. But seriously if you get a good degree from any Oxford college you shouldnt need to worry to much about the cost of living. once you start earning the real money you should easily be able to pay it back.

Reply 5

10

loftx

Yeah, even their self chosen nickname is 'Broke, which is probably a source of much ammusemet to the richer colleges. But seriously if you get a good degree from any Oxford college you shouldnt need to worry to much about the cost of living. once you start earning the real money you should easily be able to pay it back.

In the long run yes you're sorted but what about during your actual time there? 3 or 4 years is a long time. The basic student loan is £3000. At St Johns or Exeter this can comfortably cover your accommodation (24 week academic year), tuition fees (£1125), food, drink, books and some to spare. At Pembroke it may not even cover your accommodation alone! Parental help is much needed in the latter situation.

Reply 6

10

lala

Do you only get £3000? I get £4100 hehe! Gonna be in so much debt when I finish but lets not think about that... i think thats the maximm you can get outside of London though.

£3000 is the minimum, yes £4100 is the maximum outside Londres. You don't need to worry about a large debt to the Student Loans Company as this is comfortably paid off at 9% of your pay packet when you get a good salary. The concern many seem to be having is hitting their £1500 or so overdraft limit. Thanks to several paid jobs over this summer I can comfortably live down here on a 52 week contract financially independent from parents.

Reply 7

elpaw

15

lala

Do you only get £3000? I get £4100 hehe! Gonna be in so much debt when I finish but lets not think about that... i think thats the maximm you can get outside of London though.

Im getting £4284 so there. (outside london - christchurch in fact)

Reply 8

4

lala

Pembroke has a reputation as being quite chilled and friendly which is obviously nice- it has a rivalry going with Christ Church (and Merton according to tagzt, which I hadnt heard of)

i dont think its a rivalry as such, in my freshers guide it says that Merton has to subsidise Pembroke which is why they don't like PemBROKE.

Reply 9

Does it matter what college you go to... oxford is oxford?? Merton, pembroke... you get the same education. Is it easier to get into pembroke than merton or any other college?

Reply 10

10

tauneutrino

Does it matter what college you go to... oxford is oxford?? Merton, pembroke... you get the same education. Is it easier to get into pembroke than merton or any other college?

Yes it does matter a lot. Here's a short article I wrote for OxStu about the issue:

http://www.oxfordstudent.com/2003-04-24/news/7#part3

Reply 11

RetiredAccount89

18

tauneutrino

Does it matter what college you go to... oxford is oxford?? Merton, pembroke... you get the same education. Is it easier to get into pembroke than merton or any other college?

Onbly thing i know about the place is that a fellow turned down an applicant because he was from Tel Aviv university and had served 3 years in the Israeli army (national service which is obligatory).
I'm as anti-israeli as the next person, but you can't refuse people based on the actions of their country.
J

Reply 12

Jools

Yes it does matter a lot. Here's a short article I wrote for OxStu about the issue:

http://www.oxfordstudent.com/2003-04-24/news/7#part3

Yes, I'm sure there is much inequality in the financial side of things... what about the academic side??? I mean if I get a first from my college (SEH); would that be equivalent to say, a 2:1 from merton?

Reply 13

10

foolfarian

Onbly thing i know about the place is that a fellow turned down an applicant because he was from Tel Aviv university and had served 3 years in the Israeli army (national service which is obligatory).
I'm as anti-israeli as the next person, but you can't refuse people based on the actions of their country.
J

That wasn't Pembroke, that was a tutor from Nuffield College. The Israeli student in question sent me the email he got:

Dear Amit Duvshani,

Thank you for contacting me, but I don't think this would work. I have a huge problem with the way that the Israelis take the moral high ground from their appalling treatment in the Holocaust, and then inflict gross human rights abuses on the Palestinians because they (the Palestinians) wish to live in their own country.

I am sure that you are perfectly nice at a personal level, but no way would I take on somebody who had served in the Israeli army. As you may be aware, I am not the only UK scientist with these views but I'm sure you will find another suitable lab if you look around.

Yours sincerely,
Andrew Wilkie

Anyway, the muppetry has nothing to do with the college the tutor's affiliated to, but the individual tutor himself.

Maybe you're mixing up Pembroke scandal with the Sunday Times undercover investigation last year where they accepted a £100,000 donation for a Law place.

Reply 14

Yes, I'm sure there is much inequality in the financial side of things... what about the academic side??? I mean if I get a first from my college (SEH); would that be equivalent to say, a 2:1 from merton?

I forgot to add, 'in the eyes of a prospective employer' to the last sentence.

Reply 15

10

Unregistered

Yes, I'm sure there is much inequality in the financial side of things... what about the academic side??? I mean if I get a first from my college (SEH); would that be equivalent to say, a 2:1 from merton?

Not really, it will still say "Oxford" on the degree at the end of the day so getting a 2:1 from any college is an equal achievement. But I suppose PPE at Balliol or Merton sounds better than at Somerville or Pembroke.

Reply 16

Blamps

OP

10

omg, I have applied to Pembrok not realising that accommodation could be that expensive - shit shit - If I get in I will be completely broke cos my parents cannot contribute at all to uni costs - what do I do if I get in but cant afford to actually go? - I should have fucking researched it better.

Reply 17

Blamps

omg, I have applied to Pembrok not realising that accommodation could be that expensive - shit shit - If I get in I will be completely broke cos my parents cannot contribute at all to uni costs - what do I do if I get in but cant afford to actually go? - I should have fucking researched it better.

a tip, try to do averagly on your interviews at Pembroke; then the tutors will consider pooling you and you'd be invited for interviews at other colleges that may consider you instead- try to do well in these interviews. (This will only work if you are very intelligent)

I had the same problem as you, I realised my college was extortionate fees but I wasn't interviewed by other colleges :frown:

Reply 18

4

Blamps

omg, I have applied to Pembrok not realising that accommodation could be that expensive - shit shit - If I get in I will be completely broke cos my parents cannot contribute at all to uni costs - what do I do if I get in but cant afford to actually go? - I should have fucking researched it better.

you might be eligible for some bursary or grant, don't worry about it, im sure it will sort itself out if you get in.

Reply 19