Cambridge Colleges - Spill the tEa
Essentially I wanna know the low down on all the Cambridge colleges (except don't bother with the really posh ones like St John's as I know I definitely won't be applying there).
I'm pretty sporty (love swimming), chatty, studying modern languages and like nights out (not into music or staying indoors all the time). Just wondering which colleges are good for state school students, friendly and have a decent social side??
Feel free to link me to any good threads on this if you already know a decent one. Thanks xx
I'm pretty sporty (love swimming), chatty, studying modern languages and like nights out (not into music or staying indoors all the time). Just wondering which colleges are good for state school students, friendly and have a decent social side??
Feel free to link me to any good threads on this if you already know a decent one. Thanks xx
1) Stereotypes are unfair. I don't think you can read much into certain colleges being posher than others (check out collegiate demographics FOI requests) and to eliminate colleges on that basis is... dumb, tbh (you asked for tea!)
2) No colleges are better or worse for state school students, but bear in mind that when Cambridge says that most of its students are from state schools, it means that the vast majority of that majority come from posh southern selective grammars which are as good as many private schools, particularly northern ones. So it's a tricky demographic to read into statistically
3) Swimming-wise, Emmanuel and Girton have pools (Emma's is outdoors tho). Downing is probably the closest college to Cambridge's big swimming pool near Parker's Piece which I've forgotten the name of.
4) More established colleges will have more cash to splash for sports. This is a much bigger deal than you probably think, as competing at a high level in sport (especially for the university to earn your blue) can get extremely expensive (training, equipment, travel, coaching, competition fees, etc). Generally speaking, more modern colleges lack the funding to support student athletes, so if you're serious about pushing on with your sport then an older college with more grants available is a good bet
5) It's a university, so dw about finding people to go on nights out with lol. Any college will do, but central ones are easier to get back to from the clubs ofc
6) All colleges have a social side, but some are better than others. Clare Ents are good, Pembroke's bops were so good that they got banned a few years ago but are now back in a more subdued format (but may yet return full force idk), and Queens' has a decent collegiate social scene. But yeah again you can go anywhere and make friends and drink, it's a university
7) https://www.whichcambridgecollege.com/ has all the stats you need, look especially at the demographics and funding available per student imo, they can tell you a lot if you read into them
2) No colleges are better or worse for state school students, but bear in mind that when Cambridge says that most of its students are from state schools, it means that the vast majority of that majority come from posh southern selective grammars which are as good as many private schools, particularly northern ones. So it's a tricky demographic to read into statistically
3) Swimming-wise, Emmanuel and Girton have pools (Emma's is outdoors tho). Downing is probably the closest college to Cambridge's big swimming pool near Parker's Piece which I've forgotten the name of.
4) More established colleges will have more cash to splash for sports. This is a much bigger deal than you probably think, as competing at a high level in sport (especially for the university to earn your blue) can get extremely expensive (training, equipment, travel, coaching, competition fees, etc). Generally speaking, more modern colleges lack the funding to support student athletes, so if you're serious about pushing on with your sport then an older college with more grants available is a good bet
5) It's a university, so dw about finding people to go on nights out with lol. Any college will do, but central ones are easier to get back to from the clubs ofc
6) All colleges have a social side, but some are better than others. Clare Ents are good, Pembroke's bops were so good that they got banned a few years ago but are now back in a more subdued format (but may yet return full force idk), and Queens' has a decent collegiate social scene. But yeah again you can go anywhere and make friends and drink, it's a university
7) https://www.whichcambridgecollege.com/ has all the stats you need, look especially at the demographics and funding available per student imo, they can tell you a lot if you read into them
ah thank you so much, do u go there btw and if so are you glad u went??
Original post by Parliament
1) Stereotypes are unfair. I don't think you can read much into certain colleges being posher than others (check out collegiate demographics FOI requests) and to eliminate colleges on that basis is... dumb, tbh (you asked for tea!)
2) No colleges are better or worse for state school students, but bear in mind that when Cambridge says that most of its students are from state schools, it means that the vast majority of that majority come from posh southern selective grammars which are as good as many private schools, particularly northern ones. So it's a tricky demographic to read into statistically
3) Swimming-wise, Emmanuel and Girton have pools (Emma's is outdoors tho). Downing is probably the closest college to Cambridge's big swimming pool near Parker's Piece which I've forgotten the name of.
4) More established colleges will have more cash to splash for sports. This is a much bigger deal than you probably think, as competing at a high level in sport (especially for the university to earn your blue) can get extremely expensive (training, equipment, travel, coaching, competition fees, etc). Generally speaking, more modern colleges lack the funding to support student athletes, so if you're serious about pushing on with your sport then an older college with more grants available is a good bet
5) It's a university, so dw about finding people to go on nights out with lol. Any college will do, but central ones are easier to get back to from the clubs ofc
6) All colleges have a social side, but some are better than others. Clare Ents are good, Pembroke's bops were so good that they got banned a few years ago but are now back in a more subdued format (but may yet return full force idk), and Queens' has a decent collegiate social scene. But yeah again you can go anywhere and make friends and drink, it's a university
7) https://www.whichcambridgecollege.com/ has all the stats you need, look especially at the demographics and funding available per student imo, they can tell you a lot if you read into them
2) No colleges are better or worse for state school students, but bear in mind that when Cambridge says that most of its students are from state schools, it means that the vast majority of that majority come from posh southern selective grammars which are as good as many private schools, particularly northern ones. So it's a tricky demographic to read into statistically
3) Swimming-wise, Emmanuel and Girton have pools (Emma's is outdoors tho). Downing is probably the closest college to Cambridge's big swimming pool near Parker's Piece which I've forgotten the name of.
4) More established colleges will have more cash to splash for sports. This is a much bigger deal than you probably think, as competing at a high level in sport (especially for the university to earn your blue) can get extremely expensive (training, equipment, travel, coaching, competition fees, etc). Generally speaking, more modern colleges lack the funding to support student athletes, so if you're serious about pushing on with your sport then an older college with more grants available is a good bet
5) It's a university, so dw about finding people to go on nights out with lol. Any college will do, but central ones are easier to get back to from the clubs ofc
6) All colleges have a social side, but some are better than others. Clare Ents are good, Pembroke's bops were so good that they got banned a few years ago but are now back in a more subdued format (but may yet return full force idk), and Queens' has a decent collegiate social scene. But yeah again you can go anywhere and make friends and drink, it's a university
7) https://www.whichcambridgecollege.com/ has all the stats you need, look especially at the demographics and funding available per student imo, they can tell you a lot if you read into them
Original post by pon1de2replay3
ah thank you so much, do u go there btw and if so are you glad u went??
no worries, I graduated last year. I really enjoyed it academically - it completely changed the way I think and my thinking skills are miles better than they were before uni. I also really liked learning a load of new things; I found almost everything I studied super interesting and I loved the teaching format (supervisions rather than lectures like at most other unis). I also really liked being kept busy, weird as it may sound. I had to do on average 2 essays a week and I'd far far rather that than sit around and do nothing, as is the case at some unis. Socially I didn't like it - I felt like most people were from a different background to me and were quite entitled (and not aware of their own privilege/entitlement, or got very defensive when made aware of it). There was an air of selfishness and tokenism (e.g. 'I'm left wing now so it doesn't matter that my family earn >£1m a year, I'm still morally superior to virtually everyone' kinda vibe) around most people who were there and I found most people pretty unpleasant to be around. This was fine; I did meet some great people and I had loads of home friends to compensate, but yeah. Overall I'd probably go back if I had to choose again, as academically it's just in a completely different class to anywhere else in the country and I think I'd have been miserable at any other uni doing the standard lectures/not much work routine.
(edited 4 years ago)
To add my two cents into this - I graduated last summer, MML, Newnham College.
I really agree with Parliament about the academic side - though it was tough it was worth it in many ways, and aside from the general skills relating to thinking, exploring a question and writing, the overall experience has also made me much more resilient.
I do disagree with the comments on the social side however. I came to Cambridge as the first in my family to go to uni, from a school where not even 10 people a year went to uni and also the first in its history to get into Oxbridge. Fitting in was always a massive concern but I have to say I made my absolute best friends there and loved the social side. There is always so so much going on in every kind of way, from sports to the arts to talks to just loads of random and fun societies and campaigns. I doubt I would have done so much outside of my degree elsewhere, partly because I think opportunities lack in comparison, but also the level of financial support meaning I didn't have a job during term (worked in the vacs instead but that was fine). Being able to just slob out and watch Netflix or do whatever I wanted otherwise was so nice, instead of working on academics and then having the go and work for money on top.
The people can be great, and I loved being around so many people so interested in their subjects - yes there are privileged people and some who aren't so great either but that isn't limited to a particular background tbh. Plus, a) don't gotta be friends with them and b) this isn't something solely limited to Oxbridge - you'll experience it at many universities across the country. You'll always find your people; I certainly did with uni way more than I ever had anywhere else, and there's only one person I went to school with who I'm still actually friends with.
Cambridge is a great place - at times tough, and a hell of an experience but one that I wouldn't change for how much it has changed my life in so many ways!
I really agree with Parliament about the academic side - though it was tough it was worth it in many ways, and aside from the general skills relating to thinking, exploring a question and writing, the overall experience has also made me much more resilient.
I do disagree with the comments on the social side however. I came to Cambridge as the first in my family to go to uni, from a school where not even 10 people a year went to uni and also the first in its history to get into Oxbridge. Fitting in was always a massive concern but I have to say I made my absolute best friends there and loved the social side. There is always so so much going on in every kind of way, from sports to the arts to talks to just loads of random and fun societies and campaigns. I doubt I would have done so much outside of my degree elsewhere, partly because I think opportunities lack in comparison, but also the level of financial support meaning I didn't have a job during term (worked in the vacs instead but that was fine). Being able to just slob out and watch Netflix or do whatever I wanted otherwise was so nice, instead of working on academics and then having the go and work for money on top.
The people can be great, and I loved being around so many people so interested in their subjects - yes there are privileged people and some who aren't so great either but that isn't limited to a particular background tbh. Plus, a) don't gotta be friends with them and b) this isn't something solely limited to Oxbridge - you'll experience it at many universities across the country. You'll always find your people; I certainly did with uni way more than I ever had anywhere else, and there's only one person I went to school with who I'm still actually friends with.
Cambridge is a great place - at times tough, and a hell of an experience but one that I wouldn't change for how much it has changed my life in so many ways!
the tea is....its silly to rule out colleges just for being 'posh'. they're all Cambridge, they'll all have the traditions, super rich people, people who went to private schools etc etc and if you go into it expecting to dislike it because of that then you probably will. johns is acc one of the best ones to go to if you're disadvantaged imo- they have so much spare money that they just chuck it at any student who asks for it.
central colleges are better for nights out bc you dont need to walk ages to the clubs or on the way back.
bigger colleges will also have more people going out on a given night just because they have more people in total. but there'll always be people going out on any night.
central colleges are better for nights out bc you dont need to walk ages to the clubs or on the way back.
bigger colleges will also have more people going out on a given night just because they have more people in total. but there'll always be people going out on any night.
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