The Big 'Which Cambridge College?' Thread
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I know that some lectures are taught in other colleges, but surely it would be best to have a strong college to begin with?
I'm thinking of doing French and Spanish.
I'm thinking of doing French and Spanish.
All lectures are taught at the faculty. You have supervisions at college.
It really doesn't make a bit of difference which college you go to, (unless you are lazy and don't want to walk/cycle to other colleges) because if there is not a fellow that specialises in your subject/particular option, they will find someone else for you at another college. It really doesn't make much difference what college you come from - people do well if they work hard, not because they have supervisors from their own college. I have supervisions at 3 different colleges this year, and some at the faculty. They will put you with whoever is best suited to teaching you, and so even if you have a faculty member at your college, you may end up having supervisions somewhere else anyway.
Don't base your college choice on academics. Choose it based on which one you like the most, and where you want to live for the next 3 years, because that it what it comes down to.
It really doesn't make a bit of difference which college you go to, (unless you are lazy and don't want to walk/cycle to other colleges) because if there is not a fellow that specialises in your subject/particular option, they will find someone else for you at another college. It really doesn't make much difference what college you come from - people do well if they work hard, not because they have supervisors from their own college. I have supervisions at 3 different colleges this year, and some at the faculty. They will put you with whoever is best suited to teaching you, and so even if you have a faculty member at your college, you may end up having supervisions somewhere else anyway.
Don't base your college choice on academics. Choose it based on which one you like the most, and where you want to live for the next 3 years, because that it what it comes down to.
Original post by mcgoohan
I know that some lectures are taught in other colleges, but surely it would be best to have a strong college to begin with?
I'm thinking of doing French and Spanish.
I'm thinking of doing French and Spanish.
I'm currently studying MML (French and Spanish) at Clare College, and would agree wholeheartedly with Mrs. Cullen. Actually, as a side-note, you don't even have all your supervisions in college: I'm doing ab initio Spanish, and I get most of my supervisions at a Faculty level. I've even got one of my supervisions at King's...
Generally, though, your ability to do well in a subject should be independent of your college choice. I chose Clare for reasons that weren't really linked to my subject (although I wanted to be fairly close to the MML Faculty
), but instead because I liked the general vibe and feel of the college. I'm sure Mrs. Cullen has got equally valid reasons for choosing Girton: it's a matter of personal choice.When it comes to making a choice about colleges, I'd recommend going to visit. Either pop into a few on the afternoon during a Cambridge-wide Open Day, or go along to a college-specific one and look at your other "shortlisted" colleges later in the day.
Good luck - I'm sure Mrs. Cullen and I will be happy to offer advice!
My grades when I apply will most likely be:
{GCSE} A*A*A*A*AAAAAB (A*AAAAAAACC before resits though)
{AS LEVEL} AAAA
I did my GCSEs at a state school with a 49% pass rate and was suffering from some problems at the time, so that probably accounts for my average results. I did come in the top 10% of my year, though. I'm doing my A Levels at the same school, but my issues are cleared up and their A Level pass rate is higher.
I'm planning on applying for PPS. The two colleges I'm looking at are St. John's and Corpus Christi, both of which I have visited.
I like John's because of the May Ball. Also, my GCSE maths teacher (who went to my secondary school) went there.
I like Corpus because the teacher (a well-known author) who will write my reference did a course there (there's a feature about him somewhere on the website...).
I'm thinking Corpus is probably the better fit for me, but my best friend is also applying there.
Your thoughts?
{GCSE} A*A*A*A*AAAAAB (A*AAAAAAACC before resits though)
{AS LEVEL} AAAA
I did my GCSEs at a state school with a 49% pass rate and was suffering from some problems at the time, so that probably accounts for my average results. I did come in the top 10% of my year, though. I'm doing my A Levels at the same school, but my issues are cleared up and their A Level pass rate is higher.
I'm planning on applying for PPS. The two colleges I'm looking at are St. John's and Corpus Christi, both of which I have visited.
I like John's because of the May Ball. Also, my GCSE maths teacher (who went to my secondary school) went there.
I like Corpus because the teacher (a well-known author) who will write my reference did a course there (there's a feature about him somewhere on the website...).
I'm thinking Corpus is probably the better fit for me, but my best friend is also applying there.
Your thoughts?
(edited 12 years ago)
I think your subject also has something to do with that. For example, I know loads of people from other colleges because Russian is such a tiny subject and we have loads of contact hours in small groups. There are only two of us from Emma but I'm good friends with people from Jesus, Clare, Tit Hall, Kings, Trinity etc. Whereas the mathmos in college don't know any mathmos from other colleges really, as there are 8 of them and they just have lectures (rather than the class style things we have) and tend to be supervised within college.
That's true. Science people tend to know each other from practicals and land economists know each other because it's a small subject. But historians don't seem to know many people from other colleges and law, you don't tend to unless you make an effort (though 2nd and 3rd year you can have supervisions with people from other colleges).
But yeah, just join a uni society and you'll make friends from outside college. I did Union debate workshops in first year and i got to know quite a few people from different colleges
But yeah, just join a uni society and you'll make friends from outside college. I did Union debate workshops in first year and i got to know quite a few people from different colleges
Original post by gethsemane342
That's true. Science people tend to know each other from practicals and land economists know each other because it's a small subject. But historians don't seem to know many people from other colleges and law, you don't tend to unless you make an effort (though 2nd and 3rd year you can have supervisions with people from other colleges).
But yeah, just join a uni society and you'll make friends from outside college. I did Union debate workshops in first year and i got to know quite a few people from different colleges
But yeah, just join a uni society and you'll make friends from outside college. I did Union debate workshops in first year and i got to know quite a few people from different colleges
I do history and have historian friends in numerous other colleges. You get chatting in lectures, the jcr/buttery and occasionally the library. You're also in small groups in Themes and Sources classes and there are CLIO (the history society) events. You then get to know most historians in your friends' colleges just through little connections. I've only been there a term, so it does happen!
Original post by cheesymunchkin
I do history and have historian friends in numerous other colleges. You get chatting in lectures, the jcr/buttery and occasionally the library. You're also in small groups in Themes and Sources classes and there are CLIO (the history society) events. You then get to know most historians in your friends' colleges just through little connections. I've only been there a term, so it does happen!
Ha ha, in that case, my historian friends really need to be more talkative
It's a generalisation, really. I mean, what i said about law is true for most lawyers but as it happens, i'm friends with law students from a few other colleges and i know some from other colleges. But out of the lawyers in my year at my college, apart from one guy who already knew others before he started, i know the most law students outside college. If i judged being friends with law students by me, i could say it's not too hard to make friends. If i judged it by a girl i met a few weeks ago, i could say it's really easy. If i judged it by another law student in my year, i could say it's very difficult. Most historians i know will talk to other historians but don't really count them as friends or people they know well (heck, i knew some historians from one college better than my friend who was in their Themes and Sources class, and i'd only met these historians a few times!) and they never mention anything about historians generally talking to each other. It really depends on how much effort you put into it, i think. You put more effort than my mates in so you know more people I love trinity; it's so beautiful! Lots of competition though XD
Hi all,
I'd like to study History at Cambridge and was wondering which college is best for the subject and perhaps which is easiest to get into for History.
Thanks,
EvanMF
I'd like to study History at Cambridge and was wondering which college is best for the subject and perhaps which is easiest to get into for History.
Thanks,
EvanMF
Original post by Evan MF
Hi all,
I'd like to study History at Cambridge and was wondering which college is best for the subject and perhaps which is easiest to get into for History.
Thanks,
EvanMF
I'd like to study History at Cambridge and was wondering which college is best for the subject and perhaps which is easiest to get into for History.
Thanks,
EvanMF
Answer to both questions: none.
Colleges are pretty much equal, especially as you can have supervisions in different colleges.
Colleges tend to have the same standard for applications.
Base your decision on where you'd like to live for 3 years.
Original post by gethsemane342
Answer to both questions: none.
Colleges are pretty much equal, especially as you can have supervisions in different colleges.
Colleges tend to have the same standard for applications.
Base your decision on where you'd like to live for 3 years.
Colleges are pretty much equal, especially as you can have supervisions in different colleges.
Colleges tend to have the same standard for applications.
Base your decision on where you'd like to live for 3 years.
But statistically, which ones are easier to get into that others? I hear that popular colleges such as Kings and Trinity have a lot more applications than other colleges, thushave to reject more people.
Another question, if you already have residence in Cambridge, do you have to move into the college accomodations?
EvanMF
Original post by Evan MF
But statistically, which ones are easier to get into that others? I hear that popular colleges such as Kings and Trinity have a lot more applications than other colleges, thushave to reject more people.
Another question, if you already have residence in Cambridge, do you have to move into the college accomodations?
EvanMF
Another question, if you already have residence in Cambridge, do you have to move into the college accomodations?
EvanMF
The fact you can be pooled pretty much does away with any bias. Yes, colleges can only take in so many students but they may often take in a couple more or they will pool candidates, with exceptional ones pretty much guaranteed a place at another college.
Original post by Evan MF
But statistically, which ones are easier to get into that others? I hear that popular colleges such as Kings and Trinity have a lot more applications than other colleges, thushave to reject more people.
Another question, if you already have residence in Cambridge, do you have to move into the college accomodations?
EvanMF
Another question, if you already have residence in Cambridge, do you have to move into the college accomodations?
EvanMF
Statistically, some colleges are easier but the university as a whole is unaffected. For example, in the last cycle, Christ's College had the most applicants. It accepted the same amount as normal and pooled almost twice as many candidates as it usually does because of the sheer weight of strong applicants. About the normal proportion from that were then accepted by other colleges. In effect, applying to the most popular college for that year made very little difference to the chance of getting in - the applicants who were strong enough to get in simply ended up in a different college.
Equally, colleges such as Girton and Newnham frequently take more pooled candidates than any other college. This is actually because weaker candidates tend to apply there on the belief that if there are less applicants, they will have a higher chance of getting in. However, if an applicant is not up to scratch, the college simply rejects them and takes their chances with the pool - i know in Christ's there was a subject where they didn't like anyone who applied, rejected them and have no students for that subject for that year. So, proportionally, if you apply to Girton for example, your chances are pretty much equal as someone who applies to Selwyn for example.
And you are under no obligation to move into the college if you live close enough to the city. However, you will miss out on a huge part of uni life - college atmosphere is one of the bigger parts of Cambridge uni.
Ok, thanks guys.
EvanMF
EvanMF
Original post by gethsemane342
And you are under no obligation to move into the college if you live close enough to the city. However, you will miss out on a huge part of uni life - college atmosphere is one of the bigger parts of Cambridge uni.
And you are under no obligation to move into the college if you live close enough to the city. However, you will miss out on a huge part of uni life - college atmosphere is one of the bigger parts of Cambridge uni.
Not true (at least not at John's). I'm assumng all other colleges are the same as us but at St John's one of the conditions of Matriculation is staying in a college property.
I know a couple of people whose families live in Cambridge but who live in college and none who don't live in college (or in a college owned property)
Original post by Apoxyomenos
Not true (at least not at John's). I'm assumng all other colleges are the same as us but at St John's one of the conditions of Matriculation is staying in a college property.
I know a couple of people whose families live in Cambridge but who live in college and none who don't live in college (or in a college owned property)
I know a couple of people whose families live in Cambridge but who live in college and none who don't live in college (or in a college owned property)
Ah, fair enough then. At Christ's, you can live somewhere else - i know a guy who lived out for 3rd year (admittedly not far away but it was his own place). People who live in Cambridge usually do tend to stay in college because that's where a lot of your uni life is. If i didn't live in college (for example, if i chose to live at my brother's house instead) out of my seven best friends now, i would be friends with one of them and probably only as vague friends. Also, i suspect as long as you lived within 3 miles of the University Church (or at Girton :P) then most colleges will permit you to live off college property because the grduation requirements are that you have spent a certain amount of nights within 3 miles of this church - i don't think it says where you have to be in these 3 miles.
(I also imagine if you had a reason for having to live out, there's not much the college can legally do about it. In reality, they can't *force* you to move in if there's a good reason you can't)
Original post by Evan MF
Hi all,
I'd like to study History at Cambridge and was wondering which college is best for the subject and perhaps which is easiest to get into for History.
Thanks,
EvanMF
I'd like to study History at Cambridge and was wondering which college is best for the subject and perhaps which is easiest to get into for History.
Thanks,
EvanMF
As a history applicant the only things I could think of to consider for 'what's best for history' would be...
- Size of the college library. But even this doesn't matter THAT much, you can always go to the faculty library or the university one. Also the opening hours, I wanted a 24 hour one because I sometimes like to work at ridiculous hours of the night and being a historian you're gonna have to do plenty of reading of course
And err... that's it. Everything else is just the general atmosphere, the price of the pints, how it makes you feel when you walk in, location in Cambridge itself etc.
.........................
If you want a method, the way I did it was I read through the Alternative Prospectus, made a list of all the colleges that had a decent priced meal and drinks (which were most of them to be fair), had good music practice facilities, were in the middle of town and didn't do compulsory formal dining, since that's what I personally wanted although your requirements may differ.
It's hard to do open days because unless you stay for a while you can only do one or two, so I emailed my six colleges asked for I could speak to any of them, all but two said no but said I could look round. I turned up, they're always delighted to see you when you say you're not a tourist you're a prospective student :P and then just went on how the place made me feel. One of the colleges I spoke to weren't very helpful and I didn't like the look of the college much anyway, but another were incredibly nice and the place felt the best, and then I went back on the open day in September and applied there. King's
So to conclude: study the alternative prospectus, make a shortlist, try and visit if you can to have a look around a few and also just get a feel for Cambridge itself, and then come back for a specific Open Day
EDIT: Also read the TSR Wikis on the colleges. Gives you a decent perspective from the student level on the more mundane things. To be honest I doubt that I could have made my decision completely off that, but it helped vindicate my decision a bit once I'd properly narrowed it down.
(edited 12 years ago)
I want to apply to read Geography next year at Cambridge.
Which college is "easier" to get into, and more sympathetic to candidate's situations?
I have a special case I wish to let the college know, and some WILL be more sympathetic than others in terms of offering interviews etc (asked a Cambridge tutor).
Anyone help?
Which college is "easier" to get into, and more sympathetic to candidate's situations?
I have a special case I wish to let the college know, and some WILL be more sympathetic than others in terms of offering interviews etc (asked a Cambridge tutor).
Anyone help?
Original post by Danomind
I want to apply to read Geography next year at Cambridge.
Which college is "easier" to get into, and more sympathetic to candidate's situations?
I have a special case I wish to let the college know, and some WILL be more sympathetic than others in terms of offering interviews etc (asked a Cambridge tutor).
Anyone help?
Which college is "easier" to get into, and more sympathetic to candidate's situations?
I have a special case I wish to let the college know, and some WILL be more sympathetic than others in terms of offering interviews etc (asked a Cambridge tutor).
Anyone help?
I'd still be inclined to say that there is no "easier" college to get into: the pool system ensures that successful application is independent of college choice. This is particularly important since so much of the teaching at Cambridge occurs at a University level (ie. lectures), and it's largely supervisions that take place in College (and even some of these may be at another College!).
As far as your special case is concerned, however, are you aware of the Cambridge Special Access Scheme? It's a form that your school is asked to fill out with reference to any extenuating circumstances. There's also a section on the Supplementary Application Questionnaire, if I remember correctly, that allows you to make clear any relevant information yourself.
Hope this helps!
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