The Big 'Which Cambridge College?' Thread

zef99

But for philosophy?

In my year at least, there is only one philosopher at each of the colleges you've mentioned (apart from Magdalene which I don't think has any!) so it's impossible to compare them really.

Reply 261

thegluups

14

bj_945

Heya,
hoping to apply for Philosophy this year.
Thinking about these colleges:

Sidney Sussex
Trinity Hall
Downing
Magdalene

I want something quite small, friendly and relaxed as well as less traditional/arrogant/ posh etc. with as few stupid rules as possible, but which still feels like a college (I love Churchill in many ways, but it just felt like my school)

High %ge of state schoolers would be good.

Which would be the best for that in those?

Any help much appreciated
Peace and love

You might want to check how many philosophers the college takes in.. because a lot only take in one or two pupils, or you might even be the only one! and it's usually nicer to have other people in your college doing the same subject as you...
As for friendly and relax, Trinity Hall would be a good choice...

Reply 262

Jacobite

thomaskurian89

Tompkins rankings say that Magdalene is the best among the given colleges.

This is a fraction misleading. They did come 5th in 2008, but the results from 2000 to 2007 run: 22, 22, 15, 18, 22, 20, 20, 13. Perhaps there has been dramatic recent improvement (which could itself suggest ruthless academic practices of the showers-in-the-library Christ's variety), but then again perhaps they have simply had an anomalously fortunate year.

In addition one should not pay too much attention to the Tompkins Table. It is compiled primarily for the entertainment of credulous newspaper readers.

Reply 263

Arabassist

2

Hello,

My 6th form's forcing me to apply to UCAS fully submitted by this friday. The trouble is I don't know which Cambridge college to apply for. I was planning to visit the area again to see which was best for someone choosing Chem Eng (again, i duno whether to choose nat sci or eng) and preferably 'modern'. When i visited with a group from my 6th form I found the old colleges a bit intimidating. We stayed most at the time at Fitzwilliam and i preferred the 'atmosphere' of that one.

Could someone help me choose the right one? :s-smilie:

Thanks

Reply 264

bj_945

18

Alright, thanks a lot guys, really helpful, sounds like Magdalen's off the list, so that's progress. King's, I would love to go. It is my favorite college, but I know how many people apply there, and I just wanna give myself the best possible chance. I know you may be pooled, so people claim you've got the same chance of getting in, but that sounds like a slightly less secure place to be than when you're in your first application to a college, so I'd rather avoid an increased chance of that happening. Also I'd rather have more control over where I go. I've seen Sidney, Downing and T. Hall, and they're all gorgeous, if not quite as magnificent as King's. I've done my research, I'm just hoping for any random student insights that I might not have been able to get from my position as a prospective student (like that Magdalene has a reputation for being posh and traditional, that was really useful). Any more stereotypes, or wtever between T. Hall, Sidney and Downing?

Thanks a lot
Peace and Love xx

Reply 265

Jacobite

bj_945

Alright, thanks a lot guys, really helpful, sounds like Magdalen's off the list, so that's progress. King's, I would love to go. It is my favorite college, but I know how many people apply there, and I just wanna give myself the best possible chance. I know you may be pooled, so people claim you've got the same chance of getting in, but that sounds like a slightly less secure place to be than when you're in your first application to a college, so I'd rather avoid an increased chance of that happening. Also I'd rather have more control over where I go. I've seen Sidney, Downing and T. Hall, and they're all gorgeous, if not quite as magnificent as King's. I've done my research, I'm just hoping for any random student insights that I might not have been able to get from my position as a prospective student (like that Magdalene has a reputation for being posh and traditional, that was really useful). Any more stereotypes, or wtever between T. Hall, Sidney and Downing?

Thanks a lot
Peace and Love xx

I wouldn't read too much into this, but looking at the most recent statistics (http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2007-08/special/14/table5_1.pdf) Trinity Hall and Sidney seem to admit a larger proportion of state applicants that Downing.

Reply 266

thegluups

14

bj_945

Alright, thanks a lot guys, really helpful, sounds like Magdalen's off the list, so that's progress. King's, I would love to go. It is my favorite college, but I know how many people apply there, and I just wanna give myself the best possible chance. I know you may be pooled, so people claim you've got the same chance of getting in, but that sounds like a slightly less secure place to be than when you're in your first application to a college, so I'd rather avoid an increased chance of that happening. Also I'd rather have more control over where I go. I've seen Sidney, Downing and T. Hall, and they're all gorgeous, if not quite as magnificent as King's. I've done my research, I'm just hoping for any random student insights that I might not have been able to get from my position as a prospective student (like that Magdalene has a reputation for being posh and traditional, that was really useful). Any more stereotypes, or wtever between T. Hall, Sidney and Downing?

Thanks a lot
Peace and Love xx

Downing is THE college for law.. and has a reputation of being very academic, at least that's what i heard when doing my research... And apparently Downing isn't has central as Trinity Hall, which is near the river

Reply 267

Excalibur

15

bj_945

Alright, thanks a lot guys, really helpful, sounds like Magdalen's off the list, so that's progress. King's, I would love to go. It is my favorite college, but I know how many people apply there, and I just wanna give myself the best possible chance. I know you may be pooled, so people claim you've got the same chance of getting in, but that sounds like a slightly less secure place to be than when you're in your first application to a college, so I'd rather avoid an increased chance of that happening. Also I'd rather have more control over where I go. I've seen Sidney, Downing and T. Hall, and they're all gorgeous, if not quite as magnificent as King's. I've done my research, I'm just hoping for any random student insights that I might not have been able to get from my position as a prospective student (like that Magdalene has a reputation for being posh and traditional, that was really useful). Any more stereotypes, or wtever between T. Hall, Sidney and Downing?

Thanks a lot
Peace and Love xx

Trinity Hall - very central, but it's rather overshadowed by Clare/Trinity/Caius etc and I keep missing where the entrance is when I go past it. It's the only college out of the three by the river, if that's a priority for you. The grounds and the number of students are both quite small.

Sidney - again central, with the added advantage of being opposite the Sainsbury's Local. It has nice gardens, and is a nice small-to-medium kind of size. It has a reputation for being one of the most friendly of colleges along with Emma and Clare, apparently (but all the colleges have been friendly whenever I went...).

Downing - a bit further out of town, and newer than the other two (est 1800). A medium sized college in terms of numbers but the grounds are expansive. It has a rep for law and does quite well in the Tompkins Table, but I've never got the impression that the college was overly academic/public schooly (well, at least they let me in and I'm from your average comprehensive!).

I'd say all three colleges are quite similar - they're of similar competitiveness, they're small-to-medium sized, they're all architecturally nice and they all don't have too strong a stereotype like some of the other colleges.

But, if you really like King's, you should go for King's...

Reply 268

Jigglypuff

16

bj_945

Alright, thanks a lot guys, really helpful, sounds like Magdalen's off the list, so that's progress. King's, I would love to go. It is my favorite college, but I know how many people apply there, and I just wanna give myself the best possible chance. I know you may be pooled, so people claim you've got the same chance of getting in, but that sounds like a slightly less secure place to be than when you're in your first application to a college, so I'd rather avoid an increased chance of that happening. Also I'd rather have more control over where I go. I've seen Sidney, Downing and T. Hall, and they're all gorgeous, if not quite as magnificent as King's. I've done my research, I'm just hoping for any random student insights that I might not have been able to get from my position as a prospective student (like that Magdalene has a reputation for being posh and traditional, that was really useful). Any more stereotypes, or wtever between T. Hall, Sidney and Downing?

Thanks a lot
Peace and Love xx

I'm at Kings doing philosophy and initially worried about the application statistics, but our DoS is actually really flexible with numbers. So although, for example, in the year I applied there were about 30 applicants for 3 places, he'll sometimes take more than that (or less). I think it's been as many as 8 and as few as 2. I wouldn't worry about it!

If you're still really worried, then apply to one of the others you liked. Think about the location (i.e. do you want to be on the river (TH), in the middle of town (SS), or slightly off the tourist route (Downing)?) If you've seen them all you must have a gut instinct of some sort?

Reply 269

Arrogant Git

bj_945

High %ge of state schoolers would be good.

Don't worry too much about the percentage of state-schoolers at the college you're applying to- it's the sort of thing you'll hardly notice when you arrive. Hardly anyone at Cambridge is snobby about that sort of thing (and those who are tend to stay near the Pitt Club or the Union or CUCA so you'll never meet them).

Reply 270

bj_945

18

"If you've seen them all you must have a gut instinct of some sort?"

Yeh, I've got to say gut instinct was for Sidney. Just kind of unpretentious and small, but still beautiful with lovely gardens. TH just didn't have any area like the gardens and the river frontage wasn't as nice as I'd imagined (no grass or anything, and really small). Downing was really impressive architecturally and it's really spacious, but in a way that makes it a bit more pretentious. That's my only problem with King's too, is that it's just so famous and huge it almost becomes a bit pretentious (despite it being really liberal etc, which is why I like it).

So yeh, I guess my gut says Sidney. But head says maybe should do TH as ratios are just slightly better. I guess probs Downing should go as I'd rather go Sidney and ratios are better there too.

Peace and Love xx

Reply 271

elin89

6

ignore the stats and go for wherever feels best for you

Reply 272

thegluups

14

bj_945

"If you've seen them all you must have a gut instinct of some sort?"

Yeh, I've got to say gut instinct was for Sidney. Just kind of unpretentious and small, but still beautiful with lovely gardens. TH just didn't have any area like the gardens and the river frontage wasn't as nice as I'd imagined (no grass or anything, and really small). Downing was really impressive architecturally and it's really spacious, but in a way that makes it a bit more pretentious. That's my only problem with King's too, is that it's just so famous and huge it almost becomes a bit pretentious (despite it being really liberal etc, which is why I like it).

So yeh, I guess my gut says Sidney. But head says maybe should do TH as ratios are just slightly better. I guess probs Downing should go as I'd rather go Sidney and ratios are better there too.

Peace and Love xx

Go to Sidney then... Don't worry about statistics...

Reply 273

anix

Okay everyone... St Johns or Downing?

Just wondering if anyone has any preference, knows of any stereotypes attached to the colleges/students or can notifiy me on the postives/negatives of college life at Downing and/or Johns?!

I love both, but have about a week to decide between them, so any comments would be lush!
(By the way I'm applying for Law.)

Reply 274

littleshambles

14

Me = Official Downing applicant '09 *excitement*

When I went to Cambridge, I somehow managed to get through an entire open day without entering any college other than Pembroke and Emmanuel (even though I really tried to find Downing :frown:

). I decided on Downing just because I like neoclassical architecture and the accommodation is all onsite (I wouldn't have wanted to choose a college and then go off and live in some building five minutes away...)

I probably won't get in, so no worries. :smile:

And there's always the pool so you could end up anywhere anyway :s-smilie:

Reply 275

Excalibur

15

anix

Okay everyone... St Johns or Downing?

Just wondering if anyone has any preference, knows of any stereotypes attached to the colleges/students or can notifiy me on the postives/negatives of college life at Downing and/or Johns?!

I love both, but have about a week to decide between them, so any comments would be lush!
(By the way I'm applying for Law.)

Downing has a reputation for law - I don't know why exactly, but we apparently have good tutors and take in a big number of lawyers - but there are no major stereotypes as such associated with the college. The first year accommodation is superb; the buildings are unique and cohesive (so no ugly '60s buildings next to a 12th century court!) and the grounds are really expansive. There's also a very helpful (and quick to reply!) bunch of people at the Downing JCR forum if you have any queries. :smile:

I don't know much about St John's, apart from that it's in the centre, it's large/grand/rich (second only to Trinity), it's on the backs, it's old and there's a song that goes "I'd rather go to Oxford than St John's". :wink:

littleshambles

Me = Official Downing applicant '09 *excitement*

When I went to Cambridge, I somehow managed to get through an entire open day without entering any college other than Pembroke and Emmanuel (even though I really tried to find Downing :frown:

). I decided on Downing just because I like neoclassical architecture and the accommodation is all onsite (I wouldn't have wanted to choose a college and then go off and live in some building five minutes away...)

I probably won't get in, so no worries. :smile:

And there's always the pool so you could end up anywhere anyway :s-smilie:

Good luck with your application! Downing is very well hidden from the outside so if you're not sure of where you're going, it's quite difficult to find.

Reply 276

gotnoidea

hi everyone,
i'm applying for phys natsci this year and am really having trouble choosing a college!!

i'd like to go to one which is: friendly and relaxed, quite central and near to lectures, middle-sized, has nice accomodation, good food would also be nice but i'm really not a fussy eater :smile:

also i don't drink, will this make a major difference to how i fit into any college?

the colleges i am considering are:
emmanuel
clare
queens
downing

if anyone could give me some advice i'd really appreciate it! thanks!

What's Queens' like?

praying

What's Queens' like?

Awesome, in every way.

Reply 279

thegluups

14

anix

Okay everyone... St Johns or Downing?

Just wondering if anyone has any preference, knows of any stereotypes attached to the colleges/students or can notifiy me on the postives/negatives of college life at Downing and/or Johns?!

I love both, but have about a week to decide between them, so any comments would be lush!
(By the way I'm applying for Law.)

St Johns is a lot more central than Downing, and the river runs across it. It also has a great reputation for sport. In St Johns, all the first years are accommodated in the same building Cripps, so that's a big plus, because you get to know people very quickly, and you're guaranteed accommodation in college for all three years (well nearly everybody is)

As for Downing, it has the reputation for being THE law college... and is a bit smaller than St John's, so it might me more "cosy"...

Of course, I'm not biased in any way... :rolleyes:

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