The Big 'Which Cambridge College?' Thread

Hi everyone! I know there's a thread on colleges, but this is just a specific question:

I'm applying from outside the UK so I really don't have a clue about the reputations of the colleges. I'm applying for SPS (PPS) and I have narowed it down to the following: (in parantese the main characteristics I've been told)

Corpus Christi (small, old, high standarts)
Downing (sporty)
Fitzwilliam (small)
Girton (far away)
Homerton (far away)
Jesus (sporty)
Selwyn (top tompkins, "poor")
Sidney Sussex (small, midtown)
Trinity (richest in oxbridge)
Trinity Hall (small, many postgrads)

Which one should i choose??
( I don't mind if its old or new / far away or close ) I am not sporty or musical. Just interested in my subject and want to optimize my chances since I'm a foreign applicant (denmark) I have good grades, reference and so on.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Well I very much hope that it's friendly, I move in on Saturday!
Also, from here:
http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/index.php?pageid=713
it would seem that Trinity's encouraging good applicants for English. Whatever you want to make of that.
But yes, everybody I've spoken to on Facebook etc going to Trinity seem friendly, and with such a large year group you really should be able to find a friendly set of people somewhere
I hope anyway
Good luck with your application

Ooh that's very interesting (Probably more so because I'm meant to be doing something more proactive right now.)

Hehe, me too My to-do list hasn't even been written yet, that's how little I've done yet

And to be relevant to the topic, erm, that link just seems to be encouraging good applicants, I don't know how (or if) it would affect chances of an offer.

They all sound good - again, there's really so little to choose from between the colleges. There are so many facilities for extra-curricular activities everywhere, that I don't think it matters that much So - maybe you could pick out of the three based on location?

Thank you for the advice Neutral_Tones. I have decided to go with Jesus. Although it is a little further away from the centre, the library is open 24 hours and the larger grounds seem nicer.

Although now I'm getting doubts about it...

All libraries are 24 hours aren't they? They said that Corpus Christi is at the open day.

If you don't care, why don't you make an open application?

Well I do care about other things! I have chosen these after all based on entrance requirements for danish apps. and range of tests etc.

However I have narroved it further down:

Fitzwilliam, Trinity, Selwyn, Jesus

Can you tell me the main characteristics for these??

Can someone convince me not to apply to Christ's?

Well I do care about other things! I have chosen these after all based on entrance requirements for danish apps. and range of tests etc.

However I have narroved it further down:

Fitzwilliam, Trinity, Selwyn, Jesus

Can you tell me the main characteristics for these??

Well I do care about other things! I have chosen these after all based on entrance requirements for danish apps. and range of tests etc.

However I have narroved it further down:

Fitzwilliam, Trinity, Selwyn, Jesus

Can you tell me the main characteristics for these??

How is the accommodation at Pembroke like? Also is it true that it is especially competitive to get into Pembroke for History? I don't want to be pooled..):

What do people think of Downing? (in terms of accomm/facilities/competitiveness for applications/atmosphere etc)

My friend is going to Pembroke. She said she could have a choice of either a very old, Cambridge-esque room (which may or may not have central heating lol) or one in the newer block. There are no en-suite accommodation for first years.

Downing's first year accommodation is good, with ~80% being en-suite; the advantage is also that you're all on-site or next-door to the college for all three years. Can't say much about facilities (they're mostly the same at all colleges really), but if you like open space the Paddock is in the middle of the college with grass you can walk on (!) and play sport. There's a squash court somewhere and Kelsey Kerridge (the local gym) is down the road. Atmosphere-wise, I felt the college to be more relaxed and less intimidating than some of the others and the open space made me feel less claustrophobic which I liked. It's a reasonably competitive college overall (esp. for law and medicine), but I don't think it's especially so for History.

You certainly made Downing sound very appealing : ) Is everything catered there? Looking at the application statistics though, relatively fewer people seem to be accepted for History, compared with other colleges..Idk. Also, is the teaching really not a factor in choosing a college? Because Supervisors are mostly drawn from the College's teaching fellows, right?