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The Big 'Which Cambridge College?' Thread

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Original post by DJMayes
You should possibly mention the uncountable number of tourists you seem to get for the clock alone.


yes we probably have more tourists looking at that thing each day than we have students!
Original post by Brave171294
Hi everyone, Just like to know the cons and pros of these following colleges-St Johns, Trinity, Kings.
This would help me very much thank you.


- Architecture: All three are similarly grand.
- Location: All three are at the centre of the town and very easy to get to wherever you want to go from them.
- Tourists: All three get a lot of tourists. Kings is probably the worst due to being right along Kings Parade. St Johns charges entry to the college unless you are a university member so may be more bearable. No clue about Trinity.
- Academic Reputation: Trinity wins this one fairly comfortably.
- Porters: The times I have encountered the porters, the St Johns porters have been quite rude, whereas the Trinity/Kings ones seemed much nicer.
- Food: I haven't eaten at Kings. Trinity food is cheap but not fantastic quality. St Johns is more expensive (Still decently priced though) and good quality.

Don't have a clue about accommodation, living costs, etc. as I go to none of these three colleges. What I have told you should hopefully be unbiased though.
Original post by Ho Chi Minh
Right. Since I can't be negged for this, I may as well tell you the demonstrably objective and entirely unbiased truth about these places.

Trinity Hall - nice, but a bit small and thus overshadowed by its neighbour, Trinity.
Sidney Sussex - alright, but half of Cambridge hasn't heard of it and the other half will just tell you that it's opposite Sainsbury's (not sure what that says about it, really). Trinity owns the land it was built on, too.
St John's - Just a less good version of Trinity (also does inexcusably badly academically given its size and wealth).
Magdalene - solid, but not Trinity.
Emmanuel - solid, but not Trinity.
Downing - solid (slightly out of the centre though, and not Trinity)
Corpus Christi - solid, but small and not Trinity.
Churchill - really ugly, too many men and not Trinity.


I assume you go to a college whose name begins with 'T' and ends in 'rinity'.
Original post by Brave171294
Hi everyone, Just like to know the cons and pros of these following colleges-St Johns, Trinity, Kings.
This would help me very much thank you.


Don't go to King's unless you're a one-armed, feminist, ugly black lesbian. Don't go to Trinity if you want a college that gives **** away for free every day. You know what John's gives out? FREE MONEY!

You'll have money for books, money for food, money for travel, and if you are studying one of a certain few Triposes, money just sommer.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Ami_Ginger_Cake
I would really apprecoate some advice on chossing a college. I'm not sure if I will be able to visit before I apply. My main criteria are:

1. Good accomodation that is relatively cheap.

2. Good food.

3. A good library with a really good atmoaphere for working in.

4. Rather central, close to the Law Faculty (Sidgwick Site).

Thank you in advance for your help and advice!

Posted from TSR Mobile


If I *were* biased I'd plug Peterhouse or Corpus (the two oldest, most reactionary, and smallest colleges). I'm not. Therefore.....

Good/cheap accommodation and good/cheap food is generally dependent on the wealth of the College. For this, you'll want Peterhouse or Corpus. Queens is closest to the Law Faculty---just a quick walk down Silver Street and you're there. For a good library, you'll want Gonville and Caius---it used to be the University Library way back when and has a totes amazeballs atmosphere.
Original post by wilson_smith
This is great confirmation; I already placed Pembroke as my first choice! :smile:


Good luck in the Security Service then!

What? You didn't know? If you go to Pembroke, you'll get a tap on the shoulder from the SS, the SIS, or the GCHQ. :-D
Original post by <*(((><
I'm applying to St John's to study chemical engineering. Describe what kind of person I am. If the descriptions are anything like me, I know I will have chosen the right college.


You are a posh young man who lives in Belgravia, has lodgings at the 'Club' (most likely the Reform or the Travellers) and plays bridge there daily, votes UKIP/Tory, and wears Harris Tweed. More than likely you smoke a pipe rather than cigarettes, you went to high school at Eton, and you like hunteeeen and pooooughlo for sport.
Original post by DJMayes
...
- Porters: The times I have encountered the porters, the St Johns porters have been quite rude.
...


And I thought it was just me, being paranoid. Nice to know they are rude to everyone and not just me!
Original post by honeywhite
If I *were* biased I'd plug Peterhouse
or Corpus (the two oldest, most reactionary, and smallest colleges). I'm not. Therefore.....

Good/cheap accommodation and good/cheap food is generally dependent on the wealth of the College. For this, you'll want Peterhouse or Corpus. Queens is closest to the Law Faculty---just a quick walk down Silver Street and you're there. For a good library, you'll want Gonville and Caius---it used to be the University Library way back when and has a totes amazeballs atmosphere.



:p:
Original post by Chief Wiggum


:p:


Hey, it's only out of the goodness of their hearts that St John's now has a college on that land! (Used to be the St Peter's Hospital way back when, they owned Peterhouse)
Original post by Chief Wiggum


:p:


What's the book, out of interest? :holmes:
Original post by Tortious
What's the book, out of interest? :holmes:


Don't know, it's from a recent post on Overheard at Cambridge if you want to check. (I don't think anyone provided the book name though.) :smile:
Original post by Tortious
What's the book, out of interest? :holmes:

http://www.fullbooks.com/Beautiful-Britain-Cambridge.html
I had a handy little chart (god knows where from) that said what subjects my A-Levels would get me into at each college, and how over-subscribed those courses were. And then I picked Downing because it was undersubscribed for Politics and had two rugby teams. I really think the only mistakes you can make are Girton if you don't like cycling, and St Johns. No-one likes Johns. Some people know what they want to do. Downing and Johns win the rugby, Downing, Caius and Trinity win the rowing, Trinity churns out mathmos, Downing gets all the best law-firm dinners.

Seriously, If you're going to get into Cambridge, you'll make your own way. You'll probably get through clearing after all the stress anyway. Just go with it. Y'al be reet.
Original post by huntsman123
I had a handy little chart (god knows where from) that said what subjects my A-Levels would get me into at each college, and how over-subscribed those courses were. And then I picked Downing because it was undersubscribed for Politics and had two rugby teams. I really think the only mistakes you can make are Girton if you don't like cycling, and St Johns. No-one likes Johns. Some people know what they want to do. Downing and Johns win the rugby, Downing, Caius and Trinity win the rowing, Trinity churns out mathmos, Downing gets all the best law-firm dinners.

Seriously, If you're going to get into Cambridge, you'll make your own way. You'll probably get through clearing after all the stress anyway. Just go with it. Y'all be reet.


Actually, amend that.. The ethos of different colleges changes almost constantly and strict staff or an unhelpful senior tutor could be a nightmare. I couldn't imagine being chased around by bowler hatted bulldogs compared to the good helpful porters at Downing. You really had to cross the line to get in trouble with the dean in my first year, but by third year you couldn't get away with anything.

However, if your going to get advice of that kind, it can only really come from someone who knows you well. Sorry, back to my original advice that if you're going to be a Cantab you'll make your own way. Just pick a subject where you'll interview well and get through that first!
Can anyone give me some advice? I think I'm choosing between applying to one of St Catz, Pembroke and King's (at the moment anyway) and I can't cut it down any more than that. Could anyone who's at Cambridge sort of describe the defining features of each college? Is there anything extra I should know about them? (eg I was really interested in Catz when I found out the guy who sets the C3L6 is from that college and he's also written a book I have) I'm applying for physical natsci if that makes a difference! :smile:
Original post by mollyh77
Can anyone give me some advice? I think I'm choosing between applying to one of St Catz, Pembroke and King's (at the moment anyway) and I can't cut it down any more than that. Could anyone who's at Cambridge sort of describe the defining features of each college? Is there anything extra I should know about them? (eg I was really interested in Catz when I found out the guy who sets the C3L6 is from that college and he's also written a book I have) I'm applying for physical natsci if that makes a difference! :smile:


I'm going to King's in October. Have you visited all the colleges? If not, definitely see when they have open days.
King's is aesthetically gorgeous, famously 'lefty' on the political spectrum, with (apparently) informal relationships between students and staff; being on first-name terms, etc. King's is one of the less formal colleges in regards in regards to tradition, and there's also the King's Affair, which is Kings' alternative to the May Balls which characterize many of the other colleges. If you've not heard of the King's Affair, definitely give it a Google :cool:
Original post by mollyh77
Can anyone give me some advice? I think I'm choosing between applying to one of St Catz, Pembroke and King's (at the moment anyway) and I can't cut it down any more than that. Could anyone who's at Cambridge sort of describe the defining features of each college? Is there anything extra I should know about them? (eg I was really interested in Catz when I found out the guy who sets the C3L6 is from that college and he's also written a book I have) I'm applying for physical natsci if that makes a difference! :smile:


I'd advise visiting as well.

I don't think Catz and Pembroke have anything overly "defining" about them. King's has a reputation for being informal and left-wing.

If you have slightly more specific questions, I'm sure people will be able to help on here.
Original post by mollyh77
Can anyone give me some advice? I think I'm choosing between applying to one of St Catz, Pembroke and King's (at the moment anyway) and I can't cut it down any more than that. Could anyone who's at Cambridge sort of describe the defining features of each college? Is there anything extra I should know about them? (eg I was really interested in Catz when I found out the guy who sets the C3L6 is from that college and he's also written a book I have) I'm applying for physical natsci if that makes a difference! :smile:


Pembroke is renowned for its brunch - I go to Pembroke brunch more often than my own college's! Pembroke doesn't get too many tourists, as it is just slightly further down the road, but does still get some. All three colleges are very central, and close to Downing site and New Museums. But I think Physics is now at West Cambridge which is a good 10/15 minute cycle from the centre. But the distances between Pembroke, Catz and King's are negligible. Catz is quite ugly though!
Original post by mollyh77
Can anyone give me some advice? I think I'm choosing between applying to one of St Catz, Pembroke and King's (at the moment anyway) and I can't cut it down any more than that. Could anyone who's at Cambridge sort of describe the defining features of each college? Is there anything extra I should know about them? (eg I was really interested in Catz when I found out the guy who sets the C3L6 is from that college and he's also written a book I have) I'm applying for physical natsci if that makes a difference! :smile:


This is second hand as it's my uncle who's an Old Cantabrigian and my grandfather and mother too... but since I've been to Cambridge and seen most of the colleges, here's my view.

Don't go to King's unless you're socialist/subversive/anarchist to the core. They don't like "toffs" at King's (although my definition of "toff" and theirs aren't quite the same). There's a bust of Marx in the bar and a framed Soviet flag; students and Fellows refer to each other by their Christian names (or "tu" in French); there is a bit of a relationship between the King's School at Eton and the King's College in Cambridge, but this is far smaller than the relationship between Marxist intelligentsia and said College. Yet again (this point needs repeating), politically "hard-left" liberal (think Ken Livingstone).

You'll like Pembroke if you're a fan of good food and Cantabrigian tradition. Pembroke is an "old-school" college, but this doesn't mean the bulldogs and bedders aren't friendly. The only time the porters won't be friendly is if you lose your Chubb key (this is the key to the college gate and very expensive to replace). You can play croquet on the green in the summer, it's quiet (no tourists tramping everywhere), and your books and travel will be paid for (not sure if partially or in full). If you get a First every year, you might get tapped on the shoulder by the SIS or the GRU (choose carefully!). Politically conservative (don't think Bible-thumping American social conservatives, think Boris Johnson or Jacob Rees-Mogg).

Caths is a middle-of-the-road college in most respects. It's an older college (as in the building was erected prior to 1800), but not very old-school (penny loafers, navy blazers, CUCA members, etc). If you like to lie back and relax in the combination room (this is one of the advantages of Cambridge), note that it has new furniture and a new telly with a good sound system. If you are interested in the ethics of college food, Caths food is fair-trade (but hall food is not made to perfection like Pem's is). The library is nice---not as nice as that of Caius, but still a fine specimen of a library. OTOH, the architects doing exterior design were either stoned or had never heard of the words, "to match the rest of College"---the design of Caths is basically "whatever was in style at the time", rather than one consistent style. Caths bulldogs aren't nearly as nice as Pembroke ones. Cathsians? Cathonians? Catherinesmen? are politically mixed.

===

Do you smoke by any chance? (I do) I can't help but notice that all three of your choices are smoker-friendly to varying degrees (Kings is less so). You can smoke in your room at Pembroke and Caths, but I suggest leaving the window open and shutting the door (subject to weather of course).
(edited 9 years ago)

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