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Cambridge college help - Downing, Jesus, Kings, Pembroke or Trinity?

Any advice as to the advantages and disadvantages of each (or others not on the list that you recommend) would be awesome :smile:

I'm mainly looking at Downing at the moment but am far from certain (for engineering btw)

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 1

Allmeliton

I'd say you're the best person to answer that question. Cambridge have many colleges of different architecture, sizes, locations, etc. I'd recommend you writing a list of all the things you want in your ideal college and go through the list of colleges to see what most fits you. That's all I can say really.

Here's some stuff to think about:
Location: how close is it to the city center and do you like it that way? How far away is the nearest grocery store? (Cambridge is a pretty small town so it shouldn't be a problem) Also the distance between the college and the engineering department might also be something to consider
Style and architecture: do you want a modern college or an older more traditional one? Size can also come into play here - do you want a small college where you know basically everyone or do you want to go to a larger college where you'd probably see a new person every day
Sports and societies: Is there any sports or societies which you'd like to take part in and how are your college's facilities for that?
Scholarships and bursaries: how good are these in the college? Not as much of a factor for some people but is important for others

As you can see, there are many different factors that come into play when picking a college. And if you just can't make a decision, there's always the open application.

Reply 2

beebry

Original post by heptanitrocubane

Any advice as to the advantages and disadvantages of each (or others not on the list that you recommend) would be awesome :smile:

I'm mainly looking at Downing at the moment but am far from certain (for engineering btw)

I didn't think too much about colleges when I applied, and you'll end up loving wherever you go but I would recommend looking at where the accommodation for each year actually is. Cambridge is a tough environment, you need to establish good friendships and find a place you call home -- it really is the people that make your experience, not how pretty the buildings are.

Personally I think it's better for a college to have accommodation in year groups and on a site (e.g. St Catharines houses each year group together) that way you've always got a community and you're surrounded by familiar people.
Generally, city colleges are much more spread out and people are living above shops on the main streets (not in the picturesque buildings in the prospectus) which means that the community is disparate. A lot of people also complain about noise, being in the city centre, as students are quite rowdy at night time and the windows are very very thin.

Colleges such as Fitzwilliam, Pembroke, Emmanuel and Churchill are excellent, have brilliant sites and a great sense of community. Although of course there's no correct answer here and there will be loads of other factors that play into it - do have a think about this!

Reply 3

Sinnoh

Downing has the ugliest scarf colours out of all the colleges

Reply 4

dexter2134

I am trying to decide the right college for Computer Science - Churchill, Pembroke and Trinity Hall are on my shortlist. Kings, Johns and Christ are also a possibility but I am not focussing on them currently

Sense of community is important and so is having at least a small CS cohort (don't want to be the only CS student) - based on comments above and my research so far, Churchill is standing out. However, any other views will be really useful or if you have firmed up your choices, it would be good to her about it and why

Reply 5

holly_1994

Hello!

I studied at Jesus and can say it is my absolute favourite place to be in Cambridge! All the colleges have their own charms, and Jesus suits me down to the ground. It is old, massive, yet feels small because of all the little courts, and has a really lovely vibe. Oh, and the formals are great at Jesus, too.

You need consider things like location and any scholarships the colleges have to offer. Kings and Trinity are lovely, but everyone seems to apply there so they’re often oversubscribed in that sense. If you’re after a smaller college, Magdalene is nice and quaint, and, as far as modern colleges go, Fitz has a peaceful, pleasant vibe. I will say though that having to cycle up and down that hill road is a killer for little legs like mine that barely reach the pedals! I used to have to visit my supervisor at Fitz, and was always surprised by how quiet the grounds are even though it’s on a main road.

How big a college community do you want to belong to? Do you want mainly undergrads/grads or an even mix? Same sex or mixed? Old or modern? There are so many things to consider.