The Student Room Group

Good things about Van Mildert

Mildert is one of the colleges where lots get it as first or second choice, but lots also get it as 3rd, 6th etc.

Useful things to know; it’s a big college so lots of people doing every subject. It’s in the Hill near to Grey and South and Trevs. It has a huge dining room and a big lake and nice gardens/lawns. It has one of the biggest and most popular and busy bars. It has 7 accommodation blocks and until last year there were no shared rooms. This year a few were made shared after results day as the uni found themselves with too many freshers and were desperate to squeeze some in. Mildert has a number of large rooms so it was possible, but vast majority in modern single rooms, most with shared bathrooms. Rooms are not huge generally but have excellent storage and sinks. All blocks have washing machines, pantry with kettle etc. many have a common room at the end of each corridor, but not all.

Takes just a few mins to get to science site and about 25 mins to centre of town. Has formals (not gowned) 3 or 4 times a term, so every 2 or 3 weeks. Has Ball at Christmas and in summer. Has the biggest college volunteering schemes in the uni with huge numbers involved. Has lots of sports teams as a big college so opportunities to play if you’re good or not so good. Has bar quizzes, a very big freshers week school has big drinking club nights as well as quieter events every evening.

Most people end up living with other Mildert people in 2nd year so it must be okay.

Reply 1

Original post
by Wombat11
Mildert is one of the colleges where lots get it as first or second choice, but lots also get it as 3rd, 6th etc.
Useful things to know; it’s a big college so lots of people doing every subject. It’s in the Hill near to Grey and South and Trevs. It has a huge dining room and a big lake and nice gardens/lawns. It has one of the biggest and most popular and busy bars. It has 7 accommodation blocks and until last year there were no shared rooms. This year a few were made shared after results day as the uni found themselves with too many freshers and were desperate to squeeze some in. Mildert has a number of large rooms so it was possible, but vast majority in modern single rooms, most with shared bathrooms. Rooms are not huge generally but have excellent storage and sinks. All blocks have washing machines, pantry with kettle etc. many have a common room at the end of each corridor, but not all.
Takes just a few mins to get to science site and about 25 mins to centre of town. Has formals (not gowned) 3 or 4 times a term, so every 2 or 3 weeks. Has Ball at Christmas and in summer. Has the biggest college volunteering schemes in the uni with huge numbers involved. Has lots of sports teams as a big college so opportunities to play if you’re good or not so good. Has bar quizzes, a very big freshers week school has big drinking club nights as well as quieter events every evening.
Most people end up living with other Mildert people in 2nd year so it must be okay.


you said “many have a common room but not all”, if i ask to have a more social flat rather than a quiet one is there a higher chance to get one with a common room?

Reply 2

Van Mildert isn’t flats. It is corridors. There are small pantries which have a kettle and microwave on most corridors…not full blown cooking equipment.
You will be randomly allocated so no chance to express preference for block. There is lots of social space in the college - obviously the dining room for meals, the bar, a JCR room where lots of activities go on, library etc.
Being in a catered college has the advantage of everyone going down for food. At the start, people often go down in corridors together and gradually as people make other friends in their block/other block (through meals, college societies, their course etc) they often make WhatsApp groups and co-ordinate going for food together. The bar is open every evening for things like a quiz or just standard drinks evening. You won’t be isolated in the accommodation.

Reply 3

Original post
by Wombat11
Mildert is one of the colleges where lots get it as first or second choice, but lots also get it as 3rd, 6th etc.
Useful things to know; it’s a big college so lots of people doing every subject. It’s in the Hill near to Grey and South and Trevs. It has a huge dining room and a big lake and nice gardens/lawns. It has one of the biggest and most popular and busy bars. It has 7 accommodation blocks and until last year there were no shared rooms. This year a few were made shared after results day as the uni found themselves with too many freshers and were desperate to squeeze some in. Mildert has a number of large rooms so it was possible, but vast majority in modern single rooms, most with shared bathrooms. Rooms are not huge generally but have excellent storage and sinks. All blocks have washing machines, pantry with kettle etc. many have a common room at the end of each corridor, but not all.
Takes just a few mins to get to science site and about 25 mins to centre of town. Has formals (not gowned) 3 or 4 times a term, so every 2 or 3 weeks. Has Ball at Christmas and in summer. Has the biggest college volunteering schemes in the uni with huge numbers involved. Has lots of sports teams as a big college so opportunities to play if you’re good or not so good. Has bar quizzes, a very big freshers week school has big drinking club nights as well as quieter events every evening.
Most people end up living with other Mildert people in 2nd year so it must be okay.

That's really helpful to hear thank you! Are you at Mildert now and coming next year? Feeling a bit disappointed not get top choices. Is it a friendly college?

Reply 4

Yeah,it’s friendly. But all colleges are friendly.

When you think about it, all colleges are made up of random people and those living in change each year. So the idea that a college has a fixed personality just isn’t true. Loads of people who wanted X college don’t get it. They all end up in other colleges making up the personality types there.

In the end, the differences are location and if catered or not. Everything else doesn’t really exist as a difference. Given all colleges are in walking distance of everything, all are fine. Yes, you might be a bit closer or further from places you need to go, but you can get everywhere. Yes, you might have older or newer architecture than you prefer….but you’ll probably find that throughout life and it won’t spoil your experience. Catered is a bit of a different experience. Lots like it - sociably getting out of room at least two or three times a day. Easy to mix and meet people etc etc. self catered needs more work but gives more flexibility. Most will live this life from 2nd year in houses anyway. And most live with people they meet in college…so the colleges clearly breed friendship.

The thing that makes Durham a bit different is colleges exist and are communities which are more than halls of residence, with people having a strong connection for their full course. But exactly which college you’re in doesn’t actually matter that much. You become part of the community you’re in.

I suppose students like to find ways to differentiate themselves and people have a tendency to stereotype or want to pick on others (in basically a friendly way) and so you get people saying stuff about Hatfueld or Aidans or whatever. But the people and stuff going on in Hatfield and Aidans are the same as other colleges and those people could equally have been in other colleges, so the things people say are just foolish really. I think people here know that really…but it does worry those applying. And it’s needless. perhaps too people struggle with not getting what they wanted. Everyone knows lots do get what they wanted and don’t like not getting what they wanted….especially if in life they always have so far. Some people find it hard to believe there isn’t a mechanism they can use to get themselves what they wanted, because previously here has been. But it’s not this part of growing up too…knowing stuff happens and we have to go with it. And actually what we thought was better or best often wasn’t anyway. Getting deep now.

Mildert has lots in common with Collingwood in that it’s very big, similar location and catered. There is a lot of sport although people associate Collingwood with sport more. Mildert has a tradition of massive volunteering projects which loads are invovled with. But not everyone in Mildert is into volunteering of course, just like lots of non sporty people are at Collingwood.

Quick Reply

How The Student Room is moderated

To keep The Student Room safe for everyone, we moderate posts that are added to the site.