Does College choice actually matter?

I've started to come to the conclusion that College choice isn't really a big issue. Lots of people on this forum when giving advice say, quite rightly, "don't choose on reputation but on whether you would really want to be there," and this made me think, does anyone not like the college they are at?

It seems to me that within about 5 minutes everyone falls in love with their college and could never dream of being anywhere else, therefore does it matter which one you go to as at the end of the day you will love it regardless.

Or am I wrong, are there hundreds of students out their that wish they hadn't applied to college x or college y?

Reply 1

RxB

1

I know a few people who don't like their colleges, but they're in the minority.

(Most of them are at John's)

Reply 2

Elles

17

I'd agree with RxB. I've herad of Hilda's/Merton & Christ Church dislike from students.

but then, it probably makes a difference what the dynamics of your year cohort are like too.. & this is hardly something you can assess as a prospective student! :p:

Reply 3

Drogue

19

The university did a huge study last year, which found no correlation between college choice and students overall happiness with their university experience. However college choice does matter a lot, in that college's differ tremendously. How do you reconcile these? Two ways, firstly, people apply to the one they'll probably fit in well at, so if you want to slack, you probably won't apply to Merton, and if you want old buildings, you probably wouldn't apply to Catz. Secondly people feel college pride, and have only experienced life at their college, so won't necessarily know how they'd find it at other colleges.

To show the disparity, this term I've had 3-4 tutes/classes a week, with work to do for each. Whereas my friends at Jesus have 2 tutes/classes a week. If you want to do well in exams and are prepared to work, my college would be preferable, whereas if you want to do society stuff and are happy with a lower mark, Jesus would be better.

Similarly, each college has different facilities, room rents/quality, scholarships/grants, political leanings and atmosphere. So while a staunch conservative might love it at Oriel or Christ Church, I've met a few socialists that wish they were at Balliol or Wadham.

So the advice "don't choose on reputation but on whether you would really want to be there" is bang on, but that doesn't mean college choice isn't important. As my brother advised me when deciding between Oxford and Cambridge: "in some cases the difference between two Cambridge colleges is greater than the difference between Oxford and Cambridge".

Reply 4

Feefifofum

16

And, just to bang out the old cliché as noone else has yet, "most people get to love whichever college they end up at, whether it was their first choice or not" (I have heard this MANY MANY times being shifted from Brasenose to Hildas). And antoher, "life at Oxford is whatever you make of it, so even if you go to a college you're not happy with you have the choice of sitting in the college bar and getting depressed or getting out and actually enjoying yourself". OK, I think I'm out of clichés for the moment...
Basically college choice is just one factor - (oooo, here comes antoher cliché)and "if you're good enough to get into Oxford they will find a place for you somewhere, no matter where you apply".
Sorry about the clichés, don't worry, I am going to the doctors about them.

Reply 5

Michelle2

3

I think your personality matters much more than your college choice. I'm at a Cambridge girls' college, which I absolutely hate, as I feel it hinders my social life. However, this is mainly because I am a shy person and don't find it esay to get out and meet people, so going to a college with a social life on tap would have been a far wiser choice for me. On the other hand, someone who is very extrovert would most likely not have any problem making friends and so it wouldn't be as important for them to be at a mixed college.

Reply 6

ThePants999

14

I think there are a few colleges I would rather be at than mine. But that doesn't mean I'm unhappy with mine.

One significant way college choice can really matter is if your finances are strained. There is a shockingly huge variation in the financial support available at different colleges.

Reply 7

shiny

12

ThePants999

I think there are a few colleges I would rather be at than mine. But that doesn't mean I'm unhappy with mine. One significant way college choice can really matter is if your finances are strained. There is a shockingly huge variation in the financial support available at different colleges.

Yes, as I have come to realise since moving here!

Reply 8

~Raphael~

9

Drogue

... As my brother advised me when deciding between Oxford and Cambridge: "in some cases the difference between two Cambridge colleges is greater than the difference between Oxford and Cambridge".

oooh elaborate? :biggrin:

Reply 9

PurpleGecko

OP

It's true, finacial differences could be important, equally some people would really hate being at a particular college for whatever reason, so in some cases the choice is crucial. but for most I still don't think it is, you just love wherever you end up. I know that some applicants visit every college and really do their homework about where they want to be for the next 3 to 4 years, but for every applicant like that there are 10 who spend 15 minutes flicking through some general info before making a decision, but all in all I don't think you hear those people complaining they made the wrong choice.

If college choice really matters you will take the time to choose, but the majority of applicants will be perfectly happy wherever they end up.

Reply 10

Drogue

19

~Raphael~

oooh elaborate? :biggrin:

Um... I wasn't sure elaboration was necessary? Just that sometimes the difference (I believe we were talking about teaching style/quality at the time) is greater between two colleges at one university than the averages of the two universities.

Mainly making the point that in subjects offered in a similar way by both Oxford and Cambridge, it can be more important which college you choose than whether you choose to go to Oxford or Cambridge.

Reply 11

peliot

3

Drogue's first posting is very good. I'm kinda new to this but i would say it's the university degree that counts, so i can't see the justification for (say) NOT going to oxford because one got St Hilda's (say). I know such a case; i think it's mad!
BTW: I can understand someone being VERY unhappy in their college. and therefore not performing well. and therefore i can't see why in UNUSUAL circumstances, it's not poss to change college.

Reply 12

PurpleGecko

OP

If a person is really unhappy in one college (with some exceptions I am sure) what makes you think they would be any happier elsehwere? Sometimes the grass isn't greener on the other side.

Reply 13

Drogue

19

Yes, but for someone to be *really* unhappy, I'd imagine some personal problem with some aspect of their university life, such as their tutor or another member of college. Moving college would help that.

Reply 14

Feefifofum

16

peliot

Drogue's first posting is very good. I'm kinda new to this but i would say it's the university degree that counts, so i can't see the justification for (say) NOT going to oxford because one got St Hilda's (say). I know such a case; i think it's mad!
BTW: I can understand someone being VERY unhappy in their college. and therefore not performing well. and therefore i can't see why in UNUSUAL circumstances, it's not poss to change college.

I think everyone that this happens to is a bit unsure at first, but if they go to the college/speak to people etc they will find out that you can go there and have as good and full a social life as in any other college if that's what you want. When I went to the Open Day in Feb almost everyone there hadn't applied to Hilda's and was therefore somewhat apprehensive, but they were ALL (I met no exceptions whatsoever) nice, normal people. For me the grounds of the college easily make up for the fact that the college is further out of the centre than some, the food in Hilda's is a million times nicer than that in Brasenose, and the atmosphere of the college as a whole is much nicer than most of the colleges I have visuted in the past.
Can I also point out that I was one of the ones who went down to Oxford and visited loads of colleges to see which ones I might be interested in goin to, ended up plumping for Brasenose, went to an Open Day there and still liked it, then went for interview and discovering that most of the peopl there (present students included I'm afraid) were really not that nice. I presumed that for the Open Day I had a dodgy room because there were lots of people staying over, but this was not the case - there was only about 3 of us staying that night. And I had 2 different rooms when I was there for interviews (due to me being released late by mistake) and both of them were really not pleasant.

So you see you can go to Oxford and do all the research that you think is necessary and still make a big mistake.

Reply 15

~Raphael~

9

Drogue

Um... I wasn't sure elaboration was necessary? Just that sometimes the difference (I believe we were talking about teaching style/quality at the time) is greater between two colleges at one university than the averages of the two universities.

Mainly making the point that in subjects offered in a similar way by both Oxford and Cambridge, it can be more important which college you choose than whether you choose to go to Oxford or Cambridge.

Fair enough, I got the point but was curious as to any specific examples.

Does College choice actually matter?

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