Choosing an Oxford College

Applying to Oxford? Want some help choosing a college?

Check out the guide on the TSR wiki: How to choose an Oxford College

Then if you have any questions, or need any help, post in this thread :smile:

(edited 13 years ago)

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Reply 1

Willa

OK, I'm absolutely sick to death of people coming on here and asking the same sorts of questions regarding choosing a college. So I was hoping this thread could put an end to it, with those who are already at oxford and cambridge helping me on this one. Maybe then we'll stop the "which college is best for..." rubbish that's flying around.

What started here is now available on the wiki: How to choose an Oxford College

Reply 2

Willa

So ends what I would call the OFFICIAL part of this thread. The following two stages are of negligible importance:

8. Subject Reputations: The general academic attitude to work at Oxford can probably be scaled by the Norrington Table. This tables provide scaling for how students at each college performed in their exams. It only provides a rough guide to academic attitude...some colleges will work you harder than suggested by their position in the table, some colleges are more relaxed.

http://www.ox.ac.uk/about_the_university/facts_and_figures/norringtontable.html

"which colleges are good for <insert subject>?". This question is asked ALL THE TIME, and the reason it's asked all the time is because the answer to the question isn't what the asker wants to here. The answer is: "Out of those colleges which offer the subject in question, all of them are likely to be equally good at it, or at least noticeable differences are few and far between". This means that it's very rare that someone will say "oh don't go to this college to do that subject". But for those that are desperate for a shred of something, listed below are (possibly stereotyped) college specialities. But these colleges are then only a small step ahead of the rest. SO PLEASE STOP ASKING THIS QUESTION

9. General Stereotype: The following stereotypes are not neccessarily accurate, and are often born out of jealousy towards the college (i try to give reasons below if I know of them).
However, you should bare in mind that any stereotype can also come from the behaviour of small groups of people at that college. For example, if the college is considered posh, it is only because there are some students there that are like that, but most likely are far from a majority. It is just percieved (possibly falsely) that they form a larger proportion at that college than any other college.

You certainly should not think that all students at that college are like what the stereotype dictates. This is absolutely not the case.

But to keep you applicants happy, here's the list. (once again I call for help from fellow students).

If no stereotype is given, it means I dont know of one or havent been given one. This can mean that the words below are not my own.

Oxford Colleges

Balliol College: Full of left-wingers, so I guess they must be at least a little bit crazy if they're anything like Kings College Cambridge. Excellent for PPE.

Oriel College: Full of Tories.

Queen's College: Full of northerners.

Jesus College: Full of Welsh people

Merton College: Full of workoholics.

Christ Church College: Full of your stereotypical "rah" oxbridge students, who after a spiffingly good game of croquet go and drink lashings of exceedinlgy expensive fine spirits.

Trinity College: Apparently a similar reputation as St Johns in Cambridge - being unpopular with students from other colleges for no significant reason.

So if fellow students could help finish this off it would be most useful.

Reply 3

musicbloke

double matrice isn't just downingI know one person who did it at robinson.

MB

Reply 4

Willa

well i guess i was giving an example of it's particular Law based reputation

Reply 5

Helenia

Caius is "the medics' college" taking 25 per year (most colleges take between 8-15) and getting a ridiculous number of Firsts

And isn't it Balliol, Oxford, that has the reputation for PPE? (Or was this one of Baz's little fabrications? :rolleyes:

As for social reputations - Clare does have a reputation for being friendly, and rightly so. :smile:

Some people find it a little claustrophobic though, but as everyone knows, I love it.

Emma also has a similar reputation, along with its bar generally being considered pretty cool. However, rumours abound of a secret workaholic side to the college that we never see :wink:

Will can tell you more.

I can't think of anything else right now, but will post more if I think of it. Rep for you for this thread once I can, will!

Reply 6

Hoofbeat

I think someone felt like procrastinating and not doing their EM work (btw, will look at your circuit questions later - off 2 dinner!)

Reply 7

Willa

I know I know. I really shouldnt procrastinate given that today I had my first panic about how much work I have to do. I'm trying to write up my head of class report but I really dont know how to do it properly, because style is really important...so I dont feel at all confident about it :frown:

On top of that I've been oh so lazy with my rowing training, not having done anything the past 4 days...i was supposed to go to the gym today but worrying over work keeps putting me off.
And on top of that I just seem to understand so little of the material we've covered, and when I try and go over it with myself I just get all confused with what I'm supposed to take away with me. And I hate the fact that my dad doesnt remember any of this stuff, he used to be able to help me when I got stuck, but now I've got nobody. I'm someone who needs someone to get reassurement of my understanding from. Even if it's just explaining a topic to them, it helps me make sure I understand it in my head. I just need someone to rebound thoughts off. But without that I just have no confidence.

Oh things just arent going well :frown:

Reply 8

Hoofbeat

I'm exactly the same Will! I constantly need reassurance as well and like you feel I don't truely understand it and are just regurgitating stuff but the moment I get in the exam will realise I don't really understand anything! I also haven't been to the gym since 5th week and have just found out we have 2k trials when we get back! I'm hoping my seat in the 2nds is safe (4 is a good seat right? and I'm one of the quickest in my crew!!!), but am now quite worried, so will be going to the gym tomorrow afternoon to do some long ergs but then I'll lost a whole afternoon of work (and lost today catching up with old friends) and then I can never get any work done in the evening as I get too distracted! ARGHHHHHHHHHH! Anyways, I'll go and have a look at your circuits question, but it's really not my best topic, so I can't promise great things!

Reply 9

shiny

I thought you were studying?

Reply 10

Camford

Did someone mention pick college using a random number generator?

Reply 11

theotherF.Poste

Maybe where you've put the women's colleges you could put the mature colleges too? For Oxford it's Harris Manchester, don't know about Cambridge though..

If you're after Oxford college stereotypes, apparently Balliol is full of left-wingers, whereas Oriel is known for its strong Tory component. Queens is apparently strong on Northerners, Jesus for Welsh people, Merton for workaholics and Christ Church for rahs. I have had no personal experience of ANY of these being true, so nobody jump on me please!

Also credit is due for this thread, it's a great guide :smile:

I shall contribute more links and things when I am next procrastinating :biggrin:

Plus rep is deserved, I won't forget you when I'm back on F. Poste and I can give out more than two points!

Reply 12

Hoofbeat

theotherF.Poste

Also credit is due for this thread, it's a great guide :smile:

I shall contribute more links and things when I am next procrastinating :biggrin:

Plus rep is deserved, I won't forget you when I'm back on F. Poste and I can give out more than two points!

<coughs> rep w*ore!

Reply 13

theotherF.Poste

Hoofbeat

<coughs> rep w*ore!

I know

but I was talking about giving not receiving! That's not what makes me a rep wh-re! :p:

Reply 14

Hoofbeat

theotherF.Poste

Plus rep is deserved, I won't forget you when I'm back on F. Poste and I can give out more than two points!

ummm, Kate, I think that counts as receiving! :p:

Reply 15

Traum

Any more info on Oxford colleges? Can't decide between 30 colleges or so... but if i decide to apply to cambridge it's Emma all the way! (they won't want me though~sob~)

Reply 16

RichE

Traum

Any more info on Oxford colleges? Can't decide between 30 colleges or so... but if i decide to apply to cambridge it's Emma all the way! (they won't want me though~sob~)

Well - what's your subject to begin?

Reply 17

zoraster

it seems if you're that excited about a college in cambridge and you're not about oxford, maybe you should take the hit to your dignity and consider just going to cambridge.

Reply 18

easops

Anyone want to complete this absolutely marvellous, informative, great (to be continued) list regarding Oxford colleges? not that it really matters, but its just really interesting to read, especially when your just in the middle of an application , well, almost in the middle.... My subject is PPE by the way....
PLEEEEASE!!

Reply 19

Traum

RichE

Well - what's your subject to begin?

Economics and Management... i got ride a few because they don't do the course... but doesn't C+C do Eco and management? I swear they do... but on the website it said that they don't... :frown:

zoraster

it seems if you're that excited about a college in cambridge and you're not about oxford, maybe you should take the hit to your dignity and consider just going to cambridge.

I like Emma but i don't just want to do Economics for 3 years, also that course is more maths based and i want to learn Management as well.

Oxford is also more of a city than cam, which is more my thing and it's closer to home...

It also has an Ice rink (Skating is my eternal hobbie...you will be surprised what an obsession about a sport can do to your choice ~ :p: