Choosing an Oxford College

Uhm isn't it a completely different uni

Uhm isn't it a completely different uni

Since the sticky college thread seems quite dead I will post my Q here:

Applying for 2013 GRADUATE entry
MPhil Economics / MSc Econ for Development

I looked at various descriptions of the colleges and tbh i find it all very confusing.
I am looking for a quiet and peaceful college, focused on studying rather than clubbing, preferrably where Muslims live and there's halal option. Preferrably mostly graduates, mature and intelligent students. College good for Economics. Good food and/or kitchens on site, ensuite rooms (preferrably also avaliable for couples).

Please don't judge me, just try to tell me which college would be best for me.

So far I found Merton, Trinity, St John's, Green Templ.

Presumably this is for a maths degree? Just clarifying. :P

The college system does not work the same in Oxford as it does in Cambridge. While Cambridge do admissions on a college basis, Oxford you apply to colleges but there is much greater equality. So whilst some colleges may have better results, in general the quality of applicants, and hence the requirements, are the same.

In terms of the actual requirements, Oxford does not require further maths but it's *highly* recommended and they'll expect you to catch up what you haven't done. They'll also likely want to know why you haven't done further maths, which is presumably to your college not offering.

So yeah, no colleges require it, but it's undoubtedly helpful/needed to do it.

Edit: As the above poster points out, this only applies for a few degrees e.g. maths which further maths is useful for.

As far as I am aware there is one policy across all colleges which is that Further Maths A Level is pretty much required if your school offers it. If your school doesn't offer the full A Level then AS is pretty much essential if that is offered and if neither are offered single A Level is fine. I'd email the admissions people to check this though.
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If you want to it might be worth self teching upto full A Level and telling your school that you want to apply to Oxford to see if they could help you when you get stuck as it would make the transition to University maths easier and show your comittment to maths.

Well when they say it's recommended it's obvious that they will favour people who have the full A level so this is obviously gonna put me at a disadvantage right?

And yeah, my school have only brought it in this year after our class persuaded the school to start offering it

It won't put you at a disadvantage. The MAT is based off C1/C2 pretty much and it's much more about using what you know rather than knowing more. The interview will be based off hat you know too, they will consider that you haven't done further maths. They look for potential, and if you haven't done further maths, they'll consider that.

But you will want to do extra work to catch up, and do more preparation than others might, since having done less maths will put you at a *slight* disadvantage. But there's nothing to say you need to do A-level maths for that, just generally do a bit more to try and get your ability to do questions better. But not essential.

Yeah see I want to do the full A level but I doubt my school will let me, they are funny like that :/ also I don't know if I could cope teaching it all by myself do you know if when they offer people places they offer so many to students with both A levels, so many places to students with AS further and so many places to single A level students to keep it fair or do they just favour the ones with both full A levels?

They don't have a quota. They just offer places to the people they think are the best at, and most passionate about, maths based on the interviews, MAT, exam results etc. They expect you do as much maths as your school offers, which for most people will be A Level FM, as if you don't then they will seriously question your commitment to studying maths, but they understand if your school doesn't and won't hold it against you. The MAT is only based on C1 and C2 so that people like you are not at a disadvantage.

If your school has only started offering AS FM as your class asked for it, then you should see if they will teach you two FP modules as this will be prepare you for university better.

which colleges have both physical and human tutors