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Choosing an Oxford College

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Original post by Damini Sharma
Hey guys

So I'm in year 12 and I've been researching which college to go to in the university of Oxford :smile:

But I need some help :tongue:

I'm going to be doing Law so I've cancelled out all the colleges which don't do the Law course (which is not many)

But now I need to think of is accommodation cost, food costs, food quality, if there's a gym...etc

What I'm asking you guys is: What are your opinions on the best colleges? Any past experiences? (Even if they are bad ones!) Do you have any of the information up there? ^ :smile:

Do worry I have been researching myself... I'm not just posting this to get out of doing research. However some of the college websites don't have the vital information I need to choose which one to go to ... especially accomodation costs :tongue:

Any Help would be greatly appreciated! :biggrin:


Ask about the specific things you can't find and maybe TSR can help then.

Accommodation costs are available on most websites as far as i'm aware. I know they sometimes aren't though, which is very frustrating to everyone. That certainly justifies you sending them an e-mail.
Original post by Carrotcake18
Mansfield: food is very good and cheap (around 2-2.5 pounds for lunch/dinner), accomodation is for all first years and half of third years. The JCR is quite big and its just generally friendly (no idea why this college is undersubscribed).


Many thanks for the kind words about Mansfield :smile: The college has 'only' been in Oxford since 1886 and I think that some people expect it to look too modern to fit their preconceptions of an Oxford college. But as you know, it's basically a honey-coloured Gothic castle, which is often a very pleasant surprise for interviewees.

Accommodation is actually provided for all third years, but whereas everyone is on the college site itself in the first year, some of the college-owned third year rooms are off site and this is prob'ly where you got the half-and-half from.

Potential law applicants might want to note that our Principal, Baroness Helena Kennedy, is one of the highest profile lawyers in the country. She's by no means a distant figure; Freshers get invited to brunch in her lodgings etc.

Everyone thinks their own college is the best, so I reckon it would be a good idea if we gave our second favourite instead. Mine would be Lincoln; I love the central yet intimate Turl Street vibe and the virginia-creepered typically Oxford main quad.
Have a look at the alternative prospectus - it has a lot more information that you'll find useful than college websites.

http://www.ousu.org/prospective-students/ap/
Original post by CocoPop
Have a look at the alternative prospectus - it has a lot more information that you'll find useful than college websites.

http://www.ousu.org/prospective-students/ap/


...but approach this very cautiously. I was going to mention it above but actually decided against it as the prices it gives for accommodation in particular are wildly out of date or just plain wrong. You can see 'cheap', 'medium' or 'expensive' but don't use the figures more than that.
Original post by nexttime
...but approach this very cautiously. I was going to mention it above but actually decided against it as the prices it gives for accommodation in particular are wildly out of date or just plain wrong. You can see 'cheap', 'medium' or 'expensive' but don't use the figures more than that.


Gosh, didn't notice that. I just assumed it would all be updated since it's a new edition. Just had a read through some of the course information and it's a bit outdated as well. Thanks for pointing that out.
I was just browsing some college websites and it makes me really angry how some of them seem to be deliberately avoiding saying how much it costs! They often have specific sections along the lines of 'what will it cost to study here?' then go on about transport and bursaries but never actually answer the question. What are they playing at?

I strongly advise everyone applying to e-mail these colleges and ask them what their rents are, as you have a right to know. They're just being deliberately obstructive as it is - not on.
Try and get to the Open day on 14th September. Choose a college and book to attend to Introduction lecture and tour. The bursar gave a detailed talk on costs and answered questions when we went and you can also get a feel for the colleges to help you decide where to apply to.
Reply 2667
Avatar for Elisir
Elisir
Original post by Rennit
Corpus Christi is the best for classics, its more expensive rooms have en suite.


I know this is a bit late. But you're saying Corpus is best for Classics, why? Oxford claim that none of the colleges are stronger in certain subjects than others...?
Thanks
Original post by Elisir
I know this is a bit late. But you're saying Corpus is best for Classics, why? Oxford claim that none of the colleges are stronger in certain subjects than others...?
Thanks


As a general rule, the best Oxford college for any given subject is the one that the person offering the advice either goes to, or has an offer from :wink:
Original post by shoshin
As a general rule, the best Oxford college for any given subject is the one that the person offering the advice either goes to, or has an offer from :wink:


Don't know what you mean. My advice about colleges is always completely unbiased :yes:

:ninja:

:ahee:
Reply 2670
Avatar for Elisir
Elisir
Going slightly off topic:

Magdalen, Trinity or Christ Church?
What are the pros and cons to each?
Do they have any particular reputations or stereotypes?
Original post by Elisir
Going slightly off topic:

Magdalen, Trinity or Christ Church?
What are the pros and cons to each?
Do they have any particular reputations or stereotypes?


ChCh and Mdln are noticeably bigger than Trinity from what I know. Check this out for pros & cons: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Oxford_College_Pros_and_Cons
Reply 2672
Avatar for Rennit
Rennit
Original post by Elisir
I know this is a bit late. But you're saying Corpus is best for Classics, why? Oxford claim that none of the colleges are stronger in certain subjects than others...?
Thanks


I don't know exactly, but I know that if you're doing classics Corpus is seen by everyone in the university for being the best at it. I know people who apply to some other college for classics and English might then get transferred to Corpus because Corpus has the better infastructure for dealing with classics students.
Reply 2673
Avatar for Elisir
Elisir
Original post by Rennit
I don't know exactly, but I know that if you're doing classics Corpus is seen by everyone in the university for being the best at it. I know people who apply to some other college for classics and English might then get transferred to Corpus because Corpus has the better infastructure for dealing with classics students.


Oh ok, thanks, well then i guess I'll just have to cross my fingers and hope that I get accepted somewhere :smile:
Reply 2674
Avatar for Elisir
Elisir
I'm completely stressing out because I'm having second thoughts about which college I want to apply to in October.
I initially wanted to go to Magdalen because it was old, beautiful and had large grounds, but then I saw Christ Church...and now I'm confused.

I'll be applying for Classics II, in case anyone needed to know.

So which college should I opt for?
How many students do they each accept?

Thanks
:smile:
Reply 2675
Avatar for RichE
RichE
15
Original post by Elisir

How many students do they each accept?



Why not go to their websites?

http://www.magd.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/subjects/classics


http://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Courses%20insert%202012%20[f]_0.pdf
Original post by Elisir
I'm completely stressing out because I'm having second thoughts about which college I want to apply to in October.
I initially wanted to go to Magdalen because it was old, beautiful and had large grounds, but then I saw Christ Church...and now I'm confused.

I'll be applying for Classics II, in case anyone needed to know.

So which college should I opt for?
How many students do they each accept?

Thanks
:smile:


Firstly don't panic :nah:

Secondly, if you have a chance, visit them both and go to the one that you get a more "home" feeling with. When I applied to Cambridge, I was choosing between Corpus and Emma. In the end, I visited both and got a more "home" feeling at Emma and therefore applied there and got in :smile:

Although you could choose the one that gives out more offers, at the end of the day you don't want to be in a college you might not feel home at for 3 years.

Good luck with deciding :smile:
Original post by Elisir
I'm completely stressing out because I'm having second thoughts about which college I want to apply to in October.
I initially wanted to go to Magdalen because it was old, beautiful and had large grounds, but then I saw Christ Church...and now I'm confused.

I'll be applying for Classics II, in case anyone needed to know.

So which college should I opt for?
How many students do they each accept?

Thanks
:smile:


I think the most important thing to say is chill - this is a choice you can't get wrong. Both Colleges you're considering are good, as are all the others. Being a bit provocative for a moment, I would suggest that you can get all the benefits of these old beautiful buildings and large grounds without having to be a member of the College in question anyway - Christ Church and Magdalen's buildings and grounds can be visited and admired by anyone in the University pretty much any time without the potential inconvenience of having to live there. I'm sure they're also great College communities but all students get the benefit of all the architectural grandeur of Oxford, whichever College they join.

College intake numbers are available from their websites - in this case, Magdalen says they have 25 - 30 Clasicists at any given time, which implies an intake of roughly 7 per year since it's a four year course. Christ Church state explicitly they take 6-7 per year.
Original post by Elisir
I'm completely stressing out because I'm having second thoughts about which college I want to apply to in October.
I initially wanted to go to Magdalen because it was old, beautiful and had large grounds, but then I saw Christ Church...and now I'm confused.

I'll be applying for Classics II, in case anyone needed to know.

So which college should I opt for?
How many students do they each accept?

Thanks
:smile:


Firstly, there's no guarantee you'll even end up at the college you want - you could easily be fished out of the pool and thrown into the backwaters of Balliol or something :smile: Have you visited Oxford? Just stepping inside a college and meeting a few members of staff there can sway you very very quickly. As Oxbridge will tell you, your choice of college doesn't need to be justified - one person said he liked the ducks at his college, another that the gardens were nice, and many make successful open applications each year.

Visiting will tell you, though - just being there inside the building might give you a sudden epiphany of "this is where I want to be".
Reply 2679
Avatar for Elisir
Elisir
Thanks, to everyone.
I'll try to chill out and just hope for the best. I live in Oxford anyway so I'll go and visit the colleges again, and see which one calls out to me. :smile:

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