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Choosing an Oxford College

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Original post by Lumos
You're probably right, it's just all I've heard from my school this whole time. Given the choice of any college, I'd want to go to christs or brasenose, but my school is basically telling me that there isn't a hope in hell and I should go for an open application. I just don't know what to do :/


Well, if you go for an open application you have a bigger chance of being allocated to a college you might not want to attend.
Original post by Lumos
You're probably right, it's just all I've heard from my school this whole time. Given the choice of any college, I'd want to go to christs or brasenose, but my school is basically telling me that there isn't a hope in hell and I should go for an open application. I just don't know what to do :/


There's no point doing an open application if there's somewhere you actually want to go- if you apply to Christ's or Brasenose, you might actually get in to Christ's or Brasenose, or you might be sent to a random college who didn't have so many applications that year. If you do an open application, you'll just be sent straight away to a random college. You might as well increase your chances of ending up at the one you like the best.
Original post by Lumos
You're probably right, it's just all I've heard from my school this whole time. Given the choice of any college, I'd want to go to christs or brasenose, but my school is basically telling me that there isn't a hope in hell and I should go for an open application. I just don't know what to do :/


My school told me there wasn't a hope in hell of me even getting in, and yet... Despite what they think, they don't know everything. Look at it this way: there's always going to be a much lower chance of getting in to a college you like if you don't apply!
Which are the least popular colleges? Cambridge has Homerton, Girton, Robinson,etc, what are the Oxford equivalents if they are any?
Original post by Cutmeloose
Which are the least popular colleges? Cambridge has Homerton, Girton, Robinson,etc, what are the Oxford equivalents if they are any?


You haven't been paying attention, have you?
Original post by Good bloke
You haven't been paying attention, have you?


I have? I applied last year to Cambridge and those three colleges seemed to fish the most applicants from the pool and take the most from the open application system. I'm just curious as to which Oxford colleges are the least popular not least competitive..

Some people were very attractive to us, but there simply wasn't room for them, and they fell through the net because, having applied to an oversubscribed college, the places at the less fashionable colleges tended to have been filled by the time they filtered down.


Wouldn't that suggest that there is some degree of truth in the rumours?
Reply 3006
Avatar for Lumos
Lumos
13
Original post by riotgrrl
There's no point doing an open application if there's somewhere you actually want to go- if you apply to Christ's or Brasenose, you might actually get in to Christ's or Brasenose, or you might be sent to a random college who didn't have so many applications that year. If you do an open application, you'll just be sent straight away to a random college. You might as well increase your chances of ending up at the one you like the best.


This is what I'm thinking. My advisor also told me to apply to a pph college- how about no.
It's typical, really. It seems like they want to get their quota for oxford any way they can. she evn told me to apply for anglo-saxon norse and celtic. why? 'easier to get into that history' it's just ridiculous. you know what, you're right. I'll just apply to brasenose anyway.
Original post by Lumos
This is what I'm thinking. My advisor also told me to apply to a pph college- how about no.
It's typical, really. It seems like they want to get their quota for oxford any way they can. she evn told me to apply for anglo-saxon norse and celtic. why? 'easier to get into that history' it's just ridiculous. you know what, you're right. I'll just apply to brasenose anyway.


Urgh, schools/colleges give some horrible advice sometimes. Mine told me my personal statement didn't sound "fun enough" for Oxford xD
Reply 3008
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Lumos
13
Original post by fluteflute
You face that 'risk' at all colleges - it depends very much on the number of applicants for your course in that particular year. But take Oriel off your list if that's a major concern (like St John's 29% of those who apply there and get into Oxford end up at other colleges). Similarly Lincoln, Trinity and Univ are at 24%. So that's leaves Christ Church (12%) :biggrin: Basically I'd say don't use that as a criteria :tongue: (although maybe avoid the highest - Balliol, Brasenose, Magdalen, Worcester).


(I know this was posted a million years go) but where do those stats even come from?!
Reply 3009
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Rtcw
14
Which Oxford college are closest to the rail station? Worcester? If so, what are their reputation? Do they discriminate the state school applicants? Which college are closest to the mosque and which college have a sizeable population of Muslims? I'm going to apply for Chemistry.

And please don't judge me :frown:
Original post by Rtcw
Which Oxford college are closest to the rail station? Worcester? If so, what are their reputation? Do they discriminate the state school applicants? Which college are closest to the mosque and which college have a sizeable population of Muslims? I'm going to apply for Chemistry.

And please don't judge me :frown:


Closest to the train station is Worcester, but nowhere's further than about half an hour's walk from the train station and most are within 10 minutes or so.

And there's no discrimination against state school pupils, where did you get that idea from?

I'm afraid I don't know where the mosque is.
Reply 3011
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Rtcw
14
Original post by Mystic123
Closest to the train station is Worcester, but nowhere's further than about half an hour's walk from the train station and most are within 10 minutes or so.

And there's no discrimination against state school pupils, where did you get that idea from?

I'm afraid I don't know where the mosque is.


I get that from news and here. Every year Oxford university seems to get bad press for admitting more private school applicants. I'd like to join college that has higher amount of state school people in it so hopefully I won't be discriminated against.
Original post by Rtcw
I get that from news and here. Every year Oxford university seems to get bad press for admitting more private school applicants. I'd like to join college that has higher amount of state school people in it so hopefully I won't be discriminated against.


Honestly, and I say this as a state school kid myself, once you get here nobody cares where you're from. Why would they? If you get in, you've proved yourself to be just as good as everyone else - if not better, by coming from a disadvantaged background. If it makes you feel more comfortable to do that, then go ahead, but I promise you won't be discriminated against wherever you end up. The news likes to make a big thing out of small things, don't trust everything you hear - it's usually not the full story.

As for the mosque, well I'm not 100% sure, but I can see what looks like a mosque from my bedroom window, so I reckon Catz is pretty close :biggrin: It's also as friendly and welcoming a college as you could ever hope for, so I think it might help you feel at home!
Original post by Lumos
(I know this was posted a million years go) but where do those stats even come from?!
Freedom of Information requests :smile:
Original post by Rtcw
I get that from news and here. Every year Oxford university seems to get bad press for admitting more private school applicants. I'd like to join college that has higher amount of state school people in it so hopefully I won't be discriminated against.


That's not necessarily because Oxford actively discriminates though, it's quite possibly due to the whole application process. My mum teaches at a private school and I know they encourage people to apply to Oxbridge and they have an Oxbridge co-ordinator and designated people who offer advice on the aptitude tests and conduct mock interviews. My school, a comprehensive (a pretty good one tbh), don't encourage people to apply to Oxbridge (even though plenty are capable, at least results wise) and offer no help whatsoever with aptitude tests. They're even pretty bad at helping with UCAS.
Reply 3015
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BJack
19
Original post by Rtcw
I get that from news and here. Every year Oxford university seems to get bad press for admitting more private school applicants. I'd like to join college that has higher amount of state school people in it so hopefully I won't be discriminated against.


College stereotypes about which schools students come from are self-perpetuating. If a school is heard to be "the one for state schoolers", then more students from state schools will apply there and students from private schools will be put off. As a consequence the percentage of state school applicants is likely to rise and the college's intake will therefore be even more skewed towards the state schools.
Original post by Rtcw
Which Oxford college are closest to the rail station? Worcester? If so, what are their reputation? Do they discriminate the state school applicants? Which college are closest to the mosque and which college have a sizeable population of Muslims? I'm going to apply for Chemistry.

And please don't judge me :frown:


The train station and the mosque are opposite sides of town. Worcester is the closest to the train station, but furthest from the mosque. The opposite would be true of St Hildas. Have you not heard of google maps? I suggest you take a look for yourself.

There is no evidence that Oxford discriminates against state-schools, and even has systems to given those from disadvantaged backgrounds an advantage.

If you're really fussed about the numbers though, the proportion of state schools for each college is available on the website. Mansfield and Merton are currently the highest.
Reply 3017
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xetura
Hey I will also be applying to Oxford for Psychology and Philosophy!

This college selection thing has also been quite a headache for me.. how did you decide on New College and Wadham?
I have pretty much all of my application sorted now (I know its getting close but I've been waiting for a reference for an age) and I am aiming to submit my application tonight so I need to decide on a college in the next few hours. Applying for maths.

I've been thinking Wadham for a while, this is my current choice and they said they were accepting of my extenuating circumstances and will likely waive the A*A*A offer to an unconditional if I do well enough in MAT and the interview (if I get one). I will probably apply to Wadham but I am unsure as to whether this is the right choice and I think their acceptance of my grades is the main reason I am choosing it so I need to see what you think has most of the below.

I am looking for a college that is more well known for having academic qualities than sporty ones (full of nerds basically, as I fit into this category very well). One that offers accommodation for all three years and has a prestigious reputation and is well known.

Anything come to mind that ticks all the boxes?

I am thinking Balliol, Merton, Magdalen, St. Johns, University, Wadham.
one of these.
Wadham doesn't have 3 years accommodation and students told me that it was the 'party college' when I was down, so may not be the best. Heard St Johns is infamous for library types and when I went for our alumni dinner at Merton they said it had the reputation of 'where fin goes to die', so maybe look at those two?

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