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Choosing an Oxford College

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I'm a first year at Trinity. I'm told we have some of the best food in Oxford (it is seriously good...) and pretty cheap too at just over 4 pounds for a 3 course meal pretty much every night. Uhh, not really sure what sort of stuff you're interested in, but feel free to ask any questions.
Original post by studentiam
I've chosen a few colleges to look round at Oxford, listed below, and was wondering if some of you could tell me their pros/cons and reputations etc; anything you know about them really. For instance I heard that Wadham is a gay + communist college.

I like nature, skateboarding, art and travel and would like to study law. If you know any colleges that I would be well suited to please recommend them!

These are the colleges I've chosen to view, please tell me if I should cross any or add any colleges on my list:

Balliol
Christ church
Corpus Christi
Keble
Lady Margaret hall
Magdalen
Merton
St Hilda's
Trinity
Worcester

Thanks very much! I really appreciate your input.


Shameless college plugging but St Anne's has a law library, around 6 law students in each year, and is slightly out of Oxford (but not as far as LMH) so right by university parks. Might be another one to look into!
Hilda's is a pretty laid back college, and the law fellows (not sure about Dev Gangee as he is after my time) are really nice and chilled. There isn't a law library (it was sacrificed to make way for the extension of the JCR bar (new in 2013 and still student run)) but undergraduate law students have 24hr access to the law section of the main library by keyfob. In terms of numbers, in recent years there have been about 6-10 law students per year.

There is plenty of nature at Hilda's - it is right next to the river (the college has its own punts accessible from the riverside in summer) and there are glorious views over Christchurch meadow. The college is much quieter than some of the more touristy colleges as well which is a major plus.

I can't help much with the skateboarding or art I'm afraid but in terms of travel it might be worth applying for Law with LSE where you will be able to experience another country by studying abroad during your third year.
Magdalen for the win!
Does anyone know about the percentage of graduate students who get their preference for a particular college? I really want to go to Jesus, but I have no idea if it is just a fools errant to try and state my preference.
Original post by Chopstew449VT
Does anyone know about the percentage of graduate students who get their preference for a particular college? I really want to go to Jesus, but I have no idea if it is just a fools errant to try and state my preference.


I haven't seen any figures, and suspect they're not published (although as an undergraduate I haven't spent much time looking at the procedure/stats for postgraduates).
IM SO STUCK CANT DECIDE A COLLEGE PLEAAASE HELP and share any experiences! :frown:
Original post by helloitsmee
IM SO STUCK CANT DECIDE A COLLEGE PLEAAASE HELP and share any experiences! :frown:


have you read the colleges guides?
if you have and you can't decide then apply to the open pool.
Christ Church, New, Merton, St John's, Hertford, University, Exeter and Corpus Christi are my personal favourites oh and Brasenose too. Jesus ain't so bad neither is Baliol or Oriel. Choose the one you like best don't worry about which is more competitive as your chances of getting an offer are the same everywhere though obviously you might not end up at your first choice college.
Why don't you start by telling us what you want from your college, and what resources you've used so far.
Original post by nexttime
Why don't you start by telling us what you want from your college, and what resources you've used so far.


Nexttime, I can't really emphasise how much time I've spent on this college selection process when I'm supposed to be revising, but surely all of those searches have had a great contribution in re-fueling the energy and motivation! I've used quite a lot of resources, went on each colleges websites and alternative prospectuses, JCR websites, prospectuses, forum chats and what not. Also the pros and cons on student room, and I visited New College as well - didn't have time for the rest but going back to visit in July :biggrin:. I have shortlisted a few, since there are some I do not like the idea of at all, e.g. Somerville, only because I find the idea of most of the students being accommodated on campus site more appealing for some reason, gives more of a friendly, collective, and therefore school-like image if you get me :smile: At first I had an obsession with having absolutely perfect accommodation, hence almost completely set my eyes on New/Worcester - the idea of ensuites (I liked New accomodation when I visited), but I just got put off New cause for some reason it didn't feel right, feeling of being really enclosed/trapped with the really walls and stuff don't know why, even though Christchurch is similar and feels right, but I get put off by how competitive it sounds. Now I'm leaning more towards the idea of a college that is wealthy (I know its stupid), therefore automatically has decent accommodation,food, good JCR, scholarships/funding (e.g. apparently St John's gives a certain allowance for book tokens to all students every year I'm considering medicine, and hold love for lots of medical textbooks <3) and prestige - first one that comes to my mind is Christchurch, then St Johns. I quite like the idea of scenic beauty of the college as well. and do not mind how far it is or anything.

I actually would be grateful getting into the worst college, but I just want to have an idea of which one to pick and really focus on before the interviews
Original post by nexttime
Why don't you start by telling us what you want from your college, and what resources you've used so far.


Thank you so much for always being helpful, and encouraging on all of these forums, I'm very grateful for the support you offer each time I post something with confusion :smile:
Original post by helloitsmee
Nexttime, I can't really emphasise how much time I've spent on this college selection process when I'm supposed to be revising, but surely all of those searches have had a great contribution in re-fueling the energy and motivation! I've used quite a lot of resources, went on each colleges websites and alternative prospectuses, JCR websites, prospectuses, forum chats and what not. Also the pros and cons on student room, and I visited New College as well - didn't have time for the rest but going back to visit in July :biggrin:. I have shortlisted a few, since there are some I do not like the idea of at all, e.g. Somerville, only because I find the idea of most of the students being accommodated on campus site more appealing for some reason, gives more of a friendly, collective, and therefore school-like image if you get me :smile: At first I had an obsession with having absolutely perfect accommodation, hence almost completely set my eyes on New/Worcester - the idea of ensuites (I liked New accomodation when I visited), but I just got put off New cause for some reason it didn't feel right, feeling of being really enclosed/trapped with the really walls and stuff don't know why, even though Christchurch is similar and feels right, but I get put off by how competitive it sounds. Now I'm leaning more towards the idea of a college that is wealthy (I know its stupid), therefore automatically has decent accommodation,food, good JCR, scholarships/funding (e.g. apparently St John's gives a certain allowance for book tokens to all students every year I'm considering medicine, and hold love for lots of medical textbooks <3) and prestige - first one that comes to my mind is Christchurch, then St Johns. I quite like the idea of scenic beauty of the college as well. and do not mind how far it is or anything.

I actually would be grateful getting into the worst college, but I just want to have an idea of which one to pick and really focus on before the interviews


WOOSTA! WOOSTA! WOOSTA! :rave: :party: :ahee:

Book tokens are always good though, has to be said :colondollar: Woosta does have a book allowance of something like £100 but that's for the entire duration of one's course and doesn't really get one very far, given how expensive books can be :colondollar:
Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd
WOOSTA! WOOSTA! WOOSTA! :rave: :party: :ahee:

Book tokens are always good though, has to be said :colondollar: Woosta does have a book allowance of something like £100 but that's for the entire duration of one's course and doesn't really get one very far, given how expensive books can be :colondollar:


Haha took me a moment to figure out what WOOSTA is :biggrin: I really like the idea of Worcester, but now I'm stuck cause St Johns seems to be quite fun, prestigious and centrally located. Do you know which of the two offer better accommodation?
Original post by helloitsmee
Haha took me a moment to figure out what WOOSTA is :biggrin: I really like the idea of Worcester, but now I'm stuck cause St Johns seems to be quite fun, prestigious and centrally located. Do you know which of the two offer better accommodation?


I don't know much about John's accommodation, I'm afraid. Woosta's is mostly excellent though. And even if you get a **** room in first year, that's actually GOOD, coz it means you're at the top of the room ballot for the rest of your degree :biggrin:

Seriously though, if you prefer St. John's that's fine. They're all good colleges and you'd be happy at any of them, I'm sure! Though I will say I don't think college prestige really makes a difference, tbh :nah:
Is Worcester really that un-prestigious?? :frown:

I mean, if I'm asked in which college I studied, will people have heard of it? Will it be considered "easy" to get in?

Sorry for the silly question, but I'm an international and don't really know how it works ahah!
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Caesar95
Is Worcester really that un-prestigious?? :frown:


I wouldn't say Woosta is unprestigious. I mean, sure, it's not Christ Church, Magdalen or New, but it's not too shabby either :biggrin:
Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd
I don't know much about John's accommodation, I'm afraid. Woosta's is mostly excellent though. And even if you get a **** room in first year, that's actually GOOD, coz it means you're at the top of the room ballot for the rest of your degree :biggrin:

Seriously though, if you prefer St. John's that's fine. They're all good colleges and you'd be happy at any of them, I'm sure! Though I will say I don't think college prestige really makes a difference, tbh :nah:


Aw that makes Worcester go up my list again! Arhh, can't decide. No I actually don't know much about St Johns a lot, people just make it sound really prestigious, by which I basically mean, very rich, which I wouldn't really care about, but they just seem to give lots of advantages, e.g. lots of grants for books and scholarships, thats not a big concern either, but I like the idea. I don't know, maybe I will visit these two first on the next open day. And St John seems to have a lot of buildings, and new accommodation and all, everyone living in college and all.

Do you go to Worcester? Thanks ever so much for your help btw!
Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd
I wouldn't say Woosta is unprestigious. I mean, sure, it's not Christ Church, Magdalen or New, but it's not too shabby either :biggrin:


Ahaha I didn't really take prestige into account when I chose! I met a gorgeous girl on the train back from the open day, and she told me she would apply to Woosta.. And that was it (oh and the ensuite percentage helped too!)

I mean, if I'm asked in which college I studied, will people have heard of it? Will it be considered "easy" to get in?
Original post by helloitsmee
Aw that makes Worcester go up my list again! Arhh, can't decide. No I actually don't know much about St Johns a lot, people just make it sound really prestigious, by which I basically mean, very rich, which I wouldn't really care about, but they just seem to give lots of advantages, e.g. lots of grants for books and scholarships, thats not a big concern either, but I like the idea. I don't know, maybe I will visit these two first on the next open day. And St John seems to have a lot of buildings, and new accommodation and all, everyone living in college and all.

Do you go to Worcester? Thanks ever so much for your help btw!


Do visit both and see what you like. There are various bursaries and scholarship opportunities at Woosta too but there's no denying it: St John's has money and Woosta, well, hasn't :tongue:

I'm a Woosta alumna (2007-2010) :yes:

Original post by Caesar95
Ahaha I didn't really take prestige into account when I chose! I met a gorgeous girl on the train back from the open day, and she told me she would apply to Woosta.. And that was it (oh and the ensuite percentage helped too!)

I mean, if I'm asked in which college I studied, will people have heard of it? Will it be considered "easy" to get in?


Woosta is by no means easy to get into. For years it was the most competitive (as in, oversubscribed) college :yep: I understand that the past year or two, that has been Brasenose, but for a good 4-5 years very recently (including my year of intake!) it was Woosta :yep:

People won't necessarily have heard of it, unless they know Oxford quite well, coz we haven't been in any movies :tongue: But then, no one will ask you your college unless they are really far too interested in your life and a busybody, or they know Oxford quite well :tongue:

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