Choosing an Oxford College

All of my seniors who made a close application were asked the question "why this college.."

Even if they ask it I would imagine its more of a question to get you settled and talking in the interview. They aren't going to reject you becuase you applied to pemrboke becuase its right next to the department or to corpus beucase its small or johns becuase no one likes you. OK well maybe you should stick away from stupid statements like its esaier to get in here but a lot more weight will be put on the questions that are related to your subject

Reply 482

Kicky

2

I haven't heard of anyone that was asked why this college, although why cambridge/why [insert subject here]? are common questions.

I chose Christ's because it's pretty and a fairly small college in the town centre but not too touristy (though they're not really academic reasons). My interviews were mainly scientific questions with a few ethical questions and some about my PS and work experience in the general one.

:smile:

Reply 483

ukebert

13

Kicky

I haven't heard of anyone that was asked why this college, although why cambridge/why [insert subject here]? are common questions.

The only general question I was asked in both interviews.

Reply 484

Minta2

I applied to St Catharine's in 2004 and was asked 'why this college?' in my general interview. So they can and do ask, but not always, and I doubt your answer would influence whether you were accepted or not.

Reply 485

Gnoes

Minta2

I applied to St Catharine's in 2004 and was asked 'why this college?' in my general interview. So they can and do ask, but not always, and I doubt your answer would influence whether you were accepted or not.

So how did you answer the question? As I'm an international student, we do not have separate interview for general and subject. Guess that's why we are very likely to be asked the question.

Reply 486

NickkO

Kicky

I haven't heard of anyone that was asked why this college, although why cambridge/why [insert subject here]? are common questions.

I chose Christ's because it's pretty and a fairly small college in the town centre but not too touristy (though they're not really academic reasons). My interviews were mainly scientific questions with a few ethical questions and some about my PS and work experience in the general one.

:smile:

Are there really any academic reasons to choose one college over the other? I mean, the Cambridge site and practically all the people here keep stressing on the fact that it does not matter what college you go to, because the education is the same everywhere.

Reply 487

mfb3000

NickkO

Are there really any academic reasons to choose one college over the other? I mean, the Cambridge site and practically all the people here keep stressing on the fact that it does not matter what college you go to, because the education is the same everywhere.

The only academic reasons would be that X college has a good reputation for Y.
Replace X and Y with Downing/Law, Trinity/Maths, Caius/Medicine, etc.

Reply 488

Craghyrax

17

Gnoes

So how did you answer the question? As I'm an international student, we do not have separate interview for general and subject. Guess that's why we are very likely to be asked the question.

Just be as honest as you can be. They will appreciate that and take your situation into consideration. However..you're not going to be asked that, so chill.

I highly recommend the TSR wiki pages on the different colleges.

Reply 489

Craghyrax

17

Minta2

I applied to St Catharine's in 2004 and was asked 'why this college?' in my general interview. So they can and do ask, but not always, and I doubt your answer would influence whether you were accepted or not.

That being a few years ago, it wouldn't surprise me if they've change that recently. Like ukebert, I was also told while up for interviews that they were no longer allowed to ask that question.

Reply 490

Neutral_Tones

There's a very good sticky around here on narrowing down college choices. Personally, I looked/ am looking at the location, size, facilities to choose mine (well I think I'm almost definite.) Reasons such as good bar/ pretty architecture/ distance from faculty sites could also help you to choose and frankly, if that's why you like a college, then they're valid factors in your decision! Good luck with your application! :smile:

Reply 491

Simon Kilpin

Excellent guide Willa, thanks.

One question though (for anyone who may be able to help) - at Oxford/Cambridge, different academic staff are linked to different colleges. Would you therefore be better off choosing a college affiliated with staff that specialise in your subject? For example, I am thinking of studying Psychology at Oxford, but some colleges do not have any affiliated Psychology staff. Is this an important thing to consider?

Cheers

Reply 492

hobnob

14

Simon Kilpin

Would you therefore be better off choosing a college affiliated with staff that specialise in your subject? For example, I am thinking of studying Psychology at Oxford, but some colleges do not have any affiliated Psychology staff. Is this an important thing to consider?

Provided they're not colleges which don't actually offer your subject (see here for a list), it just means that a lot of your tutorials will probably be at other colleges. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, though.

Incidentally, you can't really study Psychology at Oxford (not at undergraduate level, anyway). There's only Experimental Psychology and PPP.

Reply 493

Swayum

18

Are St. Peter's buildings ugly? I can't seem to find any pictures of them.

Is Lady Margaret Hall a girls college or something?

Also, could someone post the stereotypes of those two colleges please?

Reply 494

hobnob

14

DeathAwaitsU

Are St. Peter's buildings ugly? I can't seem to find any pictures of them.

Not particularly. I remember them as a bit of an odd mixture of styles and I wouldn't really single Peter's out for its prettiness, but I've seen much uglier places...

Is Lady Margaret Hall a girls college or something?

Not quite; it's a former girls' college. It went mixed quite a while ago, though.

Also, could someone post the stereotypes of those two colleges please?

As far as I know, Peter's is supposed to be one of the sporty colleges. No idea about LMH, though.

Reply 495

madmat

Hi
I am not sure if I am in the right thread but I am dyslexic & would like to know if there is any particular Oxford college that is more supportive than others. I want to do Maths, Physics or Engineering.Also I am not a great party animal but would like to be somewhere where it is easy to make firends. Any recommendations? Thanks

Reply 496

hobnob

14

madmat

Hi
I am not sure if I am in the right thread but I am dyslexic & would like to know if there is any particular Oxford college that is more supportive than others. I want to do Maths, Physics or Engineering.Also I am not a great party animal but would like to be somewhere where it is easy to make firends. Any recommendations? Thanks

All colleges have to be (and for all I know are) supportive towards people with disabilities, really. As for making friends easily, that's really up to you, but maybe applying to a smallish college (in which it's actually possible to know every person in your year by name after fresher's week) would be an option?

Reply 497

anonymous1985

Do they support those who are deaf or blind also?

Reply 498

hobnob

14

History_Boys

Do they support those who are deaf or blind also?

I'm sure they try to (well, they'd have to, really), although I can imagine blind students in particular would have a pretty hard time nevertheless, because they probably can't take full advantage of the libraries... :dontknow:

Reply 499

anonymous1985

Yes that's what i thought, but still if you were really intelligent and passionate for your subject they would have to treat you as an equal.

Choosing an Oxford College

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