Choosing an Oxford College

Bekaboo

Also unlike other places, they charge an INSANE amount for that accommodation (TWELVE HUNDRED POUNDS per term??? That's more than I paid for my FLAT!!) you have to opt OUT of meals, and formal is insanely expensive. That said, it's still one of my favourites :p:

Actually, I'll dispute that it is the most expensive. Certainly, if you want a huge room with an ensuite bathroom, it'll cost £12000 a term. If however, you want a small room with no bathroom, you pay much less. £900 a term, which is pretty reasonable considering that is what you'd pay in any other college.

Reply 1041

economics_girl

Bezzler

I can't say about the E&M tutors, but the Mac is a pretty ugly building from what I've heard, and lots of first years live in that.

Also, it has the highest proportion of private school students, so can be a bit "rah"-y, which worries some people. Personally I couldn't care less, but some people seem to highlight it as an issue.

The MAC really is not that bad - and come on, who cares about how pretty a building is really? The college is beautiful. You can choose if you live in the MAC or not. If you want to pay for an ensuite, you will be in the old college buildings.

True, it does have the highest % private school, but from what I've heard, it doesn't have that much of a 'rah'-y reputation. Not everyone who goes to private school is like that, the ones that are typically go the famous 'rah'-y ones, ie Christ Church, Trinity and Magdalen.

Reply 1042

Cirsium

19

economics_girl

Actually, I'll dispute that it is the most expensive. Certainly, if you want a huge room with an ensuite bathroom, it'll cost £12000 a term. If however, you want a small room with no bathroom, you pay much less. £900 a term, which is pretty reasonable considering that is what you'd pay in any other college.

I didn't actually say most expensive. Point taken that it's not all £1200 per term - but even £900 was more than I was paying at Jesus, for a significantly nicer room than friends at Pembroke had.

Reply 1043

Bezzler

1

Bekaboo

I didn't actually say most expensive. Point taken that it's not all £1200 per term - but even £900 was more than I was paying at Jesus, for a significantly nicer room than friends at Pembroke had.

Yeah, but you were there a couple of years ago. Until this year, Mertonians would have considered £900 expensive for rooms, given that they were only paying about £800, but then rents went up hugely this year.

Reply 1044

Cirsium

19

Bezzler

Yeah, but you were there a couple of years ago. Until this year, Mertonians would have considered £900 expensive for rooms, given that they were only paying about £800, but then rents went up hugely this year.

Well in that case Pembroke are doing a remarkably good job of keeping their rents down, because they were paying £900-£1200 back in my day anyway. I'd hate to think what the people with en suite are paying now :eek:

Reply 1045

economics_girl

Bekaboo

Well in that case Pembroke are doing a remarkably good job of keeping their rents down, because they were paying £900-£1200 back in my day anyway. I'd hate to think what the people with en suite are paying now :eek:

Ensuites are still roughly £1200 a term. The very biggest rooms (of which there are like 10 in college) cost about £1300 I think, but you don't have to pay that.

Reply 1046

nexttime

22

Mr Nonsense

...lincoln apparantly has the best food. you eat three times a day....

Show me a college that doesn't 'have' that!

Reply 1047

TheAngoose

I'm a lower 6th form student applying for PPE at Oxford this year.

Any advice the on the nature of particular colleges for PPE?

I'm taking Maths, Further Maths, Economics, RS and Mandarin (and will do an extended essay as well)
I got 9a* and 1a at GCSE
I don't think i would be able to apply for the really competitive colleges (Brasenose, Trinity etc.)

Thanks :smile:

Reply 1048

Cirsium

19

nexttime

Show me a college that doesn't 'have' that!

Yeah but do all colleges have a chef who used to work at the Savoy? Lincoln does have a bloody good claim to it...

Reply 1049

BJack

19

Just apply to the college you like the most, based on whatever criteria are most important to you. Size, age, location, food, facilities, accommodation, duck to student ratio ... it doesn't really matter. If you want to blacklist certain colleges because you think they'll be harder to get into, that's fine; that's just another criterion to put on the list.

Reply 1050

economics_girl

I have an offer from Pembroke, and know a little about quite a few colleges having spent hours looking into it. What specifically are you looking for eg atmosphere/ reputation, place, age, accommodation etc. If you let me know, I may be able to suggest some :smile:

Reply 1051

bykey

Hi, everyone!
I've got a little odd question, but it's an important one to me....
Is there any chance of getting in Oxford for the third term, if my friend had applied in 2009 year.

Reply 1052

Bezzler

1

bykey

Hi, everyone!
I've got a little odd question, but it's an important one to me....
Is there any chance of getting in Oxford for the third term, if my friend had applied in 2009 year.

I'm not sure I understand the question. You can't enter mid-year to Oxford; in fact, as far as I know, you can't enter mid-course, unless you're on some specific exchange programme which doesn't really count. Also, the third term's basically already started.

Reply 1053

Nasrino

Basically what it says in the title. Would be much appreciated, thanks.

Reply 1054

CocoPop

18

There's no specific college that's best for maths. In fact, there's no specific college that's best for anything, so your choice of college should be based on other factors.

I would suggest checking this out:
http://www.chooseoxfordcollege.co.uk/

Reply 1055

live_on_fascination

8

CocoPop

There's no specific college that's best for maths. In fact, there's no specific college that's best for anything, so your choice of college should be based on other factors.

I would suggest checking this out:
http://www.chooseoxfordcollege.co.uk/

This. And I love your sig :sexface:

Anyway OP, I suggest you visit the colleges and choose your favourite as there isn't a specific college which is better for maths (unlike at Cambridge where some colleges seem to specialise). Remember that 1/5 people in Oxford are pooled (so they're at a college which isn't the one they initially applied to) and love where they are. For example I was pooled and have no regrets at all about the college I'll be going to next year! Just pick one you like to look of. Good luck! :smile:

Reply 1056

RichE

15

You may find this page (links to the maths sections of each college's prospectus) helpful

http://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate/colleges

Reply 1057

Nasrino

ok, well thanks v. much!

Reply 1058

LeonM

4

I would be quite interested in the question which colleges are generally regarded as the most competitive for PPE. Anyone able to help me out?

Reply 1059

Ilyusha

LeonM

I would be quite interested in the question which colleges are generally regarded as the most competitive for PPE. Anyone able to help me out?

This year Balliol had 192 applicants for 12 places

Magdalen - have been told that there were ~220 applicants for 10 places

To compare, Keble had 39 applicants for 6 places (still pretty bad)

But applying to one of the most competitive ones doesn't necessarily mean you're less likely to get in overall, I know Balliol pooled lots of people before interview (45) and more after interview too. Also I got the impression from interviewing there that Balliol really cared about the right people getting in eg we all had two 20-30 minute interviews, focusing on the areas of PPE they thought we were interested in (eg I didn't have a politics interview, was mostly philosophy and a bit of economics). Apparently quite a few tutors see admissions as really tiresome and so want to get it over asap - less careful? This increases the element of randomness (which is quite high anyway in admissions) - more chance of "slipping through the net".

Choosing an Oxford College

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