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Choosing an Oxford College

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Reply 1200
Avatar for Irenutza
Irenutza
Hello! I would like to study medicine at University of Oxford. What College should I apply to? I don't know how this works..I am not from UK.

Thank you
Reply 1201
Avatar for MSB
MSB
17
Read this. Medicine applicants (I believe) are pooled a lot anyway, so there's a fair chance you won't end up at the college you applied to if you get in.
i want to study geography and was wondering what colleges were good, also i like to have a laugh anyone think of one's with a good atmosphere, i heard that Merton had both..? Also writing my P.S atm any tips or ideas of what to include for geography?

Thanks
Do your research. Read the official college prospectuses, the alternative college prospectuses, the student union alternative prospectus, the TSR Oxford colleges pros and cons list, visit the Open day if you can, etc. Once you have a less vague question, anyone here would be happy to help.
morrisajm
i want to study geography and was wondering what colleges were good, also i like to have a laugh anyone think of one's with a good atmosphere, i heard that Merton had both..? Also writing my P.S atm any tips or ideas of what to include for geography?

Thanks


Mansfield has one of the highest numbers of geographers per year (9-10 in a year of 70). It also has a geography society (1887 society) who do amazing dinners (4 courses, wine and port, so so good :biggrin: )

I don't know much about Merton, but its reputation is more academic powerhouse than being a laid back college (though I have no doubt Mertonians will correct me on this).
morrisajm
i want to study geography and was wondering what colleges were good, also i like to have a laugh anyone think of one's with a good atmosphere, i heard that Merton had both..? Also writing my P.S atm any tips or ideas of what to include for geography?

Thanks


There isn't a 'bad' Oxford college; you will get a stellar education at any one of them. However, if you're looking for 'laid back', I wouldn't go for Merton. It's a lovely college, but as someone who has tutorials there, and who is very close to two Mertonites, it's definitely one of the less relaxed colleges.

Hertford, Wadham and Queen's are all comparatively laid-back, whilst still being pretty high up the Norrington table (if you're really bothered by that) - might be worth giving one of those a shot?
Does anyone - prospective applicants or anyone already there - have any views on which is the best Oxford College for Geography? Schools seem to recommend Hertford or Mansfield. And if Hertford IS the best, does that mean it will be the most difficult college to get into?
Reply 1207
Avatar for doivid
doivid
17
I know that Mansfield admit a large amount of geographers considering the year group is small. They also have their own geography society (1887 society).
Last year, the consensus seemed to be Hertford - apart from the ever prolific Beekaboo who recommended Jesus - or possibly Mansfield. Is that still the same this year? Does Hertford REALLY tend to chose attractive female students? (Please tell me this isn't true). If Hertford is the "best" maybe the strategic application is Mansfield.
I grant that to Oxford applicants this is likely a valid question, but for someone who hasn't studied this in depth, why would one college be better than another for a subject? I'm aware that all colleges study together, and wouldn't the spread of staff designated to each college be roughly even? What else would swing the balance?
Reply 1210
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psychout
ohdorabella
Last year, the consensus seemed to be Hertford - apart from the ever prolific Beekaboo who recommended Jesus - or possibly Mansfield. Is that still the same this year? Does Hertford REALLY tend to chose attractive female students? (Please tell me this isn't true). If Hertford is the "best" maybe the strategic application is Mansfield.


I don't know which ones offer Geography, but it seems that the general consensus of the "best/most academic" colleges are:

Merton, Balliol (home to Richard Dawkins AND Christopher Hitchens), Christ Church, and Magdeline.

There may be more, but from what I've seen/heard, those seem to continually be among the best with regards to academic focus and performance among students. In addition to the fact that these colleges are older/richer, and provide more services. Christ Church for example offers year round accommodation, even during term breaks. Not all colleges do this. In addition to the fact that CC is BEAUTIFUL.

Again I could be wrong, but this is simply what it seems to be.

I personally am aiming for either Balliol or Christ Church.
And, to follow up, I see that Willa (at the top of the threads) says:

"OK, I'm absolutely sick to death of people coming on here and asking the same sorts of questions regarding choosing a college. So I was hoping this thread could put an end to it, with those who are already at oxford and cambridge helping me on this one. Maybe then we'll stop the "which college is best for..." rubbish that's flying around."

That's all well and good for Willa, who is 24. The 18 year olds approaching Oxford and agonising about College choice need up to date, subject orientated information. Also, late at night, they need gossip and discussion about it all. I'm sorry if this 'sickens' Willa, but lots of us want to widdle on about it. Well, I do, anyway!
Revolution is my Name
Admittedly I'm something of a noob as well, but what exactly d'you think would make any one college "better" than any other for a given subject?


The Norrington Table.
flugestuge
Brookes College.
A fake college for a fake subject.
Colouring pencils are free at Brookes.


Hee hee. I like that. Better Brookes and being a Hildebeast. Or not.
My friend just got into to Geography at Oxford - St Anne's.

Ergh, Head Boy, 5 A*s at A Level, stupidly good at Art and doesn't really want to geography anyway - he wants to be an artist but 'there is no point in doing a degree in art'.

But it's ok TSR has assured me that grades don't determine intelligence :wink:

Good luck OP :yep:
ohdorabella
Does anyone - prospective applicants or anyone already there - have any views on which is the best Oxford College for Geography? Schools seem to recommend Hertford or Mansfield. And if Hertford IS the best, does that mean it will be the most difficult college to get into?


Hertford and Mansfield have relatively large intakes with 10 and 8 places a year for geography and have strong reputations for the subject so people with gravitate to these colleges. St Catherine's and Jesus also have strong reputations for geography and around 8 places a piece. At my school if you wanted an easy offer for geography (if such a thing exists at Oxford) then you'd look at St Anne's or St Hilda's - fewer places than the bigger hitters at around 4 places each but generally less popular colleges.
Revolution is my Name
So why aren't you just applying to the college at the top of it, then?


Maybe that is the best strategy. But, sadly, Magdalen does not offer geography. And, I'm sure you would agree, the Norrington table, though interesting, is a blunt instrument. Blunt or not, Hilda's, which does offer geography, does not do well. Nor does Mansfield. When you leave the university with a BA Oxon, few care which college you came from - but that does not mean that some colleges are not better at some subjects. The question is, how do you tell? Do you know?
Reply 1217
Avatar for doivid
doivid
17
ohdorabella
Maybe that is the best strategy. But, sadly, Magdalen does not offer geography. And, I'm sure you would agree, the Norrington table, though interesting, is a blunt instrument. Blunt or not, Hilda's, which does offer geography, does not do well. Nor does Mansfield. When you leave the university with a BA Oxon, few care which college you came from - but that does not mean that some colleges are not better at some subjects. The question is, how do you tell? Do you know?


The only way that you could track down subject specific information for different colleges is if you found them on college websites/emailed admissions tutors. Mansfield gives some stats on their subject page but I don't think Hertford does.
doivid
The only way that you could track down subject specific information for different colleges is if you found them on college websites/emailed admissions tutors. Mansfield gives some stats on their subject page but I don't think Hertford does.


The only college I can find that gives real feedback on this sort of thing is Keble. I particularly loved the idiosyncratic, eclectic report from the outspoken Keble English tutor. A joy to read. And, having read it, pity the poor soul who applied for English at Brasenose.

http://www.keble.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/admissions-feedback/english

Good on her for being so up front. Wouldn't it be a joy if all tutors from all colleges offered similar reports>
Revolution is my Name
You'll notice my original question was not what indicated they were better, as the Norrington Table might do, but what you thought would actually lead to one college being "better" than another.
But, anyway, even if you were just to pick the college at the top, there'd be no guarantee that its results overall were indicative of its results in Geography, and even if results were good one year, who's to know that that's not just due to there being an exceptionally good bunch of students that year, given as, as somebody else stated, some colleges may have as few as 4 geographers.


The logical conclusion of your argument (or maybe the reductio ad absurdum) is to make an open application - i.e. apply for Hilda's

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