Choosing an Oxford College
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34 of us applied to worcester I think and only 4 people got places which has to suggest thats a good college??
hardy_4_paws
34 of us applied to worcester I think and only 4 people got places which has to suggest thats a good college??
You say on your profile that you "didn't get to go" where you wanted to go. So, where are you?
It's geography so no matter which college you go to you will be treated like the village idiot, (unless there are some PGCE students kicking around).
Look at the college websites and the interests of the tutors, if they coincide with yours then put that college on your shortlist. Stalk your shortlist on open days or by e-mail; if any seem approachable and engaging then apply to their college as they'd probably make half decent teachers.
Look at the college websites and the interests of the tutors, if they coincide with yours then put that college on your shortlist. Stalk your shortlist on open days or by e-mail; if any seem approachable and engaging then apply to their college as they'd probably make half decent teachers.
Revolution is my Name
Well, I guess that'd be what you'd conclude if factors such as the accommodation available, aesthetics etc. were of no importance to you, but, since I imagine they are, I was getting at perhaps it being a better idea to select on the basis of them instead.
Interesting. Chose you college on aesthetics. And many do. In years gone by, before glossy brochures and the internet, few had heard of the lake at Worcester. Now everyone has, and most fall in it. Actually, if you put aside your prejudice for old bricks, Hilda's has much to recommend it.
OrmondDrone
It's geography so no matter which college you go to you will be treated like the village idiot, (unless there are some PGCE students kicking around).
Look at the college websites and the interests of the tutors, if they coincide with yours then put that college on your shortlist. Stalk your shortlist on open days or by e-mail; if any seem approachable and engaging then apply to their college as they'd probably make half decent teachers.
Look at the college websites and the interests of the tutors, if they coincide with yours then put that college on your shortlist. Stalk your shortlist on open days or by e-mail; if any seem approachable and engaging then apply to their college as they'd probably make half decent teachers.
Ah! A medic. Of course, you lot are taught by nurse specialists now. So what would you know of intellect.
OrmondDrone
It's geography so no matter which college you go to you will be treated like the village idiot, (unless there are some PGCE students kicking around).
Look at the college websites and the interests of the tutors, if they coincide with yours then put that college on your shortlist. Stalk your shortlist on open days or by e-mail; if any seem approachable and engaging then apply to their college as they'd probably make half decent teachers.
Look at the college websites and the interests of the tutors, if they coincide with yours then put that college on your shortlist. Stalk your shortlist on open days or by e-mail; if any seem approachable and engaging then apply to their college as they'd probably make half decent teachers.
Hahaha met an Oxford Geog guy and pretty much every encounter with another Oxford student started like this.
Geog student: No it's not just colouring in.
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?
Why do you need to know?
You appear to be looking for a training contract...
ohdorabella
Ah! A medic. Of course, you lot are taught by nurse specialists now. So what would you know of intellect.
Actually we're usually taught by patients.
Leto
Why do you need to know?
You appear to be looking for a training contract...
You appear to be looking for a training contract...
Good for you. Yep, I'm a law student at a fine college in Oxford who is currently struggling to get a TC. But little brother wants to colour maps in at University and, despite his predilection for colouring in maps, has better GCSEs and A2s than I had. Gawd knows why he wants to do geography. He thought about law. Maybe it's easier to get a TC if you do geography.
Well spotted
why it is stated on the oxford website that "we recommend international students to do open application"..?? so should i choose one or not, as an international student??
Hey!
I'm thinking about the Graduate Biodiversity, Conservation and Management course and I wanted to ask about college choice. There are three that seem to attract people from this course and these are: Linacre, Green and St Edmund Hall. Hopefully someone could tell me the relative merits of each! Which would be closest to the department? Which is most likely to have en-suites (lol)? Which has better grants for travel etc.?
Thanks!
I'm thinking about the Graduate Biodiversity, Conservation and Management course and I wanted to ask about college choice. There are three that seem to attract people from this course and these are: Linacre, Green and St Edmund Hall. Hopefully someone could tell me the relative merits of each! Which would be closest to the department? Which is most likely to have en-suites (lol)? Which has better grants for travel etc.?
Thanks!
riotgrrl
Hi guys! I'm currently stuck between Brasenose and Oriel so I was wondering if anyone could provide an insight into either of them? My main priorities (aside from being pretty, which I already know they are!) are:
- Smallish
- Really sociable and friendly
- Good bar
- Not too full of private school rugby-players and rahs
- Perhaps some kind of reputation for drama?
- Not too intensively hard-working (I mean, I know it's Oxford so it's going to be a hell of a lot of work no matter where I go, but lets not push it too much xD)
- Good vegetarian food/catering facilities
- Smallish
- Really sociable and friendly
- Good bar
- Not too full of private school rugby-players and rahs
- Perhaps some kind of reputation for drama?
- Not too intensively hard-working (I mean, I know it's Oxford so it's going to be a hell of a lot of work no matter where I go, but lets not push it too much xD)
- Good vegetarian food/catering facilities
Hello - sorry I didn't reply to this earlier, I haven't wandered onto this thread for a while.
In many ways I imagine Brasenose and Oriel as quite similar - they are both small, central, old etc. But obviously I love Oriel, so I'm hideously biased. In answer to your priorities list:
- Smallish: Oriel is pretty small in terms of student numbers. There are about 90 people in each year, which means you get to know everyone. But you also get to know people in the years above and below you, so you're not just restricted to your age group.
- Really sociable and friendly: definitely a massive 'yes' as far as I can tell. Everyone is able to live on the main college site for the first two years (and about 1/3 or so of the third years do too, whilst everyone else lives in a nice annexe about 15 minutes away on Cowley Road) so you will get to know all the people around you very well, perhaps better than you would like at times
All colleges say they are 'friendly', and this is true, but most colleges seem to make 2nd years live out in annexes and finalists (3rd years) get to live on site. Oriel has 1st and 2nd years living on the main site, so there is a lot more mixing between the year groups, whilst 3rd years get to stress away from the hustle and bustle of all the fun that is being had.- Good bar: probably not the cheapest in Oxford but everyone hangs out there, plays pool, darts, quiz machine etc. You can charge non-alcoholic drinks and food/sweets to your termly account, so you don't have to pay upfront for some stuff.
- Rah/rugby boys: there are some rahs and rugby boys but not in the way that they are at school i.e. a clique on the edge looking down their noses at everyone. Anyone who talks about their 'gap yah' gets the mickey taken out of them a lot - the Gap Yah sketch was written and performed by Oriel people. Oxford in general isn't exactly a rah-free zone, but it's honesty nothing to stress about.
- Drama: lots of people in college get involved in drama. The Oriel Lions provides funding to support a lot of student plays and normally puts on some sort of play every summer term. It varies from year to year, depending on the interests of each intake, but there are plenty of people in years above willing to help you in the right direction. We had a really strong showing in the freshers inter-collegiate (Cuppers) drama competition this year. The college also has a fairly strong tradition in the Oxford Revue comedy group in recent years.
- Not too intensively hard-working: The college is making a bit more of an effort to move up in the Norrington Table after being at the bottom for absolutely ages but the student emphasis is very much on working hard, playing harder. We have great bops (college parties) that are really well-attended throughout the year and by all year groups, where everyone makes a big effort to dress up. In general, big groups get together and go out regularly during the week and there is virtually always someone in the bar that you can chat to. Being a small college, everyone gets encouraged to do some kind of college sport, whatever their ability. When it comes to exam time, people knuckle down and word hard, but we're not obsessed with getting firsts all of the time.
- Vegetarian food: I won't lie, it's not amazing. The food is better for non-veggies but one of my best friends is a vegetarian and she gets on fine. You quickly learn to pick out the stuff that is good from the menus and we have several kitchens scattered around the main site that you can use to cook for yourself. Food in hall is provided on a pay-as-you-go basis, so you won't have to commit to eating in hall in advance and can go as often or as little as you like.
Sorry, that was very waffly but hope it was of some use.
Looks like i'll apply for Hertford or Mansfield but does anyone know much about Keeble?
I applied to Hertford last year - the admissions tutor there is also a geography fellow which is part of it's decent rep for geog, I think. Plus they have fairly large numbers of geography staff in comparison to others and a fairly large intake. We got told that if other colleges want geographers, they come to Hertford because they've got the rep for having the best - not sure how true that is! Seemed to be a lot of us that got third interviews at other colleges, though.
They interviewed everyone who applied last year because they said everybody was that good. Again, not sure how true it is.
Remember some stat saying that out of all the geography firsts last year, Hertford had some massive chunk of them. Can't remember how many but I remember being impressed, so....
They interviewed everyone who applied last year because they said everybody was that good. Again, not sure how true it is.
Remember some stat saying that out of all the geography firsts last year, Hertford had some massive chunk of them. Can't remember how many but I remember being impressed, so....
ohdorabella
Yep, I'm a law student at a fine college in Oxford [...]
Given some of your comments in this thread, this comes as something of a surprise.
Mook
Hello - sorry I didn't reply to this earlier, I haven't wandered onto this thread for a while.
In many ways I imagine Brasenose and Oriel as quite similar - they are both small, central, old etc. But obviously I love Oriel, so I'm hideously biased. In answer to your priorities list:
- Smallish: Oriel is pretty small in terms of student numbers. There are about 90 people in each year, which means you get to know everyone. But you also get to know people in the years above and below you, so you're not just restricted to your age group.
- Really sociable and friendly: definitely a massive 'yes' as far as I can tell. Everyone is able to live on the main college site for the first two years (and about 1/3 or so of the third years do too, whilst everyone else lives in a nice annexe about 15 minutes away on Cowley Road) so you will get to know all the people around you very well, perhaps better than you would like at times All colleges say they are 'friendly', and this is true, but most colleges seem to make 2nd years live out in annexes and finalists (3rd years) get to live on site. Oriel has 1st and 2nd years living on the main site, so there is a lot more mixing between the year groups, whilst 3rd years get to stress away from the hustle and bustle of all the fun that is being had.
- Good bar: probably not the cheapest in Oxford but everyone hangs out there, plays pool, darts, quiz machine etc. You can charge non-alcoholic drinks and food/sweets to your termly account, so you don't have to pay upfront for some stuff.
- Rah/rugby boys: there are some rahs and rugby boys but not in the way that they are at school i.e. a clique on the edge looking down their noses at everyone. Anyone who talks about their 'gap yah' gets the mickey taken out of them a lot - the Gap Yah sketch was written and performed by Oriel people. Oxford in general isn't exactly a rah-free zone, but it's honesty nothing to stress about.
- Drama: lots of people in college get involved in drama. The Oriel Lions provides funding to support a lot of student plays and normally puts on some sort of play every summer term. It varies from year to year, depending on the interests of each intake, but there are plenty of people in years above willing to help you in the right direction. We had a really strong showing in the freshers inter-collegiate (Cuppers) drama competition this year. The college also has a fairly strong tradition in the Oxford Revue comedy group in recent years.
- Not too intensively hard-working: The college is making a bit more of an effort to move up in the Norrington Table after being at the bottom for absolutely ages but the student emphasis is very much on working hard, playing harder. We have great bops (college parties) that are really well-attended throughout the year and by all year groups, where everyone makes a big effort to dress up. In general, big groups get together and go out regularly during the week and there is virtually always someone in the bar that you can chat to. Being a small college, everyone gets encouraged to do some kind of college sport, whatever their ability. When it comes to exam time, people knuckle down and word hard, but we're not obsessed with getting firsts all of the time.
- Vegetarian food: I won't lie, it's not amazing. The food is better for non-veggies but one of my best friends is a vegetarian and she gets on fine. You quickly learn to pick out the stuff that is good from the menus and we have several kitchens scattered around the main site that you can use to cook for yourself. Food in hall is provided on a pay-as-you-go basis, so you won't have to commit to eating in hall in advance and can go as often or as little as you like.
Sorry, that was very waffly but hope it was of some use.
In many ways I imagine Brasenose and Oriel as quite similar - they are both small, central, old etc. But obviously I love Oriel, so I'm hideously biased. In answer to your priorities list:
- Smallish: Oriel is pretty small in terms of student numbers. There are about 90 people in each year, which means you get to know everyone. But you also get to know people in the years above and below you, so you're not just restricted to your age group.
- Really sociable and friendly: definitely a massive 'yes' as far as I can tell. Everyone is able to live on the main college site for the first two years (and about 1/3 or so of the third years do too, whilst everyone else lives in a nice annexe about 15 minutes away on Cowley Road) so you will get to know all the people around you very well, perhaps better than you would like at times
All colleges say they are 'friendly', and this is true, but most colleges seem to make 2nd years live out in annexes and finalists (3rd years) get to live on site. Oriel has 1st and 2nd years living on the main site, so there is a lot more mixing between the year groups, whilst 3rd years get to stress away from the hustle and bustle of all the fun that is being had.- Good bar: probably not the cheapest in Oxford but everyone hangs out there, plays pool, darts, quiz machine etc. You can charge non-alcoholic drinks and food/sweets to your termly account, so you don't have to pay upfront for some stuff.
- Rah/rugby boys: there are some rahs and rugby boys but not in the way that they are at school i.e. a clique on the edge looking down their noses at everyone. Anyone who talks about their 'gap yah' gets the mickey taken out of them a lot - the Gap Yah sketch was written and performed by Oriel people. Oxford in general isn't exactly a rah-free zone, but it's honesty nothing to stress about.
- Drama: lots of people in college get involved in drama. The Oriel Lions provides funding to support a lot of student plays and normally puts on some sort of play every summer term. It varies from year to year, depending on the interests of each intake, but there are plenty of people in years above willing to help you in the right direction. We had a really strong showing in the freshers inter-collegiate (Cuppers) drama competition this year. The college also has a fairly strong tradition in the Oxford Revue comedy group in recent years.
- Not too intensively hard-working: The college is making a bit more of an effort to move up in the Norrington Table after being at the bottom for absolutely ages but the student emphasis is very much on working hard, playing harder. We have great bops (college parties) that are really well-attended throughout the year and by all year groups, where everyone makes a big effort to dress up. In general, big groups get together and go out regularly during the week and there is virtually always someone in the bar that you can chat to. Being a small college, everyone gets encouraged to do some kind of college sport, whatever their ability. When it comes to exam time, people knuckle down and word hard, but we're not obsessed with getting firsts all of the time.
- Vegetarian food: I won't lie, it's not amazing. The food is better for non-veggies but one of my best friends is a vegetarian and she gets on fine. You quickly learn to pick out the stuff that is good from the menus and we have several kitchens scattered around the main site that you can use to cook for yourself. Food in hall is provided on a pay-as-you-go basis, so you won't have to commit to eating in hall in advance and can go as often or as little as you like.
Sorry, that was very waffly but hope it was of some use.
Thank you very much for your help! I've actually been back to visit since and picked Brasenose, pretty much just on gut feeling!
psychout
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.
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.
You missed out New College
, and St John's come to think of it. And Richard Dawkins was a Fellow at New College and a mere undergraduate at Balliol. 
flugestuge
Both these fail the "best" criterion.
New College additionally fails the "academic" criterion.
New College additionally fails the "academic" criterion.
If Christ Church is academic, then New College certainly is. It's also far older and wealthier than most of the other colleges he mentioned, which seemed to be the criteria he was going by.SPSMain
Did wonder that myself...
did you figure out why..
I understand that PPE is an extremely competitive course at Oxford and the chances of getting in are slim. Would an open application make the chances slightly larger or would it make no differece at all? I have no personal preference of any of the colleges and I think that perhaps open application would be more suitable in my case. Is thre any college that has a reputation for the ease of getting in for PPE(just hoping)? Any one having other suggestions?
Also, I am trying to register for the TSA test over the internet and during the process of registration they want me to insert the college of choice, which is something that I wouldn't able to know as I am thinking of making an open application. Would it be alright to leave it blank as it is undecided? Anyone been through this and know the answer?
Finally, I have heard that there are currently no Chinese students studying PPE at Oxford, except for those who took their A-levels at UK. Would that be a disadvantage on my behalf or is it only because that the number of people applying from China is little? Would interviews concern really academic knowledge or just testing your way of thinking? My A-levels taken are very science-based, would that be a disadvantage as PPE is an essay-related subject? Would it make a difference if I let them know that most of the subjects offered at my school are science-based?
Awful lot of rambling. Thanks for those who have answers. =)
Also, I am trying to register for the TSA test over the internet and during the process of registration they want me to insert the college of choice, which is something that I wouldn't able to know as I am thinking of making an open application. Would it be alright to leave it blank as it is undecided? Anyone been through this and know the answer?
Finally, I have heard that there are currently no Chinese students studying PPE at Oxford, except for those who took their A-levels at UK. Would that be a disadvantage on my behalf or is it only because that the number of people applying from China is little? Would interviews concern really academic knowledge or just testing your way of thinking? My A-levels taken are very science-based, would that be a disadvantage as PPE is an essay-related subject? Would it make a difference if I let them know that most of the subjects offered at my school are science-based?
Awful lot of rambling. Thanks for those who have answers. =)
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