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Choosing an Oxford College

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Reply 1640
Avatar for edseds
edseds
I have decided to drop an application to Oxford D.Phil program in economics. I would like to be informed how familiar are you people with the college selection and which one I should put in my application. I know that Nuffiled college is the most well know so that will be my first choice.But I need at least another two or three in order of preference. Do you have any suggestion?Also what is the typical funding if any for EU applicants?
Thanks!
Reply 1641
Avatar for hobnob
hobnob
14
Original post by edseds
I have decided to drop an application to Oxford D.Phil program in economics. I would like to be informed how familiar are you people with the college selection and which one I should put in my application. I know that Nuffiled college is the most well know so that will be my first choice.But I need at least another two or three in order of preference. Do you have any suggestion?Also what is the typical funding if any for EU applicants?
Thanks!

I think you'll find that you can only specify one college now. It used to be two, but that seems to have changed recently.
Hey everyone,

Basically I'm in a massive dilemma!

I've been planning on applying to Lincoln to read English in 2012 for months now. I like the fact that it's not too big; it's quite well-off so there's sufficient student financial support; the food's apparently really nice; it's centrally located; it's not too popular; and the buildings are very pretty. But I came across Hertford's website today (not sure how I managed to overlook it) and it just looks lovely. Better still, meals are available on a pay-as-you-go basis and there are more kitchens than at Lincoln. I can't seem to find many negatives after looking on the pros and cons thread. I've heard that some of the buildings aren't great (same with the food). I've booked for Lincoln's open day on July 7th and I'm going to try to get my aunt & uncle to take me down to Hertford on September 17th (there's no way my parents are paying to travel to another open day at Oxford). In the meantime, I'd really appreciate comparisons of the two colleges from current students, because I'm not sure how I'm going to decide which college to pick!

Thanks. (:
Reply 1643
Avatar for 237829
237829
I can't speak for Lincoln, but all I'll say is...

HertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertfordHertford

is amazing. :smile:
Original post by la-dauphine
Hey everyone,

I've booked for Lincoln's open day on July 7th and I'm going to try to get my aunt & uncle to take me down to Hertford on September 17th (there's no way my parents are paying to travel to another open day at Oxford). (:


If I could have chosen any college at all, with a guarantee of a place (which would have been nice!), it would have been Lincoln. For me, the three Turl Street colleges are special, and Lincoln is particularly beautiful. I didn't really warm to Hertford when i visited it, though this is completely subjective and it does, as Hertfordians constantly remind us, have its bridge.

You should have plenty of time on July 7th to visit Hertford too; it's only a few yards up the road from Lincoln. I scooted round half a dozen or more colleges at Open Day. Most colleges don't require you to book, if you just want a look round rather than the full formal intros and tours.

I wouldn't get too hung up on this as a 'massive dilemma' though, because if you get selected for interview you may still be reallocated or pooled to a completely different college (this happens to about one in five successful applicants). You get the same Oxford education and the same University degree whichever one you attend.
Hertford's kitchen provisions for first years aren't fantastic, although I doubt Lincoln's are any better. You can easily come see Hertford while you're at Lincoln.
I've booked the Hertford open day in September anyway, but it's good that I can have a look around other colleges in July. I think I read on the alternative prospectus that Hertford is known for admitting students from schools that don't have many Oxbridge candidates: is this just coincidence? As far as I know, all colleges use the same selection process!
Hertford has a cat and a bridge. What could you want more in life :p:
Original post by la-dauphine
..I think I read on the alternative prospectus that Hertford is known for admitting students from schools that don't have many Oxbridge candidates: is this just coincidence?..


I would be very surprised if any single college stood out in this specific respect, because Oxford's rules on 'contextual data' are enforced right across the Uni:

http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/finding_out_more/contextual_data.html

It remains the case, however, that some colleges receive many more applications from state school students than others in percentage terms, and also (prob'ly a more important statistic) that some colleges make many more offers to such students than others. Take a look at the last table here:

http://www.ox.ac.uk/about_the_university/facts_and_figures/undergraduate_admissions_statistics/school_type.html

All Oxford colleges are making an effort in this area though. If you get the grades, and do well enough in any aptitude tests, I'm sure that you will have as equal a chance as anyone else :smile:
Original post by soutioirsim
Hertford has a cat and a bridge. What could you want more in life :p:


Tom Paulin to teach you poetry?

Oh, I see.. you already got that too :s-smilie:
Balliol, option 3? :P:
Original post by la-dauphine
I've booked the Hertford open day in September anyway,


Crap me, you are organised
Original post by RupertTheBear
Crap me, you are organised


I wasn't sure how quickly they'd fill up, and there was only the September option left :P
My personal preference would be Lincoln. I love how small my college is (not Lincoln though) and the fact that hall food is great is really important to me. I don't have time to make use of the JCR kitchen. You might also want to consider whether the college offers accommodation for the duration of the course.
Reply 1654
Avatar for M1F2R3
M1F2R3
14
Hertford, cuz it's cool.
I have a couple of friends at Lincoln, and it really is a lovely college. I really like the fact that you can live in Turl Street for at least 2 years, and the location is amazing, just lively enough, but not far from Broad Street, the RadCam or anything, really. I also really, really liked the first quad in Hertford, but it just didn't make the cut when I got told the second quad (after the bridge) was a parking lot, haha. Just go look at both, you'll see how you feel. I had applied to Trinity, Cambridge back in my UCAS days (god I feel old), and when I first visited it, I actually hate it. It seemed gorgeous and amazing from the pictures, I actually found it really impersonal and cold, so my point is, don't trust the websites, they're made to show the best side of each college!
Original post by AnonymousPenguin
My personal preference would be Lincoln. I love how small my college is (not Lincoln though) and the fact that hall food is great is really important to me. I don't have time to make use of the JCR kitchen. You might also want to consider whether the college offers accommodation for the duration of the course.


Both colleges guarantee accommodation for all three years of the course, but Lincoln's accommodation seems to be around Turl Street or the Main Quad, while some of Hertford's accommodation for second and third years seems a bit further out.

The quality of food is important to me if I'm paying for it, and seeing as Lincoln's chef is rumoured to have worked at the Savoy it'll probably win that! I've booked lunch for both open days, so I'll be able to sample some of the cooking. Lincoln's library is more nicely furnished too, though maybe I'm being a bit picky there :P

I think it will probably just have to come down to atmosphere, because both colleges look lovely. It feels nice to be able to make that sort of decision when months ago I was stressing out over how I could narrow my choices down. Lincoln is probably my favourite so far, but I'm glad that I'm keeping my options open. (:
Reply 1657
Avatar for 237829
237829
Seriously though, how you feel about the place is the most important thing. For a year, I was convinced I was going to apply to St. Catherine's in Cambridge, then I visited Hertford, and fell in love with it (almost quite literally :P). Go wherever feels right.
From my college I am basically contractually bound to advise against Lincoln, but to be honest I think different things suit different people. I was going to go for Hertford, then looked round there and a few other colleges on general open days and felt that Brasenose was so much more for me, but then I know people who love Hertford as well so it's very much dependent on the person.
Anyway I'm biased to recommending Brasenose, it's right next to Lincoln in terms of location, has pay as you go food like Hertford and is gorgeous old Oxford looking as well (when it's not full of building work, but that will be all gone by the time you are considering applying and there will be brand new kitchen facilities etc).
Honestly though, just go look around if you can, I think that's the best way. But if you get in, wherever you end up is gonna seem like the best!
Original post by tuesday91
From my college I am basically contractually bound to advise against Lincoln, but to be honest I think different things suit different people. I was going to go for Hertford, then looked round there and a few other colleges on general open days and felt that Brasenose was so much more for me, but then I know people who love Hertford as well so it's very much dependent on the person.
Anyway I'm biased to recommending Brasenose, it's right next to Lincoln in terms of location, has pay as you go food like Hertford and is gorgeous old Oxford looking as well (when it's not full of building work, but that will be all gone by the time you are considering applying and there will be brand new kitchen facilities etc).
Honestly though, just go look around if you can, I think that's the best way. But if you get in, wherever you end up is gonna seem like the best!


Brasenose looks lovely, although I've heard that it's quite Tory (not sure how true this is?!) :tongue:

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