Are INTERCOLLEGIATE halls really that BAD?

It seems no one chose intercollegiate halls. Are they really that bad? What's so bad about them? I've heard one saying that he doesn't wanna be "stuck" in one.

How do intercollegiate and LSE halls size up?

Reply 1

JustaGuy

1

CNN Center

It seems no one chose intercollegiate halls. Are they really that bad? What's so bad about them? I've heard one saying that he doesn't wanna be "stuck" in one.

How do intercollegiate and LSE halls size up?

Intercollegiate halls are great! You get to mingle with people from the other London colleges. Not sure why anyone wouldn't enjoy being in one!

Reply 2

Xanthe

1

The reason why many prospective undergraduates are saying they do not wish to be "stuck" in one is because Intercollegiate halls tend to have the most International Students. Foreign students apparently prefer to "stick with their own" rather than mix with their fellow British students. They become almost cliquey in a way. This is information I have obtained from an LSE undergraduate and I do not necessarily agree with it.

Reply 3

jiggaman7

although i would prefer an LSE hall the intercollegiate halls look awesome...with tennis courts n squash and sky digital....if it wasnt for the first year and me wanting to meet new LSE people i would probably choose intercollegiate over LSE halls

Reply 4

FTSE100

10

i m a foreigner with Home student status.

and i could never understand those "stick with their own" minded people.

crazy

Reply 5

Londo

Xanthe

The reason why many prospective undergraduates are saying they do not wish to be "stuck" in one is because Intercollegiate halls tend to have the most International Students. Foreign students apparently prefer to "stick with their own" rather than mix with their fellow British students. They become almost cliquey in a way. This is information I have obtained from an LSE undergraduate and I do not necessarily agree with it.

That undergraduate lies.

Reply 6

Xanthe

1

Why do you say that? He said all the overseas students stick together and that all the Brits merge. When I did the Student Shadowing Scheme I met a French undergraduate and all her friends were International Students.

I would just like to emphasise again that I do not necessarily agree with this view, it is just something someone told me...

Reply 7

Londo

Xanthe

Why do you say that? He said all the overseas students stick together and that all the Brits merge. When I did the Student Shadowing Scheme I met a French undergraduate and all her friends were International Students.

I would just like to emphasise again that I do not necessarily agree with this view, it is just something someone told me...

Good, but now I can tell you that he lies, and can guarantee you that you can trust me. Overseas do not tend to to do that, in fact I only had that experience with Americans (or better US citizens, Colombians are also Americans).

About the difference between LSE and Intercollegiate halls is just the obvious, that in LSE halls there are only LSE students, and therefore the chances of knowing somebody who is taking your same course is higher. On the other hand I believe that facilities are better in intercollegiate, although have never lived there to know the quality of life.

Reply 8

JustaGuy

1

Londo

Overseas do not tend to to do that, in fact I only had that experience with Americans (or better US citizens, Colombians are also Americans).

I agree with Londo. I am an international student myself, and my group of best friends while at an Intercollegiate Hall includes

1. A Welsh Dentist from Kings
2. An Indian Lawyer from Kings
3. A Malaysian Computer Scientist from UCL
4. A Japanese/Thai Lawyer from Kings
5. A Japanese/Spanish Mathematician from Imperial
6. An English Philosopher from Kings
7. A Singaporean lawyer from Queen Mary

We are still best friends to this day and often keep in touch with each other. I have visited them in Japan/Wales/London/Singapore, and they have also come to visit me.

In fact, it was the LSE guys who huddled together at my hall. I'm sure it was a one-off and other LSE people at the other halls probably do mix around more. In my personal experience, people from Hong Kong also tend to group with their own kind more.

At where I am now (grad school), I also find that Americans group with their own kind more.

These are just my personal experience.

I would still say Intercollegiate Halls are great if you want to meet people all over the world from other colleges. Since you are going to be at LSE, you will definitely meet loads of LSE people in your course/union/ECs anyways...

Reply 9

anonymity

international hall has just been redone and is pretty nice!

Reply 10

anonymity

http://www.student360.com/main/index.asp?header=24a&uniid=362&page=05

Reply 11

JustaGuy

1

anonymity

international hall has just been redone and is pretty nice!

But when I stayed there briefly, I found the food horrible and the staff not very friendly either :p:

Oh well maybe it's just me ... :wink:

Reply 12

CNN Center

OP

Any word on Connaught though?

Reply 13

anonymity

CNN Center

Any word on Connaught though?

check the link i posted above... you can view all intercollegiate accommodation

Reply 14

JustaGuy

1

CNN Center

Any word on Connaught though?

I stayed in Connaught for 2 years. Great place, except that the buildings are old so the walls are rather thin. Staff are friendly and the food is OK. If you get a room facing the gardens it can be quite lovely. But it *can* be a tad depressing if you get a room facing the back which look out to anther building ...

The showers are not that great though. The last time I was there, the water was not hot enough but they may have upgraded by now, who knows?

There is a bar in the basement, and a piano practise room (Lange Room) if you are musically inclined. There is also a "Library" on the ground floor if you don't want to work in your room. If the Library is crowded, you can ask the porter to give you another unoccupied room for private study. They are quite nice in this respect.

Also, the location is great. It's just a stone's throw away from ULU and the nicest Waterstone in London, and the Senate House Library is also nearby. There's a cinema within 10 minutes walk, and Tottenham Court/Oxford street are all within walking distance. There is a convenience store just around the corner too, or if you walk abit further, there is a Safeway, a Tesco and a Sainsbury! It is near Euston and Kings Cross station and so convenient for travelling around UK.

Oh dear.. I can go on and on and on .. :biggrin:

Just take my word that Bloomsbury is in a nice and very convenient area in London. :p:

Reply 15

TheWolf

15

I didn't choose intercollegiate halls cus 1. Mixing with people from your uni is better imo 2. don't like many of them ( in terms of location/quality )

Reply 16

Pegasus

2

About the international student thing - I understand why people may feel that way but I wouldn't have thought this would be the main reason, I mean its not as if LSE halls are 'less' international and if so I would have though the difference would be marginal (although I don't have any figures to back me up on this). Well unless, of course, you're talking about somewhere like International hall.

Reply 17

JustaGuy

1

TheWolf

I didn't choose intercollegiate halls cus 1. Mixing with people from your uni is better imo

Why is it "better"? :confused:

But if you are already at your Uni, you *will* mix with people from your Uni anyway, whether you like it or not! :rolleyes:

Reply 18

JustaGuy

1

Pegasus

I mean its not as if LSE halls are 'less' international and if so I would have though the difference would be marginal

Agree. If you are not keen in meeting other people from other London colleges, it probably does not matter whether you choose an intercollegiate or LSE hall. I guess the whole purpose of Intercollegiate halls is for people wanting to meet other students from the other London colleges.

Pegasus

Well unless, of course, you're talking about somewhere like International hall.

All the intercollegiate halls are 'international', if that's what you mean. In fact, International Hall traditionally takes in a much higher proportion of postgrad students compared to the other Intercollegiate halls!

Reply 19

Pegasus

2

JustaGuy

Agree. If you are not keen in meeting other people from other London colleges, it probably does not matter whether you choose an intercollegiate or LSE hall. I guess the whole purpose of Intercollegiate halls is for people wanting to meet other students from the other London colleges.

:confused:

All the intercollegiate halls are 'international', if that's what you mean. In fact, International Hall traditionally takes in a much higher proportion of postgrad students compared to the other Intercollegiate halls!

I'm not really sure what how your reply links to anything that I wrote but all good points, nonetheless. :smile:

Are INTERCOLLEGIATE halls really that BAD?

Related discussions

Articles for you

How The Student Room is moderated