With 44 colleges at Oxford, and 31 at Cambridge, students often struggle with choosing which to apply to. Our guide will help!
When deciding which college to apply to, you should look for factors that broadly differentiate the colleges and think about which you would prefer — here are some things to consider:
Would you prefer a college with a large number of students? More students means more sociable and more people to befriend but also busier and less intimate.
Would you prefer a college with a larger grounds? A larger grounds means more space, but may be less lively at times.
Would you prefer a college that is more centrally located? A central location entails better links to other destinations, be it restaurants, bars, or other colleges, however it also means the college might attract more tourists, and be less spacious.
Would you prefer a college with a reputation for a certain activity, e.g., rugby, rowing, or music? Certain colleges have built reputations for high achievement in certain activities, and so if a given activity is important to you, you may wish to prioritise those colleges. For example, if you are a very keen rugby player you might choose a college with a reputation for having a strong rugby team, such as St Edmund Hall, Oxford.
Would you prefer a college that has specific facilities e.g. squash court, gym, theatre? Some colleges, generally the larger ones, contain facilities such as these, although it is worth noting that they may be open to members of other colleges regardless.
Use this process to narrow down your selection of colleges — you should be left with just a few. At this point, it is best to use your contacts to see if there is anyone you can speak to at the colleges who can provide you with more accurate information (the university and college websites are going to make every college sound great), and answer any questions you may have.
If you are struggling to find people at certain colleges, get in touch and we can help with this. Of course, if you have the opportunity, visiting the colleges in person is also a great way to help you decide, and students at the colleges will happily answer any questions you may have.
Some students consider applying to a less popular college in the hope that there will be less competition for spaces, increasing chances of a successful application. This is very inadvisable as the university will pull some applicants to colleges with fewer applications when it comes to interviews, in order to ensure that every college has the same number of interviewees per place. As such, applying to a less popular college will do nothing to improve your chances of admission, so you should apply to the college that most appeals to you.
It is also worth noting that the choice of college is not the most important decision, as 1) there is a possibility you may end up being pulled to another college anyway, and 2) there are no ‘bad’ colleges, and all have advantages and disadvantages — very few people end up disliking the college they end up at!