Considerations in choosing Oxbridge Colleges

First and foremost … make your choice between Oxford and Cambridge!

l   If scholarship is essential for financing the study, pick those colleges covered by the target scholarships, e.g. Prince Philip Scholarship and Jardine Foundation, etc.

l   After choosing the subject of study, check against those colleges whether the chosen course is offered and supported

l   Some colleges are specific for certain age groups or gender

l   Check the target college for any special rules and facilities for, say, students who are underage (<18) or have a disability

l   Not all colleges offer accommodation for all years of undergraduate study

l   Size of student population, in particular, with respect to the chosen subject in the College

l   Location of the College viz-a-viz town centre and departmental buildings

l   General and specific facilities provided

l   Appearance?

l   ‘Old’ or ‘new’? 

l   Do not make an Open Application unless you are happy to be placed in any old college ... For example, windows in old ones are commonly still single glazed while new ones are usually double glazed.  You don’t have to be told the difference in winter …

For chances of getting in, applicants are officially advised that they are not advantaged or disadvantaged by their choice of college.  However, whether a college has a larger number of places offered for the chosen course may affect how interviews are arranged.  For example, an average-sized college offers 5 places for first-year law students while a large college may offer up to 10.  It happened before that a large college interviewed selected applicants of other colleges but applicants of this college were not chosen for further interviews at other colleges after two rounds of interviews at this college.  Of course, it does not mean that this college’s applicants are disadvantaged in terms of chances of admission.  It shows that there are differences in arrangements after all.