Oxford University in general

It's not all dreaming spires, spending lazy days punting along the Isis, and sipping port at black tie dinners. While public opinion of Oxford does tend to be dominated by these rare and elusive delights, the practicalities of a life in Oxford are much less attractive; they don't tell you you'll be judged as an elitist before speaking, that you'll be subject to the monopolistic dominance of Sainsbury's, that you'll have your bike stolen at least once a term, that you'll be out numbered and guilt-tripped out of your last pound by an army of homeless, that you are expected to spend more time working than sleeping - they don't put that in the manifesto. But for ...  Read the complete review

Oxford seems to have generated so many myths around itself and these get perpetuated year on year. You should know you don't have to be cleverer than Einstein, discoverer of the cure for cancer and Mother Teresa all in one before you even think of applying! The University of Oxford, or to give its Latin name Universitas Oxoniensis, is a UK university that is all things considered rather good. It is the oldest university in England and was founded at the end of the 12th century. Some cowardly academics fled Oxford in 1209 to found "The Other Place". (Cambridge is also a pretty good university so consider them too...). It is always in the top ten of ...  Read the complete review

Arriving onto the cobbles of Merton Street in the dark and cold of December, never having been to Oxford before, and being expected to justify my claim to being vaguely clever under the sharp gaze of some of the world's brightest minds in the fields of Politics, Philosophy and Economics, was a tad daunting I must admit. Corpus Christi is one of the smallest colleges in Oxford, and yet the huge wooden gates manage to look pretty imposing. The people though, you are quick to realise, are lovely. You might think that three days of interviews would be a pretty traumatic experience - but actually I only had three interviews, each of twenty minutes, and after each ...  Read the complete review

I have experience of Merton College in Oxford because I was invited for interview after applying for a place to read Mathematics. Unfortunately after the interview process I did not receive an offer for a place but I have experience of the college. Merton like other colleges is an old college with old quaint buildings and lots of character. The great hall where dining takes place is a magnificent room, with 3 long tables fitted with lights and funky water jugs. Paintings line the walls. The food at Merton is some of the best in the university. Merton College has a lawn which is allowed to be walked on (a rarity) and a nice chapel. The Junior Common Room is small, ...  Read the complete review

I had my Oxford interview in December 2004 as well, for Law. After alighting from the train, it took me a while to find my college (at night) - but that's probably more due to my lack of direction! Keble is actually very easy to find if you have a map (try the one at back of prospectus). If all else fails, a taxi single way is around £5 - especially good value if you can find someone to share it with! The college itself is legendary. Aside from its 'spaceship' shaped bar (it was closed when I went), most would agree that the architecture and design are amongst the prettiest and most original in Oxford (the bar's 'unique' too I guess!). I stayed in the ...  Read the complete review