An Overview of Oxford University

Advantages: High academic standards, reputation, university can be the best years of your life
Disadvantages: Can be seen as stuffy and old-fashioned, a lot of work, may not suit all

...Oxford University is one of the most prestigious in the world. It may be second to Cambridge in the Times league table, but really this is relatively insignificant. The truth is that there are many top quality universities, and I shall not pretend that Oxbridge is automatically superior, when in reality places like York, Durham, etc can all offer at least as good facilities in certain subjects. As a current student of Oxford University (just finished first year PPE at Jesus), however, I feel qualified to write a guide for those that may be thinking of applying, and anyone who’s just interested. I shan’t write everything here – there are separate categories on Dooyoo concerning the interview, courses, etc so I shall just try to give a broad overview here (and probably write in more detail on the other aspects later...

a-true-ben 06.01.2002 · Read review
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Review of Oxford University

Oxford University - love it or hate it?

Advantages: You either love it
Disadvantages: or you hate it

...I studied at Oxford for seven and a half years. I had never even thought about studying at Oxford (or Cambridge which I visited often as a child) when one day I was on a school open day at New College. I walked into the college and I simply fell in love with it. I knew then that I wanted to study there and have not regretted it. The application procedure for Oxford and Cambridge is slightly more complicated than for other Universities. There is a separate form which has to be filled in and returned, and the deadline to send this in is earlier than for the UCAS form. When I applied there was still an entrance exam, but now that has disappeared. You pick a first choice college (and second and third if you want, or if you don't want to pick you will be assigned them "by computer") and if you are invited for interview you will be...

newc0597 05.05.2004 · Read review
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Review of Oxford University

Keble College, Oxford University

Advantages: Beauftiful, grand, Oxford as a whole is prestigious
Disadvantages: Grand, daunting, har to get into

...I applied for Archaeology & Anthropology at Keble Collge, Oxford for entry in 2005. I had my interview in December 2004, and so I shall recount my experiences of Keble, and of Oxford as a whole. KEBLE Keble is a very beautiful college. You can see pictures of it on the Oxford website, but this really is nothing compared to your first glance at it 'in the flesh' so to speak. There are two main courtyarded areas, with big grassy lawns in the middle of both. The buildings are very grand, big, and Victorian style (Keble is a 'new' college, compared to most of the others!). I was staying in the new building, which was lovely! My room was spacious and airy, and even had an ensuite. It was sheer luxury! In case you couldn't be bothered with the stairs, there's even an elevator! After I'd settled in and got my bits together, I headed...

kozwoz 25.03.2005 · Read review
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Review of Oxford University

Oxford Brookes is a good University in a beautiful city

Advantages: Good facilities for teaching, socialising and sports
Disadvantages: Very expensive

...As a Postgraduate Student at Oxford Brookes I had high hope when I enrolled. I have found the the teaching facilities and equipment very good. The buildings themselves in some departments are a little old fashioned on the exterior, but the interior makes up for it. There are many societies and clubs which are very active within the Students' Union. The nightlife on campus is good with events happening on most nights at the different bars around campus. Being within easy reach of the city, I feel, means that you can tailor your student experience in the way you want. Oxford itself has more of a pub than club culture, but there are some good clubs out there too, which I think compliment the club nights at the Student Union very well. Accommodation is of a high standard. The Sports Centre is particularly noteworthy as it has very high...

twinkle321 29.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Oxford Brookes University

Why Oxford?

Advantages: Friendly students and social life, Fantastic societies to get involved with, Proximity to London
Disadvantages: Very academic! Highly pressurised and very stressful

...The aura surrounding Oxford is one which contributes significantly to the pressure on students who are accepted to the university. Not only do they have to contend with very intense workloads and deadlines, but they have to finish term without collapsing and return home to face the curiosity (and often anticipation) of friends and family - making it difficult to admit that the experience may not be as rewarding as it seemed initially. My own experience of Oxford (so far, as a 1st year) has been very mixed and very intense. Without a doubt, the college you find yourself at and the course you have chosen can make or break your time at the university - because there is simply no time to turn back once term has begun. The intensity of the institution demands excellent self-organisation and motivation, because despite the well-known tutorial...

teenage_legend 11.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Oxford University

Oxford - land of opportunity

Advantages: Excellent reputation and the best tutors going
Disadvantages: A little archaic sometimes but good

...The thing about Oxford university is that if you get the chance to go, or someone around you, a teacher or one of your peers tells you that they think you have the ability, you have to try and go. The reasoning for this is simple - an Oxford degree is one of the best things you can ever put on your CV. People know what it stands for and what to expect from you, and you will have an automatic advantage when applying for any job. Criticized in the media most wrongly for its elitism, the university does suffer from being a little archaic in places and so might seem stuffy or wrapped up in itself sometimes but the fact of the matter is that three or four years there offers an open ticket for a great job of your choice for your whole working life...

BIGHORSE 09.08.2000 · Read review
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Review of Oxford University

My Wee College

Advantages: Small College, Easy to make friends, Beautiful
Disadvantages: The expense of living but that's Oxford

...I have been a student at Corpus Christi College for just under four years now, studying Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. I am now entering my final term and as such should really be studying instead of spending this much time on ciao; but I think I'd like to write about the place whilst my experiences of it are fresh in my mind and I think now the end is sight I'm getting a little nostalgic for it already. So I thought I'd put down my opinions of it now while the idea is still in my head. I hope it can be of benefit to those who may be thinking of applying to Oxford and are unsure of what the atmosphere would be or which college they should go for. Also I hope that some younger readers who may not have even thought of applying will think about doing so, you by no means have to be a genius to get in, some of the very thickest...

cokane 31.03.2007 · Read review
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Review of Corpus Christi College, Oxford

The Oxford Bar Review

Advantages: Bars have their own individual character
Disadvantages: No centralised student venue

...After attempting to drink at as many college bars as I could (for research purpose of course) I came to the conclusion that without a reliable guide a new student might find themselves rather lost. So I took it upon myself to write this article just in case someone should be tempted by the false delights of St John's bar. The other opinions on the thread are slightly out of date aswell. Each college has its own bar. Since there is no central student union the bars are the focal points of university and college life. The quality varies, but in general they offer cheap beverages and a friendly atmosphere. Most of the bars open at about 6pm but don't expect to find anyone in them until about 8pm. All the bars close at 11pm but they sometimes get extension if they have a bop going on (a bop is a stupid oxford word for a party, a college...

Duncan1 21.04.2001 (11.06.2001) · Read review
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Review of Oxford University

How to get into Oxford

Advantages: See op
Disadvantages: See op

...Hello. So you want to know how to get into Oxbridge? I got a place to do mathematics in Exeter college, Oxford, 3 years ago, and here's how I managed it... For starters, you need to apply by the deadline, which is before the other Universities expect their UCAS forms... That aside, your UCAS form should really be faultless. I did mine on the pc, which meant that the finished result was flawless, and my application looked lovely. Your academic achievements are, obviously, rather fixed, and you really don't have much flexibility over how you quote them, and your personal statement is, to be honest, your gateway to getting an interview at Oxbridge. You need to appear confident and capable in your studies, and evidence of having done well is always useful. Having applied for mathematics myself, I feel that it...

LouisaNott 14.02.2002 · Read review
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Review of Oxford University

Oxford-Famous University City

Advantages: Beautiful colleges. Culture.Sophisticated
Disadvantages: Parking is difficult. Pricey.

...Oxford is one of England's most famous and most visited cities,largely on account of the world wide fame of the University of Oxford,which,inter-alia,numbers President Clinton, the Crown Prince of Japan, Benazir Bhutto and Tony Blair among its former students. At first glance many North Americans visit Oxford and expect to find a campus called Oxford University and are a bit surprised to find that the U is a collection of unique colleges.They very quickly discover the beautiful architecture of colleges such as Christ Church, Magdalene, Brasenose, Jesus,,University and St John's.The dreamy spires of Oxford can get very seductive. The University,important though it it is,does not dominate Oxford in quite the same way as,say,Durham and Cambridge Universities appear to dominate their host cities. Indeed Oxford is an important industrial...

ashford 04.08.2000 · Read review
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Review of Oxford (England)