When applying to Oxford, you have to choose a college. This is almost as important as deciding on a university since you will have different experiences and opportunities at each. Ultimately it probably doesn't matter too much since, as with universities, almost everyone enjoys themselves wherever they go and most of them swear that their college/uni is as good as or better than all the rest.

Here is a list of what I have found to be the good and bad points of Brasenose College during the three years I have spent here.

The Good Points

• Accomodation for all three years.
  
  This is really useful, especially as most of the rooms are nice and all are right in the center of Oxford. Not many colleges are able to offer this.

• Great sports facilities
  
  Brasenose has an excellent reputation for sports and has a lovely sports ground 15 mins walk away. Even for the less sporty people like me, free squash and tennis courts and loads of grass to play frisbee is are really usefull.

• Law Library
  
  Brasenose has a very high reputation for law. This is bad because it means the place is full of lawyers.
  
  ¹
  
  On a positive note however, they are expected to work far too hard and even have their own library to do it in so you rarely meet them.
  

• Not too much pressure
  
  Apart from in law (see above), Brasenose is not great accademically. This is good because it means there isn't too much pressure on you and you are unlikely to get thrown out for being lazy.
  
  ²
  
  In certain other colleges (Merton, Balliol), this isn't the case and by all accounts you are made to work hard.

The Bad Points

• Sporty people
  
  If like me, you are not a rugby playing, beer swilling, loudmouthed yob,
  
  ³
  
  you might find that either
  

  • you become one, or
  • you are in the minority.
  
  This applies to people of both sexes, although you can substitute lacrosse or rowing for rugby if you prefer.

• Bad male/female ratio
  
  In my year it was 70:30. I think it is heading back towards 50:50 again now but I don't think it is there yet. Probably something to do with the above.

• Unhelpful staff
  
  While most of the porters, kitchen staff, cleaners etc are very nice,
  many of the people in authority seem determined to make life as hard for you as possible.

• Low academic standard
  
  As already mentioned, overall Brasenose isn't one of the top colleges (or even in the top half). If you are desperate for a first from Oxford, you would probably have a better chance elsewhere.