h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm filling in my Ucas form at the moment, and one of the universities I'm applying for is Durham. The thing it, I didn't go to any of the open days and I have no idea which college to put down.

Are the any ones I should really try for, or any to avoid? And if I make an open application will am I likely to get put in the women-only college? (I've heard of this happening at Oxbride because there are fewer applicants to single-sex ones, but I'd rather not go to one of these)

Or are colleges not so important at Durham? Please help.

~~A~~

Hey

I'm at durham at the mo- which course are you studying? Science based ones usually have their lectures on teh science site, which is on the hill...Colleges nearby are Collingwood (blatant propoganda), Grey, Trevelyan, Van Mildert, Mary's, and St Aidans. Ones in town are St Cuthberts, Johns, Chads, Castle and Hatfield (I've probably forgotten one but I'm in a rush ATM). For more info, go to www.dur.ac.uk which has links to all the college JCR websites

And I have a coupla friends at the women only one- it does kinda put a dampener on your social life, but remember you'll still meet people from other colleges through Uni based societies and lectures

Hi!


I've been to Durham University for an exchange year (I'm German and study law) in 2000/2001 and they so kindly put me into St. Mary's - the female only - College. And you are right next to noone really applied there - I knew only 2. But they told us back then that they would open Mary's for male students also in the years to come.
Cat's quite right about the colleges though. Chose the one nearest to your lectures and have a look at the web pages.
...about Mary's .... well ... I would have never guessed just how many guys would show up during a fire drill at 2 am....


Naark

When I went to Durham a million years ago about a third of the colleges were mixed, and a third were male and a third were female. I liked it that way because there was much more flavour and choice. I guess if there is only one all-female and one-all male then that variety has gone.

Colleges matter less at Durham than Oxbridge because all of the academic work is done in the deparments not in the colleges. Colleges take care of the pastoral side of things at Durham, and as such will affect your social life and where you live a great deal.

I gather the ones which were cool when I was there are incredibly un-cool now and vice versa, so I won't comment on individual colleges.

Have fun!

B

Whatever you do never at any point say to anyone while you are there that the colleges at durham "are just like hall of residence with a bit extra"...they dont like this. It might be true but they really don't like it pointed out to them.

Advise for the interview...specify that you chose Durham first and then the course...my method of saying I only chose it cos it did the course didn't impress too much (but then I was gobsmacked when they sent me the offer...I thought Id offended them as much as they had offended me)

PQ (not posting my experience of Durham because I think it was so naff because I *didn't* specify a college...and also you might get on quite well with the numpties who showed me around)

Oh and I'm pretty certain I was dumped in Trevelyan...not great if you like personal space as you have to change room each term and share a room for at least one.

Have you checked out the Durham section of the unofficial guides http://telegraph.unofficial-guides.com/guides/
The comments bit gives few more opinions on the different colleges (ignore all of the stuff about posh people etc etc as bristols comments are exactly the same and I don't trust people who post comments to these places anonymously)
Other idea is to check out any opinions on http://www.dooyoo.co.uk or http://www.ciao.com both contain all sorts of opinions on unis/student bank accounts/interviews etc etc etc so worth a look.

My girlfriend Tinkerbell (I'll point her to this conversation) went to Durham for half a year. She was put into Mary's - the female-only college. Her advice would be to avoid it like the plague

I'm sure some people like Durham Uni, but she had very bad experiences with it. The place itself is very nice, but try to be put into mixed sex halls as Marys seemed very depressing. Also make sure you know what you're letting yourself in for, in regards to the course. Tink studied English, and the course was obviously aimed at public school students - some of the lectures were in Latin, for example.
If you've been a public school student all your life then I'm sure you'd love Durham. But if not, you might find it hard.
In my opinion that makes Durham a bit cr*p

Oh and Joe aka Arnia, another researcher, goes to Durham... you might want to ask him

I suppose I was lucky to get put off by the interview...even though the bad interview at Durham made the ok interview the next day seem fantastic and sent me to the wrong uni for a year (but then I wouldn't have been in egham, wouldn't have been bored off my tits, wouldn't have stumbled across chat rooms in an effort to find some entertainment and so wouldn't have met hubby so it all turns out good in the end)

I have to say I'm glad I went to uni somewhere warm now...the thought of Durham or Edinburgh even in the summer makes me shiver.

If you want somewhere warm, come to Southampton. It's unbearably (IMO) hot for most of the summer.
The uni's quite good too. If I could transfer the Southampton uni to the town and surroundings of Durham, I'd be happy

Look at my home page...I'm probably sat at work (at an unspecified south coast uni) not too far away from you.

out the window.

Oh and for the record I think parts of Soton are lovely (common/parks/general greeness and huge number of trees) and I spent a year living in St Marys!!!!(nice church..scary number of porn shops)

There are some nice parts, agreed... but Bevois Valley, where I'm sitting working (!) at the moment, isn't one of them.

*waves back*

Not to mention being unpronouncable...it is getting nicer though. (or at least its looked like that on the occasional times ive driven through with the windows wound up and the doors locked .

They've made the main road look a bit nicer, by reinstating the bus shelters, removing the burnt out cars, closing down some of the dodgier clubs...
Our office still has iron bars on all the windows though

Whenever they get round to deciding how to spend the money on St Marys Bevios Valley should perk up a bit (at least it isn't full of porn shops...a true sign that an area is down in the dumps)

Oh and a challenge for all non soton-ers how would *you* pronounce Bevois?

I'm not sure yet and I've worked here for about six months now!

(note to anyone who knows Bevois Valley - I work in an *office*, not a street corner )

I'm as common as muck and get on fine here just don't choose Castle or Hatfield if you don't like having your nose rubbed in it...

Likewise, and I made the mistake of applying to Castle. If you are one of the puffa jacket and pashmina brigade, who take interest in what other people's parents do for a living, then you'll fit right in there.

Anyway, after the first year of living in, just get a house up on the top of Sunny Gilesgate with some mates, and sod the colleges. Although they've shut the Lord Gort now, there are still plenty of other pubs around that college types wouldn't be seen dead in.

Yeah...I'm in Gilesgate now