Hi everyone

I know the issue of which colleges are good choices at Oxford for BCL students has been canvassed before on this site, and this is NOT one of those questions!! :) For instance, I am aware that BCL courses are taught in the faculty not the colleges.

That said, I'd be interested in people's views about the likelihood of getting ACCEPTED INTO certain colleges over others for an applicant with a very good first class degree but not a medal/ prize.

While the general consensus is often to just try your luck and put the college your heart desires on the form, I understand the reality is that the 'best' colleges (I use this term loosely, don't get offended, ie Magdalen) have their pick of students and you can't really expect to get a place unless you have the medal from your University. If you put these colleges down, your application will go to your second choice which might already be full as it too has had the pick of first choice applicants. You then get sent out in the pool and potentially get accepted into a college that you would rather not go to.

I'd be interested to know people's views on whether (a) is it correct to assume that if you miss out on your first choice your second choice is also likely to be full by the time your application gets there (b) are there any strategies you could suggest about maximising your chances of getting into a good college and (c) does anyone have any views about good colleges to apply for that are not the most popular and therefore not the hardest to get into.