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Very good choir at Corpus and a great place if you are into classical music. Very centrally located next to the Downing site (science etc.) with pretty buildings and grounds. It's not a big college - some people might prefer the anonymity of a larger place.. But very good place if you want to get involved and get a good degree mark too!

Study (5), Artiness (3), Sport (2), Music (5), Facilities (3), Accommodation (3), Smugness (3)

Review by Rob - Cambridge Student (at another college) - add your impression

19 people liked this and 17 didn't. How about you?

Ok, so you don't really get a proper impression of Corpus from the criteria listed. It's not hugely 'alternative',and it's only 'smug' 'because everybody's so bloody chuffed to be at such a great college.

It's Small. It's Old. It's Pretty. But so are lots of colleges.

What sets Corpus apart is the lack of cliques, the ability (and wish) to talk to anyone about anything (or dance with anyone non-ironically at Corpus' version of a bop, a 'slack', which more resembles a school disco). It's not pretentious, it is hard-working, but it's FUN. And, because it's so small, there's complete integration between the years (once you've earned your stripes after a couple of weeks).

Oh, and it's got a great drama society, if that's your cup of tea.

Study (4), Artiness (2), Sport (3), Music (4), Facilities (3), Accommodation (4), Smugness (4)

Review by L - Graduated 2009 (August 14, 2009) - add your impression

14 people liked this and 15 didn't. How about you?

As is said, I graduated in 1974, so I am not sure how relevant my opinion is now - back then there were no girls in college, for example.

As someone who came from a Grammar School in Cumberland, Corpus, and Cambridge were a whole new world. Most of the students were from Public schools and very privileged backgrounds, and therefore very different from me. I was also a very shy person. So what worked well for me was the small college environment. I made some very close friends (with very varied backgrounds.) I got 'roped into' being a cox in the boat club, because I was one of the smallest, lightest students - and I immensely enjoyed coxing (and turned out to be very good at it.) The musical and acting talent in the college was phenomenal - not my forte, but I truly enjoyed the many performances which I attended.

I have fond memories of my time at Corpus, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a cosy, nurturing yet stimulating environment. Remember, if you are accepted here, you are one of only about 85 students each year - so you are special.

Study (4), Artiness (1), Sport (3), Music (5), Facilities (4), Accommodation (5), Smugness (3)

Review by John - Graduated 1974 (October 14, 2009) - add your impression

12 people liked this and 6 didn't. How about you?

I went to the May Ball in 2009 - and can certainly recommend it if you find yourself with a free evening (+morning) while you're in Camb. Seemed like a really pleasant college with very pretty buildings.

It's a small college by cambridge standards but the location is great. I didn't have too much direct experience of it, though most of my mates there were very musical and had a great time in the choir.

Study (4), Artiness (3), Sport (2), Music (5), Facilities (3), Accommodation (4), Smugness (4)

Review by Charles - Visitor from Christ's (August 31, 2009) - add your impression

12 people liked this and 12 didn't. How about you?

Corpus is (very) old, pretty and has lots of history - as do many other colleges. The contentious point where Corpus is concerned is its size. Some people say small can be claustrophobic, and at times it can feel like everyone knows everyone else's business. But this is far outweighed by the benefits of being in a close-knit community: everyone looks out for everyone else, and most people have friends across all the year groups and even across the JCR/MCR divide. You'll never walk into the bar or Hall and not know anyone.

Another big plus at Corpus is its sport - for a small college its highly successful, having many teams in top college divisions and others well on the way, but there's no sporting clique - anything you want to play you can, and experience is never a prerequisite.

On the music front, if you're a great singer you're sorted - Corpus has a fab choir. But there's not much else for other musicians: low key acoustic evenings are a really lovely chance for people to sing or play in a relaxed environment, but the Ben'et Orchestra only meets for a couple of rehearsals and concert at the end of Michaelmas and Lent terms, and can't always get enough people together to make it worthwhile.

Academically, Corpus is pretty strong generally, and students work hard. To be honest this is a benefit - when you need to knuckle down other people are in the same boat and there's generally a good working atmosphere; people help each other out where they can, and are understanding when work is really hard going. It also means you don't get a nasty shock when it comes to exam results - you need to remember you're being compared with the rest of the university.

Corpus is a great place to be, and I can't imagine being anywhere else.

Study (4), Artiness (2), Sport (4), Music (4), Facilities (4), Accommodation (3), Smugness (1)

Review by L - Current student (March 21, 2010) - add your impression

7 people liked this and 3 didn't. How about you?

I'll preface this by saying I attended Corpus Christi well over a decade ago, before it went through some big changes. My advice for anyone applying today is to contact the admissions office and ask them to put you in touch with a student who has just left Corpus and studied the subject you want to pursue. You can't beat feedback from the horse's mouth.

I look back on my time at Corpus as one of the happiest periods in my life because it suited me perfectly. With 80 odd people in each year there's a bit of a family feel to the place and by the time you leave you'll have met pretty much all of the other students as well as all the staff. It's a very different experience to going to one of the bigger colleges where everybody tends to do their own thing. It's a very supportive environment and I don't remember feeling homesick or lonely the whole time I was there.

Traditionally the college is left-leaning (though not as much as, say, King's). When I was there Corpus had its share of public school pupils but they were a minority, unlike in some other colleges, and there were people from many other diverse backgrounds. I thought it was a very good environment and made some lifelong friends.

Don't go to Corpus if winning sporting trophies is important to you. The small size of the college means it never challenges for university honours in things like rowing, cricket, football, etc. The flip side is that with a modicum of sporting talent you can compete for Corpus in pretty much any sport you want and be captain, etc

I won't say anything about facilities or accommodation though I'm told they are much better than when I was there! I'd add that one of the benefits of the college is its central location--everything important is a short stroll away unlike some of the further flung colleges.

Corpus itself may be physically small but what most people don't realise is that the college has grounds at Leckhampton about 20 minutes walk away. This comes into its own in the summer for garden parties and there's even a small outdoor swimming pool. A wonderful place for relaxing and escaping stress.

Oh, and it has a very strong rep for music.

Study (3), Artiness (3), Sport (1), Music (5), Facilities (3), Accommodation (3), Smugness (3)

Review by Anonymous coward - Graduated in mid 1990s (January 6, 2010) - add your impression

4 people liked this and 2 didn't. How about you?