After spending nearly two years at Murray Edwards College, I’m so glad that I ended up here. I didn’t apply to Medwards (what we call Murray Edwards for short), and when I got the email offering me a place here I had never heard of it. I was concerned about the fact that it was “all girls” and surprisingly modern for a Cambridge college, but all of my fears were cured by the offer holders day, which is a pretty unique event here in Cambridge! Murray Edwards is a diverse and inclusive college, welcoming people of many genders, despite its official title of “women’s college.” I genuinely don’t think I would apply to another college if I had the chance. I’m a second-year historian who doesn’t ride a bike, so I get to walk to lectures down the backs, past St Johns and Kings colleges, and there’s enough distance between Medwards and the history faculty that I basically have time to switch on and off as I walk to and from lectures. That’s another thing; Medwards isn’t in town, it’s a Hill College, which basically just means it’s up a bit of a hill (people complain about riding bikes up there, but it’s not that steep at all to walk) and next to Churchill and Fitzwilliam colleges. We have a great community, and it’s only a 5-10 minute walk to the town centre, so even though people from other colleges say we’re far away, we’re really not!
You also really learn to love the architecture; it’s not very traditional (Medwards was founded in the 1950s), but the Dome is the only circular dining hall in Cambridge and when the sun is out the gardens are absolutely gorgeous. Unlike a lot of the older colleges, we can walk on the grass! All of the gardeners are lovely, and we’re allowed to pick the flowers to decorate our rooms, as well as using the vegetables they grow to cook with. The community vibe is honestly so nice, and the fact that we are slightly out of town means that when you get back to your accommodation you feel like you can relax, like you’ve stepped slightly out of the very intense bubble that is Cambridge town centre during the day.
Not many people apply to Murray Edwards, which some people say makes it easier to get in; it doesn’t! All Cambridge colleges use exactly the same admissions criteria, so my main recommendation would be to do your research and just apply somewhere that you’d like to live. You don’t only get taught by the academics in your college and all the courses are delivered centrally, so you don’t need to worry about differences in the course from college to college. But if you do choose to apply to Medwards (a great choice, if I do say so myself), your interview experience will probably be less intimidating than elsewhere simply because there’s less of you! You will be welcomed with open arms by the staff and students alike; I’ve really felt that people do just want you to feel comfortable and welcome in all areas of the college. And that’s probably my favourite thing about Murray Edwards: the community. Everyone supports and uplifts each other, there’s genuinely no competition, we all want each other to do well, and everyone always wants to know how they can help you out.
My least favourite thing about Murray Edwards is probably the fact that it’s still perceived and officially labelled as a “women’s college.” This is something that the students have been discussing a lot recently, as we mostly feel that the label doesn’t accurately reflect the diversity of our community. But internally we try to support everyone who is questioning their gender or transitioning, and our JCR (student reps) now has a Trans and Non-Binary Officer, so the work is very much being done to change the notion that Medwards is only a place for women. Also, men work here! There are male Fellows and college staff, so it’s not like we’re isolated from cis men. In non-pandemic times it’s also very common and expected to have friends from other colleges and home visit.
I should probably also mention the accommodation! One of the bonuses of being a modern college is that our accommodation is NICE. In the block where most (if not all) first years live, every single room has its own bathroom, and is well-insulated. We also have absolutely massive notice boards that are really fun to decorate to make the rooms our own. The kitchens have ovens, which is rare for Cambridge, and they’re all really nice! Some can be a bit small, but it’s pretty uncommon for everyone you live with to be in there at once.
I could definitely say a lot more about Medwards, but I should probably leave it there. There’s plenty of videos over on the college youtube channel if you want to get more of a feel for the place, as well as some more chats with current students. I love it here, and honestly I don’t think that I’ve missed out on any part of the “traditional” Cambridge experience because I’m at a modern college. You can make friends in as many other colleges as you want, and go to as many posh dinners as possible if you really fancy it, but I think the Medwards Cambridge experience is unique, and I’m very glad to have experienced it.
Visit the Murray Edwards College website for more details!