[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL] The College is part of University of Oxford and students are entitled to use its facilities.[EBOLD][PARA]Balliol is one of the oldest, largest, [ITAL]famous-est and central-est [EITAL]colleges, just 370 yds from the Carfax chippy.  [ITAL]The number of overseas students and postgrads[EITAL] (more than any other Oxford undergraduate college)[ITAL] probably contributes to the College's reputation for being politically motivated, broad-minded and anti-elitist.  Standards are high and superlative achievements are commonplace, but don't they just know it.  Descriptions of the buildings range from 'idiosyncratically Gothic' through 'silly Disney' to 'unpleasant and stripey'.[EITAL][PARA][PARA]2 bars; 3 [ITAL]sweaty [EITAL]bops per term in JCR Norway Rm (cap 250); May Event ([ULNE]not[EULNE] Ball) has a big name band, but no penguin suits.  Recitals (eg Yehudi Menuhin) in dining hall (450) and student bands in bar; cabaret and karaoke.  Weekly news sheet in loos: 'John de Balliol'; Anglican chapel.  Library (100,000 books).  [ITAL]Good [EITAL]sports facilities and [ITAL]does well in a variety of sports;[EITAL] sports fields 5mins away.  80% students live in; all for at least 2 years (usually 1st and final); pay-as-you-eat self service; JCR pantry.  Hardship funds, living-out grants; doctor, nurse.  Taxi fund, rape alarms and free tampons for women.[HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]H H Asquith (ex-PM); Hilaire Belloc (writer); Rabbi Lionel Blue (writer, broadcaster); Peter Brooke MP (Con); Graham Greene (writer); Edward Heath MP (Con, ex-PM); Lord Healey (ex-Chancellor); Gerard Manley Hopkins (poet); Aldous Huxley (writer); Lord Jenkins (ex-MP and Oxford University Chancellor); Robert McLennan MP (Lib Dem); Harold Macmillan (ex-PM); Howard Marks (drugs baron); Adam Smith (economist); Algernon Swinburne ('perverse' poet); Hugo Young ('The Guardian').