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