t John's is the richest of Oxford's colleges and one of the most architecturally impressive, with numerous well-defined quads, large open, informal spaces and in-between arrangements. It is located outside the medieval city walls, in a large prime area, just outside the city centre, to the north. Beautiful old buildings sit alongside award-winning modern structures and what some students describe as comfortable monstrosities from the 1960s and 1970s. St John's is home to approximately 393 undergraduate and 195 graduate students who have an excellent reputation for hard work and achievement. Their percentage of college students favors men by about 15%. Recent British Prime Minister Tony Blaire studied at St John's. The large financial reserves mean it is one of the cheapest colleges to study at and offers students the unusual option of staying at the college outside of school hours. Elizabeth I caused a change of direction The Counter-Reformation, in the reign of Queen Mary, offered Thomas White, a wealthy London Catholic merchant, the opportunity to found St John's in 1555, as a counterweight to the anti-Pope newcomers. The original idea of ​​producing Catholic clerics had to be slightly modified when the Protestant Elizabeth came to power. It was decided not to teach theology directly, but to concentrate on Greek, rhetoric and dialectics with a discreet push towards the Catholic priesthood. He eventually became a producer of Anglican clergy and gained a reputation for law and medicine. Thomas White's College of St Bernard, founded in 1437, was a Cistercian monastery and place of study that had not survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries. It must have been with mixed emotions that he managed to purchase the former St. Bernard's premises in the east... center of the card... allowing him to offer cheap food in the room, which is said to be of a average norm. However, the quality goes up several notches at the guest dinners held twice a quarter, which serve five extravagant courses, alongside huge, flowing volumes of Champagne, Baileys and whatever else happens to be in the well-stocked cellar at the time. The library is open every day during school hours, but not at night, and adds 1,000 new books a year to its collection. Although not renowned as a serious sports college, it has more than adequate facilities which are used in an enthusiastic and relaxed manner. Rowing is taken a little more seriously: the college has its own boathouse, with 11 boats and a barge used for social events. St John's has a resident musician and joint orchestra with neighboring St Anne's. Students can also take advantage of an art gallery and a 200-seat auditorium.