A Year at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford Past Review
By kathryn.geoffroy (Politics, Wellesley College) - abroad from 10/07/2013 to 06/21/2014 with
Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program
My experience at LMH was definitely worthwhile. Academically, I flourished, because a large amount of the work there is self-guided, but with weekly or bi-weekly meetings with tutors (either individually or in pairs) to review the work closely and provide advice and critique. Socially, I found it easy to make friends, because we were included in all of the freshers events and we lived on-campus. I joined the rowing team as a coxswain, I joined the LMH choir, and I joined the Oxford Union, all of which provided memorable experiences and opportunities. I loved my year at Oxford, and I would recommend LMH to anyone.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Although there was a lot of work (1-2 essays due per week, each based on a reading list of 4-40 books), there was little contact time, meaning that the pacing of the tutorials was actually quite reasonable. All of the books required were available through the Bodleian Library. Almost all tutorials were one-on-one, meaning that we received a lot of individual attention academically, so it was easy to grow and develop in writing and discussion skills. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Unlike most Oxford programs, at Lady Margaret Hall, you live on the college campus with all of the other LMH undergraduate students. This means you get to be a part of the actual life of the college. All rooms are singles with shared showers, toilets, and kitchen areas, but every room had its own sink, and the closets were large. |
| * Food: |
The food at Lady Margaret Hall was good. At every meal, three or four different options were available, with at least one being vegetarian. The price of each meal option includes two sides. For anyone who does not like the options, there are usually pre-packaged sandwiches and there is a salad bar. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
LMH is a bit further away from the center of Oxford than many of the other colleges, but it was still close enough to feel integrated with the local culture. There is a huge clubbing and pubbing culture at Oxford, with popular student nights, and there are a wide range of museums and other cultural events that students get into for free. As a visiting student at Oxford, it is also easy to join organizations and to get involved with university life. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health issues during the program, but because I was there for a full year, I was put on the National Health Service, England's national health care service that provides free or reduced cost health care. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe in Oxford. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
The pound is more expensive than the dollar, but because the students are on meal plans, the only real costs per week are if you are going out, traveling, or getting groceries for the weekends. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Meals are paid up front, so in the average week, out of pocket, I spent roughly $20 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | There is not anything I really did not know going to LMH that I wish I did. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
