Oxford Lady Margaret Hall Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/09/2019 to 12/07/2019 with
Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program
I gained a broader perspective on a different style of learning and into the British educational system. I learned independence and adaptability. I learned how to teach myself difficult content. From all of this, I have also gained a lot of confidence which I will take with me into future courses and endeavours. I would definitely agree it was worthwhile!
Personal Information
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Academic rigour and intensity were high. Resources were provided, but for Economics, did not often connect to the source material. In comparison to Wellesley, Oxford is a lot of self-teaching. While this is a valuable skill-set in itself, I found that I learned and retained more through the additional resources and time given at Wellesley (small classes vs. large lecture halls, Wellesley help room hours and office hours, Wellesley student tutors, etc.). In essence, I thought philosophy worked well for the tutorial system while I thought economics worked better with the traditional American college class system. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I enjoyed how the on-site administration planned so many activities to make the visiting students feel at home and help us become situated. However, they seemed very unorganized and late with setting tutorials, matching students to tutors, and giving information on when each tutorial started. Many other visiting students in the extended Michaelmas tutor arrived and did not hear from their tutor - or know what their tutorial was - for a week or two. All of us experienced some level of worry and stress having our concrete tutorials decided for us so late when we had to ensure credits transferred. Over the summer especially, the program administration did not respond to me for months at a time with my questions to change one of my tutorials. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Amazing - I had a large single room, two large windows, my own bathroom, and a team who cleaned my room once a week. |
* Food: |
Food was affordable in the dining hall and good variety. The hours offered are much more limited than we were used to in Wellesley. Additionally, for about two weeks in late September, students experienced trouble adding money to their dining account. This was not the fault of Oxford, but of the company used. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Activities were provided - I did not pursue opportunities to integrate to the extent I could have as I was only there for three months. Additionally, the majority of my time was spent on work rather than social life. However, student clubs, college families, the LMH graduate provided to help visiting students, were all very much appreciated and useful. Students could integrate well if they choose to put in the effort. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The nurse is available every day for a generous amount of time. When I was sick, I easily saw her without an appointment. Additionally, they had a student dean of welfare reach out to me. |
* Safety: |
Oxford feels very safe. |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Learned a brand new style of learning and enjoyed my time there. |
Finances
* 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) |
Oxford tended to be about 12 pounds for a meal. Medicine/toiletries was similar to the U.S.. It depends on how often you leave college and go into town. Since Lady Margaret Hall is further from the centre of town, it is very tempting to stay in town after a lecture, study in a library (Radcliffe or Bodleian), and grab lunch instead of walking all the way back to college. This can add up over time. |
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat at the college dining hall and stick to cheaper options at bars (wine over a martini). Bring an umbrella, coat, nice formal outfit, professional outfit or suit (if going to job recruiting fairs/interviews/events) with you, instead of being forced to buy if you forget. If travelling, book EasyJet tickets in advance, only bring a backpack with you to save on checked baggage, always bring student ID for discounts, stay in hostels with friends or book AirBnB. Enjoy cheap, authentic streetfood options or prix fixe menu options. Also, just walking around the city itself is free and a great way to explore! Get a money order with pounds and euros beforehand so you can save on transaction fees. If you use your credit card to pay for something, on the card machine, always click to pay in "pounds" - don't click "dollars" as that ends up being more expensive. Oxford has lots of events and clubs that have membership fees. Don't join the Oxford Union, but go to their free fresher events at the beginning. Go to a ball to get the experience, but go to a cheaper one (RAG Ball, the charity ball, was maybe 110 pounds whereas Merton Winter Ball was over 200 pounds). |
Language
* Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
* Where did you live?
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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? |
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? | How self-taught the material was. What my tutorials were so I could ask about transfer credit sooner. |
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 NetworkerAn active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume. |