Reading/writing intensive, but the best college experience I've ever had. Past Review

By (HISTORY., Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/04/2014 to 12/13/2014 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury – CMRS Oxford Humanities Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned to be more confident and self-sufficient. I also really discovered my passion for medieval English history. It was definitely worthwhile, and I regret not going an extra semester.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration was very supportive of the students. For example, for one of my tutorials, I ended up directing a medieval play that required props. Not only did CMRS give me money to purchase said props, but they also ordered pizzas and drinks for the actors and crew the night of the performance. Our Senior Tutor even participated in the play, and the Principal and his wife came to watch the show.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

There were a few issues with heating, especially water heating in showers, and the beds could be improved, but overall very good housing for Oxford.

* Food:

The program allowed students to either cook their own meals, or to eat at the Keble dining hall. For the most part, I cooked my own meals. Sharing the kitchen became an issue, but that is mostly a space issue.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

CMRS had a good Keble student orientation set up. But to really feel integrated, it was up to the student to join orgs and make friends. Those of us who joined outside orgs made loads of Oxford friends. Those that stayed inside the program throughout the semester didn't have any Oxford friends. I joined an a cappella group and made Keble friends as well, and felt that by having outside-program friends, I felt much more at home in Oxford.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

CMRS has an arrangement with a practice nearby. The practice itself is not well organized at all and would not admit me to see a physician. However, when CMRS found out, they immediately corrected the situation and personally called the practice, straightening out insurance issues. Additionally, every student was required to sign up for the insurance, which is included in the cost of the program.

* Safety:

Like any city, Oxford can be a bit sketchy at times. But as long as you're with other people at night, coming back to CMRS should be perfectly safe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

Most students cooked for themselves, and we would pair up with other students to buy groceries and cook. Considering the Wellesley mealplan is quite expensive, I think I remained in budget with my food costs. Personal expenses varied from person to person.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? The cheapest option is buying premade or frozen food and cooking it from Tescos. However, the cheap food is not necessarily the healthiest food so I'd recommend spending the extra money to cook food that is better for you. Tescos will be your best friend.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The location- right in the city centre
  • Affiliation with Keble College
  • Excellent resources, libraries, and tutors.
* What could be improved?
  • Guest policies
  • Kitchen could be expanded
  • Enforcing the requirement that each student join an outside organization; instead many students spent all their time in the building, so tensions rose.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I really wish I'd taken more photographs. The field trips and experiences at Oxford were amazing, but most of them remain undocumented.

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 Linguist
You 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!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

HIST 0412

Course Department: History
Instructor: Barbel Brodt
Instruction Language: English
Comments: I cannot rave enough about Barbel. She was a phenomenal tutor, and really pushed me to the limit. She insisted on forming concrete, defendable arguments and challenged me to defend my stance in an essay. I found myself doing a lot of independent research for the essays, and in some cases, even creating my own topics for my essays. The course was definitely catered to my interests, and Barbel is by far the best teacher I've ever encountered.
Credit Transfer Issues: I haven't dealt yet with credit transfer, but I know that the history department at Wellesley will accept one transfer credit abroad, so I chose my other courses outside of the history courses for that reason.