Absolutely fantastic experience! Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/04/2018 to 04/14/2018 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury – CMRS Oxford Humanities Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Academically, I learned how to be a better writer, researcher, and student through the rigorous but incredibly valuable curriculum. Personally, I learned how to live in a new city, country, and continent - both aspects helped me grow in innumerable ways and become more confident in myself. It was absolutely worthwhile.

Review Photos

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury – CMRS Oxford Humanities Program Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

CMRS is an extremely well-rounded academic experience. You are able to experience a full term at Oxford, as well as embark on a fairly long-term research project of your choosing (pre-1800). Within 12 weeks, I felt that my writing and research abilities improved dramatically. It is a challenging courseload, but the rate at which you learn, improve, and thus gain academic confidence is well worth it.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administrators were fantastic! Such a helpful resource, not only academically but also personally. They helped me return safely to Oxford when I had a major travel complication during the term.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Loved the dorm-style living arrangements - the building is located directly in the city center, yet it retains privacy with its kitchen, library, and study rooms.

* Food:

This was probably the only thing about the program that I wish would change. We were given £30 of money for meals at Keble College, but this is nowhere near enough to be a consistent meal source. Despite this, the full kitchen and individual refrigerators CMRS offers allows students to supply their own food from the multiple grocery stores nearby. Though I would've liked to spend more time at Keble College Dining Hall, cooking for myself was not the worst thing in the world.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I joined a college chapel choir which met twice a week and offered fun social events. I made a few British friends outside the CMRS program through this. By the time the program ended, I certainly felt like Oxford had turned into a second home because it is quite easy to become familiar with the city. Again though, I think having more opportunities to eat at Keble College would allow a greater chance for social and cultural integration with Oxford students.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I luckily never had to use my healthcare plan, but the benefits were explained to us and I knew how to get help if needed.

* Safety:

Oxford seemed like a fairly safe city to me! I never felt unsafe during the whole term, even when returning home after a Keble dance late at night.

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)

Definitely manageable to live on a student budget, but I had to be very budget-conscious because we were responsible for cooking almost all of our own meals.

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
  • Other
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?
  • fantastic Oxford tutors
  • access to the Bodleian Libraries and Keble College
  • dorm-style living in the center of Oxford with other American students - the right mix of new and familiar
* What could be improved?
  • more access to dining at Keble College
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How fun it was going to be! And not to worry about making friends or about making the most of the experience.

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:

Jane Austen (Tutorial)

Course Department: ENAM
Instructor: Susan Valladeres
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was by far the best class I've ever taken. The syllabus that Susan created was challenging, as I read about 2-3 novels and wrote a 2500-word essay each week, but each unit was well-organized and flexible in its exploration of fascinating topics.
Credit Transfer Issues: I haven't attempted credit transfers yet.