Break Your Intellectual and Social Limitations in a Magical Place Past Review
By A student (University of Oxford) - abroad from 01/03/2019 to 04/12/2019 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury – CMRS Oxford Humanities Program
Studying highly intellectual topics on my own, writing and reading regularly, managing my own time and expectations maturely. Totally worthwhile - although the values may only be revealed after some failures and frustrations.
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. |
Most intense semester I have ever had. Very challenging on time and energy. However, the courses were rewarding for intellectual development, helpful for improving writing and reading, fun for social life. The CMRS group we had was supportive and fun. The structure and staff of the program were helpful and accommodating. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Most staff at CMRS were very approachable and helpful. However, it mostly depends on each individual to reach out when problems occur. One can feel isolated easily at Oxford without asking for help. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Most rooms are doubles and some are singles. Depending on the roommate, one's living situation can be varied. I had a decent double an agreeable roommate. The CMRS building is quite old, but it contains a library, a few seminar rooms for working and a free printer. The spacious and beautiful common room and kitchen were a huge plus. People social a lot in the common room. In addition, the central location of the CMRS building was undefeatable - right at the city square with a large shopping mall and many shops and restaurants, close to everything. |
| * Food: |
Some people cooked and some ate out. Lots of food around CMRS building and I can't complain about the selection. Grocery stores are also close by. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It is difficult to be integrated into Oxford because CMRS students do not live in Keble. However, integration CAN happen if one takes agency. There are social opportunities with Oxford students by joining sports clubs like rowing, lacrosse, or other student organizations. The CMRS group itself also provides plenty of social space, if the cohort has a good vibe. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not partake in any healthcare service at Oxford. But the program had an obligatory meeting that explained the support system. |
| * Safety: |
In general, Oxford is wealthy and safe. However, there has been an increasing number of homeless people in the city center. I never felt unsafe walking at night, but my bike seat did get stolen once. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program is perfect for students strongly interested in humanities. There is some wiggle room for social science people. I took most Econ and Poli Sci classes and still had fun, but there are definitely very few choices). But the bottom line is, you are willing to work hard, write and read intensively, and have a strong drive. |
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) |
Oxford is not cheap. But if you budget well for going out, cook one's own food, and go to the Covered Market, its is manageable. I ate out about 3 times a week and spent an average of $85 dollars per week on going out AND groceries. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 800 (including transportation costs in and out of Oxford) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Budget well and take advantage of CMRS resources (stationaries, towels, provided beddings etc.) |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* 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? | It is important to manage your expectations about yourself - no matter how smart you are, Oxford is going to be hard. You should accept the fact that there are trade-offs in this program. However, it is a once in a life time experience that you won't regret if you keep yourself open-minded. |
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! |
