Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Highly Recommend February 07, 2023

By (Literary Studies & Sociology, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/31/2022 to 12/10/2022 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury – CMRS Oxford Humanities Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Regained a lot of confidence in academic abilities. Learned to write at least a little faster. Made terrific friends I will keep for the rest of my life.

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

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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

Academically rigorous and totally refreshing after almost four years of Middlebury, VT. Made excellent friendships.

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)

I can't remember the amounts but everything was so expensive in Oxford. Outings were expensive, food was expensive...

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Too much, that's for sure
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Start eating at the dining hall early on in the semester. Make your own breakfast. BUY A YOUNG PERSON'S RAILCARD.

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? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Academics
  • Other Students
  • Being in a city (after four years of Middlebury downtown)
* What could be improved?
  • I wish the academic pacing was slightly slower
  • More direct contact with Oxford students (such as arranging some social events/dinners w/ Keble?)
  • More time to just see England and enjoy Oxford--very very busy
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Not sure.

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
Course Department: ENGL
Instructor: Octavia Cox
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Best possible introduction to Jane Austen! The professor knew everything about Austen and her novels and it was a pleasure to explore her works for the first time in this tutorial. Rigorous and challenging but nothing unrealistic.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Independent Research Course
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: I think I wrote something better in these four weeks than I did for either of my theses back at Middlebury. That being said four weeks was not enough to both master a previously unstudied topic (as the program requests you choose!) and come up with something actually meaningful to say. This should be a five weeks class at the very least.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Hebrew Bible Studies
Course Department: RELI
Instructor: John Jarick
Instruction Language:
Comments: I felt so lucky to study these unfamiliar topics with an expert. The course was great and I felt like I could follow my interests.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Shakespeare I: Shakespeare in the 1590s
Course Department: ENGL
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: This was a great class. Learned so much about Shakespeare and the professor brought really interesting perspectives for discussion. But the expectations for the final paper were rather unclear--I don't think the instructor and the second grader were on the same page.
Credit Transfer Issues: