Glad I Was Able to Study At Oxford (Nothing More, Nothing Less) Past Review

By (Biology, General., Tufts University) for

Tufts Programs Abroad: Tufts in Oxford

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was definitely worth it. One of the best things is that I became a much better writer at Oxford. Also, I was able to tour a large portion of Europe during breaks and have now seen some of the most famous sites in the world. The whole experience definitely broadened my perspective and also allowed me to make comparisons with the U.S. that I otherwise wouldn't have thought of.

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.

Oxford operates in completely alien manner to that of Tufts. First, you have to get used to only taking classes in your subject, which was an adjustment. Although, if you want, you can take classes in other subjects, but you have to ask/fight for it to get it. That goes along with tutorials as well. I was responsible for setting up my curriculum entirely, which was both empowering but daunting, so if you know what you want to take talk to your head tutor and you can make it happen. Because the system is so subject specific, I can only speak for the biology program. Compared to Tufts, I felt like it was easier in terms of the amount of information you need to actually learn, because as a visitor you don't take exams. However, writing as essay every week was a challenge, especially at first, but eventually you are so practiced that they become much easier. You also don't really get graded for anything you do at Oxford, but at the end they will give you some kind of numerical mark in your tutorial reports. It ends up working out just fine in the transfer back to Tufts grades for the transcript.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Again, you are basically on your own at Oxford. The program administrator from Tufts stays in London and doesn't have much of a presence. Lynn Wilkinson at Pembroke is excellent and really helpful, ask her all of your questions first and she will either answer them or direct you to the person who can.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Standard single dorm room (no roommates in Britain). The sink in the room is nice and "scouts" come to vacuum/clean your sink/take out your trash. You need to buy everything when you're there such as sheets, blankets, and cookware. However, the communal kitchens may have some cooking items leftover, you just have to look.

* Food:

The food in the dining halls is pretty tasteless and not the most nutritious, especially after coming from the excellent selection at Tufts. There are a couple of good options in Oxford itself but in general British food is not that great and this was the worst part of the experience.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Rowing was a great time because I became a lot closer to my boatmates and it provided a nice social activity. The best part of the program is probably the really long winter and spring breaks between terms because you have over a month to travel around Europe.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Oxford is pretty safe. A little bit of rif-raff at night but nothing more than a normal city. Also, once in college things are completely safe, seeing as CCTV is watching everything. The NHS is excellent. Getting health care in Britain is not an issue and in my one experience was very fast and easy.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Probably around £40-£50, not including the price of the meal plan.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Being on the £ is brutal because of the exchange rate so everything costs more. In addition, I thought that Tufts would cover the price of the meal plan but you have to pay for that using part of your £1000 termly allowance. The stipend is able to basically get you through the term if you are frugal and I pretty much only paid for my travels during breaks.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

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  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

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  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

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  • Local Students

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? See comments above for prospective student matches. Basically, if you're looking for something different from Tufts, you've found the right program.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Biology

Course Department: Biology
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The biology program is very heavy and evolution stuff and includes quite a bit of ecological material as well. If that's what you're interested in then I would recommend this. However, if you like the more molecular side of biology, definitely take the biochem course instead.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Maths

Course Department: Maths
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: I only took one portion of the course but overall I was impressed with the organization and quality of instruction in the Maths department so I would recommend attending Oxford if you are a Math major.
Credit Transfer Issues: