Wonderful Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The professors and fellow students were extremely knowledgeable and interesting. The tutorials were wonderful and I learned a lot in them. However, there is a lot of emphasis on individual research. I did not like that there were no interactive classes and thus no discussions about the topics with my peers. The tutorials are great but allow for only very short discussion (and almost no teaching) about the topic. I would have liked much more teaching and discussion.

On-site administration of your program

Everyone at St. Peter's was extremely helpful and well organized.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My accommodation, St. George's Gate, made my year. It was beautiful (old building next to a castle and a river) and a very, very tight-nit community of mostly visiting students and some degree students. I made my closest friends there.

Formal Hall (nice dinner in gowns and with Latin grace offered twice a week -> very Harry Potter-esque) was the most quintessential Oxford experience and was a lot of fun. However, I did not like the hall food in general much at all. It did not really matter though, as there were plenty of great restaurants and eating-out options available.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

While most of my friends weren't British (I'd say 40% were American and the rest a wild mix of other European, Asian, etc.), I believe diversity like this is part of the Oxford experience. I loved experiencing the local mentality and culture (e.g. by going to pubs, etc.). I was very happy with my degree of British integration and I know that those who wanted to be even more connected to the British were able to do so.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I LOVE the NHS (National Health Service)! It is a form of socialized health care and basically everything is free (if you are living in the UK for more than six months you are automatically enrolled for free). I felt very well taken care of and took advantage of the free appointments a lot. I was also able to obtain my regular medications for much cheaper than in the U.S.

Oxford is a very safe city. Looking back on it from New York, it seems quite idyllic.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Oxford is a very expensive city. While I am financially comfortable, I could imagine those with tight budgets struggling more. I had an allowance of 600 pounds a month for food and other expenses from my parents (equal to about 930 dollars) and I did use it all every month.I had a friend who lived on a much tighter budget and he was able to do so but had to adjust his social life accordingly...

Select all that apply

• Dorm

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• The people (extremely intelligent, friendly, and international crowd -> made lots of fantastic friends)
• The city (Oxford is one of my favorit cities in the world -> it is fascinating, exciting, and safe at the same time)
• The support services (the accomondation, health care, and administration were fantastic)

• Make sure people know how very independent they have to be in their studies (this is not a program for procrstinators!)