Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

My Best and Favorite Year of College May 23, 2024

By (Math, Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/01/2023 to 06/15/2024 with

University of Oxford - Visiting Students

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My junior year abroad has been the most exhilarating and growing experience. Extending my stay at Oxford for the full year was the best decision I made. I tried out boxing, blind wine tasting, rowing, went to a million balls and formals. I learned about friendship and how to cook and to be independent. I traveled during the breaks and backpacked from Portugal to Spain. Living in Oxford made me feel like a real adult.

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.

Math at Oxford is incredibly different. I took first year courses and lecture sizes were 100 people with no time to ask questions so they expect you to teach a lot of the material to yourself. Tutorials are more similar to office hours, but it is usually 1 hr - 1.5 hrs long each week.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

St. Anne's has amazing accom! Ensuite bathrooms and super modern dorm. There's a little balcony thing area too.

* Food:

Not as many choices in hall compared to Wellesley... never thought I would miss Wellesley fresh but I do.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

You really need to put in energy if you want to connect with the British students through societies or other events. At Anne's there is a strong visiting student community.

* 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

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)

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

  • N/A
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • independence
* What could be improved?
  • more academic support
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nothing... I liked that I went in with zero expectations.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.