A Trip to Wonderland Past Review

By (Computer Science, Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/07/2015 to 12/05/2015 with

Worcester College, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was definitely worth it--I was able to escape our "Wellesley bubble" and gain a bit of perspective. Culture shock is also always a valuable experience. You get to meet a lot of people who think very differently from you, and that can result in some productive conversations.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Honestly, it wasn't very rigorous at all compared to Wellesley. It got to the point where I considered it an academic vacation of sorts. I was working, on average, a small fraction of the time I would usually spend doing academic work per week at Wellesley.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Things were pretty confusing and I had no idea what to expect or where I was living upon arrival. The schedule also got confusing in terms of what things we were expected to attend and what things we weren't, and information emails were coming from all kinds of different sources--there was no organized way of figuring out what was going on.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in Gloucester House at Worcester College and absolutely loved it.

* Food:

Worcester College's hall food is straight-up amazing!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I don't think it was until my last 4 weeks in the program that I actually managed to socially integrate with the local students, but I'm glad that I at least got a month.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I don't think we ever got to meet the nurse, but we were given a handout with a short overview of what to expect if we got sick. When things actually happened, usually the programme directors would help us with whatever we needed (transportation to the hospital, etc). It's just that we didn't have a very clear idea of what to expect in advance.

* Safety:

Oxford is a very safe place.

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)

Groceries and whatnot could get pretty pricey, and not being able to bring a whole lot of my own things meant that I had to buy a lot of cooking utensils and whatnot when first starting out.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About 40-50 USD.

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

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • People
  • Travel
  • Culture
* What could be improved?
  • Timing
  • Organization
  • Information
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Probably just more details about how to get there and tips on settling in?

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!