Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Work Hard and Play Hard Past Review

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/02/2019 to 12/06/2019 with

Worcester College, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to structure my time so that I can pump out a good-quality essay each week, all the while making sure to attend as many events as possible to absorb the local flavor. I loved the social aspect of the experience-- it is quite easy to make friends once you get yourself out there, and there are so many opportunities to take advantage of. In that respect Oxford was much more rewarding than Wellesley. However, the loose structure of tutorials can be a hit or miss, and I found myself missing the structured courses back at Wellesley.

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.

Lots of reading each week. I took one major and one minor course, and my tutor for my major course would assign about 2-3 books for me to read each week.

* 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?

You definitely have to take a lot of initiative in joining clubs and events to try to meet new people, and a semester is not much time to feel fully integrated into the local social environment.

* 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

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

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
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?
  • Lots of opportunities for lectures, balls, talks, club activities
  • Very little contact hours, so lots of time to try new things
  • Vibrancy and convenience of the small city
* What could be improved?
  • Tutorial structure, esp. Economics
  • More events during September Seminar
  • Bureaucratic - the UK can be rigid and rules-oriented, e.g. booking a room takes at least a day or two to get approved
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Cost of living is rather expensive, and it is difficult to plan trips within/out of the UK during the term.

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!