Oxford: The Most Work You Will Ever Do, but the Most Fun You'll Ever Have Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

CMRS uses a tutorial system of classes rather than classroom instruction. Classes take place one on one with a professor. Students are expected to research and write a paper on a given topic for two classes a week and meet with their instructors for an hour a week to read and discuss their work. You have the ability to delve into the parts of the course you find most interesting, and many tutors welcome your input about what you would like to cover over the duration of the course. Semesters at CMRS are the hardest I have ever experienced, but I feel that I learned the most information in one semester while in this program.

On-site administration of your program

The program is especially helpful in aiding students in their development of good study habits, writing techniques, and time management. It is very easy, however, to get bogged down in the workload, and there are students who have trouble keeping a balance between class work and out of class experiences.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

CMRS is housed in St. Michael's Hall, a building separate from other college campuses and located in the city centre of Oxford. All of the students at CMRS are from America, so there are no British students to associate with while at home. The building comes complete with a kitchen, computer lab, small library, and several study areas. Student rooms are usually double occupancy. The best thing about the building is the proximity to local nightlife. There are over 50 pubs in Oxford, and several nightclubs both large and small. There are grocery stores within a five to ten minute walk as well as shopping opportunities and great places to grab food.

The kitchen is well outfitted with pots and pans and other cookware, and there are a lot of great restaurants nearby with both vegetarian and non vegetarian options.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There is a poster in one of the shops in Oxford called "The Definitive Oxford Pub Crawl" and it lists all 62 pubs in the Oxford area. I named myself the head of the unofficial pubcrawl committee, and organized pub crawls throughout the semester for interested students. The program itself arranges field trips, both local and throughout the south of the country, during the first month of the semester, and these were great experiences.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The most important thing to remember is that while Oxford is a small city, it is still a city, and students should be vigilant in their personal safety when roaming and exploring their surroundings.

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

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• Dorm

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• Americans

• The library system is extensive and amazing. You will never lack for sources.
• The other students, both in the program and in the University at large, are intelligent and fun!
• The nightlife is fantastic, and the location of this program is very convenient for experiencing the social life in Oxford.

• There could be more emphasis on the fact that the first month is the one with the least work and thus the time to plan trips abroad.
• There are no breaks during the semester.
• There are no overnight visitors allowed in the dorm, which poses a risk to some students who choose to enjoy "extracurricular activities" with the locals and who go off with people they probably shouldn't because they cannot bring them home.