The Best of Both Worlds Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/05/2013 to 12/13/2013 with
Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies - Oxford
Three months at CMRS and Oxford, and I learnt - although just a little - about being a scholar, as opposed to being a student. I learnt to be a critical and (relatively) good writer, and to be able to defend my own view any moment. I learnt to be a good friend. It was an exceptional experience. However, I would say that the program is not suitable to everyone - one needs to be ready to be thrown into an unfamiliar, challenging environment.
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The educational experience was very different from what I got back in my home institution; here at Oxford and CMRS, I learnt to be a scholar, not just a student. The courses demanded a high degree of independence and self-discipline, as you only met your tutors once a week, and only for an hour. Most of the work happened outside of the "classroom", and (in my case) in the library. I spent a lot of time doing the readings and digesting the unfamiliar materials, and tried to come up with a reasonably convincing argumentative essay. For a student who's more used to problem sets, it was an experience very new to me, and I have definitely learnt a lot. Outside of academics, I did not get to meet as many domestic Oxford students as I wished. The heavy workload was one reason, and the segregation between CMRS and Keble College (which we're affiliated to) was another. I am sorry to say that I did not feel integrated to Keble or Oxford at all. Although I tried to join different club activities, it was really hard to break into the already-formed circles. Overall, it was a great experience and I made a lot of great friends who were in the same program, yet I wished there were more efforts in integrating visiting students into the university. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration at CMRS is wonderful. Amazing people! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Keble has pretty good food. The city of Oxford also offers some variety of cuisine. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was hard to make domestic friends. (In fact, I did not make any at all.) |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The work could sometimes weaken your immunity system. Looking out for the signs is crucial. |
| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Cook for yourself. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | The weather. English weather is really bizarre. |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
