Oxford is complex but worth it. Past Review

By A student (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS., Middlebury College) - abroad from 10/08/2013 to 06/21/2014 with

Lincoln College, University of Oxford - Visiting Students Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

Learned a ton about English culture, but even more about American culture - I was their only American by the end of the year so I was the authority on all things American. I wasn't born in America so in the states I never considered myself to be that American, but this year I realized just how American I am. I also learned so much academically, athletically (I rowed crew) and made so many friends (Lincoln is a tiny college and everyone adores the American students). Really good experience.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	Very rigorous academics
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	definitely some miscommunications between Middlebury and Lincoln, though my other program members were the ones who experienced the main part of it.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I had stunning housing, and I lived right with the Oxford students. Best housing I've ever had.
* Food:	Food is really good at Lincoln but you definitely have to supplement with your own meals - and no kitchen is provided for that.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Very.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I had no healthcare issues.
* Safety:	I found Oxford to be very safe.
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)	Really hard to say, Oxford is definitely a very expensive place to live (and to drink!). Clubs cost about 5 pounds, and a lot of kids go clubbing. Drinking at pubs costs even more. Food at Lincoln is subsidized, but if you eat every meal there you'll go over budget, and you often miss meals and so have to shop - unfortunately no kitchen is provided (other than a microwave) so you end up having to do microwave meals or eating out, which can get expensive (although the JCR does provide free toast if you're desperate). There are also really expensive subject dinners, balls and cocktails that crop up during term. 'Stash' is very, very expensive and clothes are not as cheap as they are in the states.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	Difficult to say, depended on the week. Shopping wouldn't ever go over 50 pounds but there were lots of other social expenses.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Go to the market in Gloucester green to get really cheap fruit, drink before you go out (it costs WAY more at clubs to drink), don't bring a coat if you do go clubbing and try to limit yourself as far as going out because it adds up. I wouldn't recommend never going out though, because even if you don't drink (sports are often on drinking bans) it's a really good way to bond and it's part of the culture.

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
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?	10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Academics Social Life / Friends Location (Oxford is gorgeous)
* What could be improved?	Communication with Middlebury Communication about grading
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Grading was not at all clear going into this program, which may have been why my other two Midd kids left. I was graded on the reading I did before term as much as (if not more than) my work during term. I wish I could explain grading more but I still don't know my grades, or even really how they were formed. Also, best bet is to make friends with freshers during freshers week. They're two years younger but it's so much easier to make friends before friend groups have been formed, and the kids my age - 3rd-years - spent the whole year revising for their collections. First-years are the ones are the people starting activities with you (I recommend rowing - so easy to make friends and Lincoln takes it seriously), taking classes with you (if you do English) and living with you. If you go in with a bad attitude about the age difference you'll make your own experience unnecessarily hard.

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!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Jane Austen
Course Department:	English
Instructor:	Dr Timothy Michael
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Did my own tutorial with Dr Michael on Jane Austen. Was really great to have a one-on-one class. Dr Michael is an amazing teacher, very knowledgeable about the time period and always prepared for tutorial with great discussion topics. Again, England is a great place to study Austen. I was assessed through papers, and based on my knowledge/discussion during tutorials.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Old English (Part 1)
Course Department:	English
Instructor:	Dr Mark Williams
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Old English is very challenging as a course for any Oxford student, but it presents special difficulties to Americans who don't have the same background in Anglo-Saxon history as the English students. I also struggled with pronunciation - we were taught pronunciation of old english words using current English pronunciation, and I have an American accent. No field trips but if you're going to study Old English, Oxford has a lot of the relevant manuscripts so it made a lot of sense. Despite the challenges I loved the course, and I would never have been able to study it in such depth in the states. Assessed on papers.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Victorian Literature
Course Department:	English
Instructor:	Dr Timothy Michael
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Very challenging, but Oxford always makes use of the location in that they have the top professors on the subjects you're studying, and you can go to lectures by these famous critics. Dr Michael is an amazing teacher, and as this was his first term he is only getting better. As an added plus, he is an American and so while he helped me to get better at writing essays, he understood my more American tendencies in them. You're assessed by papers.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Old English (Part II)
Course Department:	English
Instructor:	Daniel Reeve
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course was also challenging. Because Dr Williams was writing his book we were taught instead by someone else - I think a graduate student. It was still a good course but I think it might have been even better if Dr Williams taught it. Like with Old English Part I, Oxford is a great location to study Old English in. Grading was done through papers, commentaries and also collections (I believe).
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Restoration Literature
Course Department:	English
Instructor:	Professor McCullough
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Very challenging because I had never studied anything to do with the Restoration period before, not the literature, art, history, music or landscaping - and all of these things were covered in the course. All the same, Professor McCullough also has an American background so he was very sympathetic, and he is such an amazing scholar class with him was really inspiring. Oxford always makes use of their location in that they have the top professors on the subjects you're studying, and you can go to lectures by these famous critics. We were assessed through collections and papers.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Romanticism
Course Department:	English
Instructor:	Dr Timothy Michael
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Challenging course. Oxford always makes use of the location in that they have the top professors on the subjects you're studying, and you can go to lectures by these famous critics. In addition, you're studying the Romantics in England, so might as well take a trip up to the Lakes District. Dr Michael is a great, well-prepared teacher I liked to work with. Assessed through papers and collections.
Credit Transfer Issues: