Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Academically demanding to the max, but absolutely worth it Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/08/2017 to 04/14/2018 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury – CMRS Oxford Humanities Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I definitively improved as a writer, and gained confidence in writing more professionally. It was also fascinating working under the Oxford system. I definitely found it a worthwhile experience... I just wish my Independent Research Professor had been more professional.

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

On-site administration was excellent, dependable and personalized.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had some special requests for housing and they were fully met, the staff also made everyone feel at home.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* 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)

Oxford is VERY expensive

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? More than I ever would in any American city
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? You need to cook your own food in order to live affordably and continue to eat well.

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

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Professors
  • Resources (esp. libraries)
  • The historical setting
* What could be improved?
  • Glynn Redworth
  • Glynn Redworth
  • Glynn Redworth
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Just how academically demanding it would be, nearly to the point of breaking--- I wish this aspect of the program was given plenty of warning. Also: the lack of sunlight was quite jarring.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Shakespeare II
Course Department: English
Instructor: Ralph Hanna
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course was challenging, and the professor was an expert on Shakespeare. This made class truly enjoyable. The papers demanded a nuanced and critical understanding of the texts. We also had in-class presentations.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Independent Research Project
Course Department: Art History
Instructor: Glynn Redworth
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The professor was rude, insensitive--- apparently students throughout the generations know he has a bad rep for sexist, xenophobic, elitist comments, and complaints have been made in the past. However, because he has made a significant contribution to his field, we were encouraged to ignore his "idiosyncratic" behavior. I have never had such a bad experience with a professor, and part of being a professor is being respectful to your students and their ethnic background.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Narrative (Tutorial)
Course Department: English
Instructor: Rebecca Varley-Winter
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The class was challenging, critical, and useful in my development as a writer. Becky brought in an arsenal of literary references, recommendations, suggestions. I very much enjoyed in-class discussions with her, and her ideas were very helpful. She was also very attentive to feedback and particular writing styles of each student. I would always recommend her as a professor.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Narrative (Milton)
Course Department: English
Instructor: Edwina Christie
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Edwina is a fair professor, and at first, my essays were incredibly flawed and she laid out these flaws before me. This was never, however, done in a condescending or demeaning way, if anything it was incredibly helpful. Edwina brought passion for the material to the class as well as an incredibly engaging analysis. We were assessed in weekly papers, this was the course with the most demanding course load that I took.
Credit Transfer Issues: