Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I loved The Cambridge Tradition from Oxbridge Programs! Past Review

By (High School) - abroad from 07/06/2015 to 08/02/2015 with

Oxbridge Academic Programs: Boston - Oxbridge in Boston

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I figured out what I wanted to pursue in life thanks to this program.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I really learned a lot in the classes that I took without having to do that much work outside of class.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

All of the faculty was really supportive and made the month that I was involved in the program amazing.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had a single room with my own bathroom, which was ideal for most. Most people in my program had singles. The bathrooms were small, but well maintained and very clean. We had "bedders" who cleaned up and made our beds for us every day, which was very nice of them. Most people with doubles had their own bathrooms. There is space to specify which you would prefer on the application, but there is no guarantee since it is based on first come first serve.

* Food:

The food was good, but we had the same thing for breakfast almost every day. You must go into the town for lunch, but dinner and breakfast are provided. Though you do not have to eat breakfast and dinner in the dining hall, it is highly encouraged.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Since we got to go into town at least once every day, I felt very involved in the local culture of the town. Though, I was in Cambridge, so there was not much for me to get accustomed to. However, there were so many students from all over the world, which helped me learn about cultures other than my own. It was truly amazing to meet so many people from so many countries. I still stay in touch with a lot of them today.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The program was very understanding if you needed to take a sick day and was prepared to give medical help if the need arose. There were no vaccines necessary for my travels. There was a drug store in town that was easy to get to if you needed Advil, Tylenol, etc.

* 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)

It was really easy to manage a budget since there were so many options for lunch and that was the only meal you were required to eat off campus.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I probably spent an average of $75 a week on food and snacks.

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

  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
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?
  • Diversity of people
  • Range of classes
  • Freedom
* What could be improved?
  • Food
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known how much free time I was actually going to have (which is a lot by the way)

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Studio Art
Course Department: Art
Instructor: Patsy Rathborne
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class was more challenging for me since I had no prior background to art. I assumed that it was going to be a class for beginners. However, most of my class was insanely talented in the studio art department. Patsy really helped me through that though. I learned to trust my gut instinct and draw what I feel. It helped me to stop comparing my art to others. We took field trips to the local museums to observe the art and sketch. There was no homework.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Advertising, Marketing, and Consumer Culture
Course Department: Communications
Instructor: Sarah-Louise Decrausaz
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was challenging enough, but not too challenging to ruin the enjoyment of the program. We took many field trips around Cambridge to explore the diversity of advertising. The teacher was very well-prepared and knew what she was talking about. Sarah-Louise is a biological anthropologist, so at first it seemed odd that she would be teaching a class on advertising. However, she really knew what she was talking about when it came to the subject at hand. She did a very good job teaching the course. I participated in class more than I would at home since Sarah-Louise was very personable and young. We handed in homework every day (a daily tweet - so 140 characters) and we had one essay through the month.
Credit Transfer Issues: