Exceeds High Expectations July 07, 2022
By James S (Chemistry, Brandeis University) - abroad from 10/04/2021 to 06/18/2022 with
Oxford Study Abroad Programme (OSAP): Oxford - Study Abroad at Oxford University
I learned some Chemistry topics to a depth I would not learn in normal undergraduate courses in the United States.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Expect STEM courses to be quite difficult and require a lot of self-teaching as British students learn more before university. In addition, many techniques and strategies are taught in first year that you will lack if taking second or third-year subjects. In my case, I needed to teach myself differential equations and multivariable calculus for my quantum mechanics course. Regarding some friends who took humanities courses, expect extensive and nonspecific reading lists for essays assigned. Lecture courses often will not correlate with assignments and you will need to take out textbooks to teach yourself. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Oxford is well organized of course and there is plenty of assistance if you ever need it (not with your coursework, but with life in general). |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Tamesis Guest House provided by St. Edmund Hall was in decent shape. The rooms were large and some had ensuite bathrooms. |
| * Food: |
British food is known to be quite bland and the regular servery meals were not the greatest. The formal halls were well done though. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It is quite easy to get to know students at the college as there is plenty of social events to go to. If you do not drink alcohol or enjoy going out to clubs/pubs it may be more difficult for you. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The NHS is awful if you need to see a doctor quickly and for something specific but at least it is free (not really though you pay a bunch of money in your visa application). Even private clinics were difficult to get ahold of. |
| * Safety: |
Oxford is very safe with practically 0 crime. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
It is difficult to compare anything to Oxford, as Oxford is one of the best universities in the world while also being incredibly pretty. Almost all of the colleges are extremely picturesque and there is plenty to do and visit in Oxford and close by in England. |
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) |
It is rather easy to live on a lower budget, just shop at Tesco and go to your college servery meals. Obviously going out is expensive but there are ways to deal with that. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 300 USD |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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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? |
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? | How fun life can be in Oxford. I assumed it would be grueling work all the time, but social life at Oxford is so much better than the USA. Colleges host formal dinners and Black/White Tie Balls which are amazing. Athletic teams and clubs have a wonderful atmosphere with great socials. |
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 UrbaniteA 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: |
Inorganic Chemistry |
| Course Department: | Chemistry |
| Instructor: | Professor Mountford |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | A somewhat challenging course, but there are many lectures to accompany it, Professor Mountford is a great teacher. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Biochemistry and Metals in Biology |
| Course Department: | Biochemistry |
| Instructor: | Professor Ferguson |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | A well-thought-out curriculum, correlated well with other studies. Professor Ferguson is a very capable professor and explains concepts quite well. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Quantum Mechanics, Valence, and Spectroscopy |
| Course Department: | Chemistry |
| Instructor: | Professor Manolopoulos |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Very challenging at times, but Professor Manolopoulos is a fantastic teacher and I had a wonderful time. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
