Oxford: Better than Hogwarts Past Review
By Anna B (International Relation, Tufts University) for
Tufts Programs Abroad: Tufts in Oxford
I loved every aspect of the Oxford program; truly the best year of my undergraduate career. I met some of the best people there- which surprised me, I thought people would be more pretentious. It was truly incredible, and if I could do it again, I absolutely would. I cannot speak more highly of this program.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload is intensive, but manageable; it just requires some transitioning. The grading system, though different from the US, is fair. I found the tutorial system to create a positive learning environment; the intimacy of the Oxford program really challenged me and allowed me to grow as a student. I believe that I learned more in an 8 week course than I do in most semester classes at Tufts. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Though the Tufts coordinators were located in London; they did make the trip out to Oxford at least once a term. Also, they were incredibly responsive to any questions/concerns. They truly contributed to the overall experience. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
All rooms are singles, which is nice. Living in college was definitely beneficial and Pembroke is centrally located in the city. You do need to buy some basic living essentials, but that is to be expected. Overall the Oxford dorms are quite nice. |
| * Food: |
England has pretty gross food; you're going to eat a lot of potatoes. The Indian food in Britain is really good though; there's a grocery store, Sainsbury's, near Pembroke, and tons of restaurants in the city. Pembroke dining hall food is nowhere near as good as Carmichael/Dewick, but the overall dining hall experience, especially formal hall, is amazing. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I played on the Oxford Basketball team- hands down the best decision I could have made while at Oxford. I would recommend playing on/participating in any Oxford club; it's a great way to assimilate into the University and meet some incredible people. Also, definitely take advantage of the Tufts trips/tickets. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Though there is crime in any city; I felt perfectly safe in Oxford. I believe there is a lot of petty theft, but I think a lot of this can be avoided by just commonsense. I did fracture my foot while playing basketball, and it took me about a week to get an x-ray; then 3 weeks to get the results of my x-ray back; and the doctor told me to drink more milk to help the healing process, which is a little disconcerting, but still, the health care system was fine. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I am an incredibly frugal person, so I spent maybe 20-pounds a week (apart from the mandatory Pembroke meals) on food and personal expenses; I think most people spent more. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I think Tufts prepares you well for recognizing that England is expensive; and it is expensive to eat out, but you can eat cheaply by going to the grocery store and buying food there. Tufts does give you a generous stipend, and they do allocate money to pay for certain fees. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
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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