Past Review
By tkdman87 (Political Science, Philosophy, Tufts University) for
Tufts Programs Abroad: Tufts in Oxford
Tufts-in-Oxford is a great program. It's very helpful to be in a Tufts program, since you get to utilize the Tufts resources and stay connected with the Tufts community while studying abroad. Oxford is an intense but rewarding academic experience. Obviously, don't go into the program if you're not ready to work hard (but if you have the GPA, you are ready). But don't think that it's all work. The pubs and clubs in Oxford are a blast, the community and student groups/orgs are well organized and numerous, and the town is fun. And of course, London is less than a couple hours away. I highly recommend this program to hard-working, fun-loving Tufts students.
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Full-Year 2008 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
As is to be expected, the academic program at Oxford is very rigorous. It is on par with, if not more difficult than, the Tufts academic program. You do need to be ready to work hard, but not obsessively hard. Libraries and computers/internet are both excellent at Oxford. The professors are hit-or-miss. Some are excellent, have great teaching ability, and truly care about students. Others are not as concerned or engaged. Overall, the academic experience is very good. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Jaki was lovely. She was very helpful when there were problems. She also tried to organize events for us, including extremely discounted tickets to West End shows. She understands the Oxford system, and was helpful in explaining some of the more confusing aspects. Having her in London did make it a little more difficult to have close contact, but she always responded to emails promptly. Overall, she definitely met expectations. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
A (very) large single room with a sink. Shared bathroom. Dorm was within the college grounds of Pembroke. <br /><br /> The large single rooms in Pembroke are fantastic. The bathrooms were new and clean, and scouts clean out your room once a week. The buildings are kind of old, but in general, everything is very satisfactory. |
| * Food: |
The Dining Hall food is really quite bad. Most of the British students had no problem with it, so I think it's a bit of a cultural thing. There's only a certain amount of bland, over-boiled potatoes that I can take. The local eateries are great though, and I highly recommend the Covered Market for lunch options. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Oxford is quite safe. Obviously, you never go out late at night by yourself, but that's common-sense. I never had any health issues. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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? | 100-150 dollars |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | There is a great Tufts stipend which is necessary and sufficient. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | It's difficult, but extraordinary rewarding and tons of fun. I highly recommend the program! |
