Student review [#16400]
for History
at University of Oxford
Oxford, The United Kingdom
Living up to its reputation of academic rigour, Oxford can be a challenging place to study at times, as much of the work is done independently. As a history student, I do not receive a lot of contact hours. I knew this would be the case before I attended, but it still took me a while to adjust to doing all my work myself and then attending weekly tutorials in order to discuss completed work.
Nevertheless, it goes without saying that having access to experts in your field makes studying here worth the money and the time, and the hard workload really helps you develop to the best of your potential. My experience with several tutors has almost always been positive, and they genuinely want to help you learn.
The beautiful libraries and other buildings also make the city a motivational and comfortable place to work. One of the most unique things about Oxford is its collegiate system, which means you live in smaller, tight-knit communities, but also have better access to academic and financial resources right where you live.
The most important thing to do when considering applying to Oxford is to research colleges, as your choice truly does shape your time there. Some colleges have poor kitchen facilities, which forces you to buy meals in the hall, which, despite being subsidised, can be expensive. Some colleges also have less accommodation, meaning that they may not be able to provide a room for you for the duration of your degree. This can be important since private housing in Oxford is sometimes expensive.
All in all, college life is exciting and much of the social activity revolves around these communities. The small size of these colleges means it is easy to get involved in all sorts of societies, as well as drive change within these institutions. Although attending a university with a reputation for being steeped in tradition and elitism can seem daunting, there genuinely is a welcoming atmosphere for everyone and an ability to make your college or university what you want to make it.