(JYA) PROGRAM WITH SEVERAL OXFORD COLLEGES We make a special effort to provide students with as much detailed and accurate information as possible about all aspects of study in Oxford. We are also able to put prospective students in touch with current or previous students by telephone and to provide more written evaluations. We always ask for student evaluations in all our programs; these have been very useful in helping us to correct problems. We wish this program to be the best overseas study program in Britain. The following comments of students on many aspects of the JYA program should be read very carefully by interested students. Taken together (in this section and throughout the handbook), they provide a representative picture of the experiences of about 150 students from about 70 leading U.S. colleges. (No endorsement of this program by U.S. colleges, naturally, should be inferred). The students' full names have been omitted for reasons of privacy, but complete information is available to any serious inquirer. In some cases, wording has been compressed or reordered but meaning has never been altered. Some of the students were studying on the graduate level. THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM "The college faculty, staff and the WISC staff have all been extremely helpful throughout this term. My history tutorial is excellent, challenging and stimulating." SS, BA, Wellesley "I am registered as a Visiting Student at St. Antony's College of Oxford, a graduate college that admits about six qualified undergraduates a year. I am reading philosophy with Professor Ackrill (the chair in the History of Philosophy and a Fellow of the British Academy). The weekly tutorial functions on a personal basis ... My other tutor is Dr Gray, Fellow of Jesus College, and a former visiting professor at Harvard. As I understand it, most Oxford students do not have the opportunity to study with scholars of such esteemed qualifications. I consider this an invaluable experience." HC, Georgetown University "I evaluate my academic program very positively." AS,Goucher College "(My tutorials, lectures and seminars) were excellent with the exception of (one tutor) whose views on social anthropology are irreconcilable with my own." AZ, Amherst "My initial evaluation is excellent. My tutor is very, very good and I am enjoying the material and the tutorial immensely." JC, Kenyon "The best academic experience of my life. I especially enjoyed Professor Schuettinger's seminar in diplomacy at (my college) - with Lord Beloff; Sir Julian Bullard, Sir John Johnson and other outstanding diplomats and scholars. I have become a changed person." JS, UC - Berkeley "My academic program was excellent. My tutors were terrific." CM, Claremont "My tutorials were excellent . .. Oxford is fantastic." BV, Wesleyan "My academic program was quite good." JM, Hastings College of Law, University of California "The tutorial is an excellent system which allowsfor individual attention and personal research." DS, Northwestern University "Both of my tutors were well-qualified, knowledgeable and enjoyable to work with." PT, Wesleyan I greatly enjoyed my tutorials with Dr Holmes and my British tutorial partner. My opinions were both sought and welcomed. (My college) was very welcoming in general." KD, Dartmouth "The tutorials are very informative and intense .. . far more comprehensive and challenging than anything I ever had at college. It's like having a professor all to yourself." SG, Queens College My tutorials were excellent. I was accepted to study next year for an Oxford graduate degree. " MN, Boston College ". . . the hutorials are a welcome measure of personal attention not found at American universities." WS, Yale "I had a brilliant year, studying with outstanding biologists and geneticists. Without the help of Robert Schuettinger (who stepped in quickly when others in Oxford let me down) it would not have worked." EP, Columbia College, NY "My tutorials in Environmental Studies were excellent." EF, Harvard College "My tutorials vary from good to excellent." DT, Amherst "I was taught by two professors (holders of Chairs - usually only one don in the University in each subject), both of whom were Fellows of the British Academy. My academic program could not have been better. " AS, Brown "Oxford is similar to a giant independent shudy program. Students are on their own. There is no hiding from not doing the reading here. The entire method that is used here is different from America, but it is effective. One gets out of it exactly what one puts into it, and that can be a great deal." GH, Hampden - Sydney College "My tutorials have been excellent. The courses consisted of tutorials with a professor (don) on a one-to-one basis. Many of my tutors were well known in their fields and had written several books on their speciality. We were able to study the authors that interested us within the framework of the area of literature that we were studying. The dons provided us with essay questions based on the material of each author we read, and we read our essays and discussed different aspects of our author's work during our tutorials. I took two courses each term but I found the workload was heavy. I had to read several books by each author, criticisms of the works, and write a 10 to 12 page essay for each tutorial that met once a week." SH, Holy Cross "(I would evaluate my tutorials) very highly. (They are) just what I'd hope for." LJ, Hampshire College "I studied 17th century English history with a Fellow of All Souls (Colin Kidd). I could not have had a better tutor." HS, University of Maryland "I am studying with the director of graduate studies at my college, Dr Tony Lemon." CR, University of Michigan "My tutors are both from graduate colleges." JI, Bates College "My tutors were helpful and accessible. We were really part of (our college) and not just in Oxford on a US program." AG, Dartmouth "I studied in China last semester and I am keeping up my Chinese here, by special arrangement" BB, Tufts LIBRARIES "I found very few restrictions at the eight libraries I used." AE, Yale "I used several libraries, one of which was outstanding in its field. I found the Bodleian system hard to understand." JW, Yale "I experienced no restrictions on the libraries I used" CC, Holy Cross EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES "I'm photo editor of The Cherwell (the University newspaper) and I find the whole experience excellent. The Oxford Union's a bit silly if you ask me, but I've been to some debates and they are interesting. I'm also on the riding team." TB, Tufts "There were many social events the first week and we were made to feel really welcome. The Master of our college had us to dinner in his Lodgings. The Junior Common Room held a special party for us, as did the President of the Oxford Union ... " AV, Oberlin "I am very active in dramatic societies." LJ, Hampshire College "I live at a house with British students across from my college . . . other events (e.g. a ball in London, black tie dinners at other colleges, the Reform Club, etc.) are also quite outstanding." HC, Georgetown University "The sporting life at Oxford is excellent. It is a very easy way to get involved. More important than the sport itself is that it is a super way to meet people." TH, University of Pennsylvania "The London Study Tour gave us a well-informed and rare look at places not normally open to tourists." DG, Yale "I felt completely a part of (my college). The students and the faculty are very friendly." KC, Colby "Meeting students (and dons) from all over the world over coffee after dinner at my college is one of the most rewarding experiences of my stay in Oxford." DF, University of Nevada MEALS "The food is typical, but (our college), because of its size, provides an excellent opportunity to meet students during meal time." DS, Northwestern University "You don't come here to eat." CG, Tufts "My college had decent food and good service." AS, Washington University "The dining facilities are good, food is OK-fair, service good but a bit rushed." AV, Oberlin "The dining in my college is about the same as that in my home college. " TH, University of Pennsylvania "I dine regularly in my college hall. Thefood is all right." SS, University of Michigan "The food in my college is not too bad. I eat there most of the time." AS, Tulane "The meals in my college are wonderful." PS, Dartmouth HOUSING "My housing is exceptional! I never expected it would be so nice and modern." CP, Colgate "My housing is excellent." LK, Davidson College "My housing is very good, way above average." JC, Kenyon "My housing was perfect - with British students (next door as well) and wiithin a short walk of the center. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. I learned a great deal; I am a different person." JC, Albion College "Living in the same house as British students made a big difference." EL, Stanford "My housing is much better than that in my home college." HS, University of Pennsylvania TB, Tufts "I had a very comfortable one living room, two bedroom suite in Wadham College." JR, Hampden-Sydney College "My housing is everything I could possibly want." KD, Georgetown "My housing is superb, very well furnished, good location." WS, Yale "Living with British students was one of the best parts of the overall program. WISC was able to arrangefor me to intern in the chambers of a leading barrister in the Inns of Court, London." VF, Hamilton "'My housing is fabulous. No different from home." SG, Queens College "I am happy in my room in a Mansfield College Annex." EG, New York University "My room is literally a three minute walk to my college. This is important to me." MT, Cornell "The best part about this program is that we are given the opportunity to be well integrated with the British students. We are Oxford students, and everything is open to us. But we have to look for activities rather than expect them to come to us. The system gives you so much freedom that it is very diffficult to adjust to this system. Having tutorials is great because you have so many opportunities to explore new ideas and to study some things you could not do at a home college." JC, SUNY - Binghamton (Visiting Student, St. Hilda's) GENERAL COMMENTS "Thank you for making the Oxford experience available to me. I had a fantastic year with very few problems and many great experiences. WISC is a super program." CP, BA, Colgate "The tutorials gave me a chance to study my major subject - English in an intense and in-depth way. I could not have devoted so much time to one subject at my home college." EL, Carleton College "It is truly an excellent program in every respect." JB, Holy Cross "It must be the best overseas program in Britain." GP, Duke "WISC more than fulfilled all my expectations. The tutorials could not have been better. The tours, dinners, parties, and receptions arranged by WISC were fantastic - I learned a great deal about life in Britain from an insider's point of view. I was fully integrated into my college in every respect and always made to feel very welcome. The WISC program deserves an A++ (or should I say a starred double First?)." PK, University of Iowa "I had an absolutely wonderful time." AR, Syracuse University "The London visits were not only useful but terribly interesting ... the "insider tours" (of places we could not normally see such as private clubs, Lloyd's Insurance, homes of Oxford grads, etc.) were better than anything I'd seen during my own week of touring in the city." DS, Northwestern University "Almost all Oxford students ride bikes or buses. No matter where you live (even if you live in College) it is still necessary to travel to other tutorials, lectures, clubs, sports, other libraries, entertainment, etc. Oxford is not a small liberal arts college." RW, Princeton "I was very pleased with the overall program. I am only sorry I had to return to Bryn Mawr after one term." AA, Bryn Mawr "I have not heard of a better overseas study program." TM, The Queen's University, Ontario "I would recommend this program as an excellent way to attend Oxford for a year. I would, however, make sure students were aware of the Oxford system and were sure that it is the way they want to study ... It is not for someone who wants everything arranged for him or her." JL, University of Virginia "Coming here as a one year student through WISC changed my life. I returned a year later and I have been working toward a graduate degree in English at Oriel College." GL, Trinity College "I also wanted to express my gratitude for your work in setting up our program and accommodations, it is an honor to be here, and I am very pleased with everything so far. The living arrangements and academic program both seem exceptional." GP, University of Kansas "As the three of us at Banbury Road come closer to returning to our respective homes, we are beginning to appreciate how privileged we have been to have had the rare opportunity to study in Oxford for one year. We have all found the experience outstanding and enriching academically, socially, and culturally. We have gained from the experience in certain intangible ways also, maturing tremendously as individuals. None of us will return to the United States the same person." AS, Brown "I've had a very enjoyable time here along with receiving a good education. I plan to write the Director of International Programs at the University of Pennsylvania a very positive evaluation of WISC. " MP, University of Pennsylvania "Tutorials were excellent. Participation in one-on-one tutorials has helped me build self-confidence. College dining: the food is not great, but it is by far the best way to meet people - so who cares? Housing: better than expected. WISC has some nicks, but is by far the best overseas program I have ever heard of." MD, University of Austin Texas "I wanted to write to thank you for introducing me to Allan Stewart, M.P. I have just finished working for him at Parliament and I have had a wonderful month. I found the work to be very interesting; a good way to end my year at Oxford." CW, U.C.L.A. "This is an outstanding educational program which provides an outstanding educational experience for students. It is equivalent to programs established by other American colleges, fully integrated programs. I find no faults with the program." KD, Georgetown "This afternoon I spoke with my parents in California to give them an update on the latest events - 'you have to hear the highlight of our whole trip,' I said referring to the evening with you (Robert Schuettinger). A glimpse of two gorgeous clubs in London, a delicious meal, inspiring conversation, and new friends - it's difficult to know where to begin to thank you. Furthermore, the entire organization of WISC is a credit to both you and your ability to create a successful and enriching program." CB, Princeton "Would I recommend this program to other qualified students ? Yes. Yes. Yes." SD, Dartmouth