Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Study Abroad in Santiago, Chile: a highly recommended experience! Past Review

By (International MBA, Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management) for

Adolfo Ibáñez University: Viña del Mar \ Penalolen - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The experiece increaced my self-confidence, my interest in living and working abroad, and my overall cultural awareness. Since my plans were already to live and work abroad, this did not change; however I recommend it as something unforgettable even for people who do not intend to live and work abroad in the future.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I took all my courses in the country's native language, Spanish. For this reason, my personal workload was increased, otherwise I felt that the workload at my host university was appropriate for the program. The grading system was easy to understand and similar to my home university. The teaching methods were varied and similar to my home university including: in-class lecture, out of class readings, tests and quizes, group projects, field-trips, and case studies.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Overall, I had a very positive experience. I felt there were a lot of things I was not prepared well for and had to figure out by talking to the other students in the program. This was largely due to the fact that I entered the program mid-way through, so I did not get the same orientation the other students got and had to deal with extra challenges for that. I was informed of when I needed to show up, but did not exactly know who I was looking for or how to get to the school once I arrived in Santiago. Stregths are that once all the initial cluelessness was over, I felt very comfortable with the way things were handled and felt well-cared for.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was very uninformed about housing when I arrived in Chile. The school does not offer accomodations or much advice at all. They simply pass on the contact information of independent housing agencies, but I didn't even know what I was looking for until I arrived in Chile and while staying at a hotel had the opportunity to ask the other students about their accomodations. I wish I would have been able to find the information in advance, could have saved a lot on the hotel! The agency the school recommended did offer me an excellend apartment, near by where all the other students lived and was in a safe and clean area.

* Food:

Santiago is such a world-class city that you can find just about everything you're looking for!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

My program did not officially offer the activities, however as a class, the students did many fun (and expensive) activities inside and outside of Santiago.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I really did not have any safety or healthcare related issues. Although there was some political unrest in the country at that time, our program advisor always made sure we were aware of it and how to stay out of trouble.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

Language

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Other

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The school was fantastic!
  • The city was fantastic!
* What could be improved?
  • Orientation and preparation
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Someone who is confident, highly independent, adventurous, and fits well into multi-cultural situations will love this program! I was challenged but comfortable, rarely felt too stressed or unsafe. Overall, Santiago is great, however I don't recommend if you are not at least at an intermediate level of spanish-speaking. Pay attention the visa application, it takes a lot time on the US side. Also pay attention to the banking situation which I described in detail above.