Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Business and Pleasure Past Review

By (Theatre, Santa Clara University) - abroad from 06/28/2014 to 08/22/2014 with

Arcadia: Edinburgh - Scottish Universities International Summer School

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
What I gained from my experience abroad was practice in self sufficiency. I gained practice for working with a theater company, and a greater appreciation for the administrative process that companies go through. I got a spot on my resume to enjoy. A time to really get to know a city outside the ones I've been in, and above all, I got to experience a unique part of scottish history. So was it Worthwhile? I would say so.

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.

The hardest part was the ending paper, while the easiest was the business simulation. Overall, it was a bit of a stretch, but not too terrible.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Decent teachers, and fine offerings of help, though the email support could use a bit more brevity in terms of clearing up any misconceptions as the time wears on.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

All the accomodations worked well. Kitchen, tv, bed, sink, desk. It might have been nicer to have a few more cooking gear provided, but then we were in a dorm, so that sort of thing wouldn't be provided normally.

* Food:

Surprisingly good food, especially in terms of asian offerings. A tad pricey, but then that is Great Britain for you.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The big trouble was that class and work isolated me pretty hard from "local culture", so I often still felt like a stranger in a strange land, just with familiar points to visit. That wasn't as much the program's fault but a bit more my fault. But I did get a chance to explore, see cultural points and so forth, so it wasn't total non integration.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Edinburgh was surprisngly safe feeling, with well lit streets, friendly atmosphere, and overall a very safe experience, aside from 1 or 2 problems with late night fire alarms.

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)

It's britain, so even when I cooked for myself, it was still fairly pricey per week.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? At least 140 dollars per week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't eat out all the time. Leftovers will save you more money than any other method. Also, try walking everywhere. That'll leave you some spare transportation money as well.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The unique teaching method on how to run a business
  • Close proximity to classes and work as
  • Easy internet access
* What could be improved?
  • A class that starts 20 minutes later
  • Not needing those silly laundry cards to do laundry
  • More group activities that were organized.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Be prepared to go out on your own, because the program won't hold your hand.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.