Overall good experience but would have chosen a better program! Past Review
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 05/29/2019 to 07/13/2019 with
Arcadia: Sydney -Sydney Internship Program Summer
My internship placement was the best part about my experience. I was able to acquire work experience in an international setting and learned to adapt to the cultural differences. The program was worth it because of the internship!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
No academic resources were provided through the program, we had to rely on resources from our home institute. Intensity is high in terms of the large amount of work due in the short time period while simultaneously working full time three days a week. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Administration was friendly but did not seem very qualified to teach subjects and there was often a lack of professionalism in the classroom. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We were placed in an apartment hotel. While it was nice and in a central location, the cooking facilities were minimal and not worth the thousands of dollars spent on housing. |
| * Food: |
The food in Sydney is amazing! Location gives you access to so many restaurants and food halls. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Working with Australians at my internship helped but it was hard to meet other students or locals due to the lack of involvement with a university based in Australia. It would have been better if the classes included students studying in Australia. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt very safe during my time in Sydney. The main danger we were made aware of is the wildlife. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
The academic aspect was poor, I didn't feel like I was learning much and the standard of teaching and curriculum was poor. I felt like many of the classes and activities were a waste of time. |
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) |
It is hard to balance feeling like you're on vacation and wanting to experience new things with a typical student budget you would have at home. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | A lot of money due to that the cooking facilities provided were poor. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Check Groupon and other online sites to get discounts! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I knew the quality of education and the intensity of work in the short time period of the program. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
