Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Ideas in Chicago Past Review

By (Economics., Carleton College) for

Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM): Chicago - Program: Arts, Entrepreneurship, & Urban Studies

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I have always been extremely interested in business and entrepreneurship. Carleton College does not offer classes on these subjects. I have learned a lot about these subjects throughout the semester which made it a worhtwile experience.

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.

At first you have very little work which allows you to explore the city and do a bunch of fun stuff. This is very nice as it gives you a lot of time to form friendships with you fellow students. As the semester progresses the workload is still very manageable until the last two weeks in which the two big projects are due. If you do all your work with a considerable amount of effort throughout the semester, it is not too hard to get an A for all the classes. Unfortunately Carleton College does not count the grades received at ACM towards your GPA.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The program is located in Chicago. Therefore all the problems usually associated with a study abroad are not relevant. The program definitely met my expectations. Even though there is still quite some room for improvement, I have learned a lot and had a great experience.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was lucky to be placed in an apartment in downtown Chicago. The locations was superb. This by far compensated for a small room in a kind of old building.

* Food:

Chicago's food is delicious. It can get very expensive at times though. My advice is to do groceries as much as possible and check Groupon for good deals to eat.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Chicago is an incredibly diverse and large city, and there is always a lot of stuff going on. The program has a weekly e-mail in which they tell you everything that is going on in the city for the following week.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Chicago is a very safe city in my experience. However, when travelling at night I would always recommend to travel in groups or take a cab.

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? You will be spending a lot more than you expect in Chicago. This is partly because everything is fairly expensive in the city, but more so because we are not used to having to pay for all of our expenses. Paying for meals, supplies, going out, events, laundry etc. adds up.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Learning about business and entrepreneurship.
* What could be improved?
  • Throughout the semester it remains somewhat unclear as to what your grade thus far is for your classes.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? If you are interested in business and entrepreneurship I would highly recommend this program. Carleton College does not offer classes on these subjects. Thus, this ACM program is a great opportunity to explore your interests.