Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The places I saw were amazing and so were the people I met. Past Review

By (Visual and Performing Arts, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee) - abroad from 01/08/2015 to 04/27/2015 with

Beijing Normal University: Beijing - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Just an understanding of how other people in the world live.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I don't feel like the studio classes taught me very much in my art form. The Italian classes were somewhat disorganized but did help me a little to learn the language, not nearly as much as they could have. The Art History classes I took were the best, especially because we could go on location and view the historical art pieces.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

It is clear that the staff really cared a lot about the students that attend the school but it is frustrating to be constantly hit with extra charges that seem unnecessary and when you are having a technical problem with your housing they are only helpful with an initial response, if there continues to be issues after that it is difficult to receive help or reimbursement for amenities (like internet being down for a month) that you are paying for.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Great Location!!

* Food:

The food at our art opening was great as well as our group dinners and really helped you experience the culture.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I wish we could have had a meet and greet or something with local students because I did not really get to befriend very many Italians there. I ended up spending all of my time with other Americans.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Florence was really safe I was never uneasy walking around alone. The only complaint I have is cat calls and unwanted attention with men which in the evening made me feel a little unsafe and during the day mostly just a little offended.

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)

There were a lot of fees that would keep coming up after you thought you had payed everything such as coarse fees and permit of stay fees. It was frustrating that there was a fee for Art History that was meant to be used to pay for museum entrances but we ended up paying for all the ones that our museum passes did not get us into, so what was the coarse fee for? As far as food and entertainment goes I found it very easy to spend less than $100 a week sometimes as little as $50.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? average $70-$80
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Shopping for produce at the central market is cheeper than buying everything at the grocery store.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 1 semester Italian
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Speak it as often as you can even if you know the other person will understand English.

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
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The accecablity to other places in Europe
  • the history of the city
  • The food
* What could be improved?
  • The difficulty of the studio classes.
  • Please list all fees and what they are for upfront
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? They are so many more unexpected expenses than you imagine.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!