Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Challenging yet rewarding mathematical experience August 08, 2023

By (Mathematics and Computer Science, Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/06/2023 to 05/23/2023 with

BSM: Budapest - Budapest Semesters in Mathematics

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Beyond the ability and confidence to do hard math, I think that I gained greater respect for a work/life balance. I also learned that I enjoy solo travel.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Math content was strong and problem sets posed a fun challenge. Definitely improved my problem solving and ability to construct and articulate mathematical arguments. Occasionally, the language barrier posed a challenges and some classes felt a bit disorganized.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Super friendly, and were very helpful with getting my residency permit.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Living in a city was great since everything was so accessible. I liked the fact that I had my own room. However, the quality of the housing was poor, not just to what I was used to but compared to that of other similar programs in Budapest.

* Food:

Not a problem with the program, but the food scene was under developed compared to the rest of europe.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Budapest certainly has a large population of international residents, however I felt that the language barrier posed a large problem for integration.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never needed nor recieved healthcare, so I cannot comment on this accurately.

* Safety:

There were never any times at which I personally felt unsafe. However, some of my friends had cat-calling incidences.

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

Ultimately, the Math, Travel, and friendships were what made the program great. I don't think I would have gotten all three of those experiences anywhere else.

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)

The dollar is very strong relative to the Hungarian Font, so the program and travel was definitely affordable.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $80
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Definitely cook your own food. It will not only be better than the local cuisine, but also extremely cheap which is extra money you can use to travel.

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

The Hungarian language class was more focused on reading then speaking, which made it hard to interact with the locals.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
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? Did not take a language course at Middlebury.
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0

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?
  • Challenging Math
  • Ability to travel across Europe
  • Great people
* What could be improved?
  • Course organization/pacing
  • Living accomdations
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Picking the right classes is important and professors are certainly prone to inflating grades.

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!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Graph Theory
Course Department: Mathematics
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The professor was extremely knowledgable and passionate about the subject matter. Problem sets were challenging but rewarding. Pacing for the first half of the semester was great, and I felt that I had a very strong grasp of the material. However, second half was way too fast, especially given the rigor of the material. My biggest gripe with this class was that in-person exams were far too short for the type proof-heavy questions being asked.
Credit Transfer Issues: Not that I know of.