Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I Would Do It Again In A Heartbeat - Italy Is Heaven On Earth Past Review

By (Marketing, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities) for

CIMBA: Paderno del Grappa - Undergraduate Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Most definitely.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was less than at my home university, which provided a nice opportunity to travel on weekends instead of needing to study nonstop. I believe the grades were curved at the end of the semester. It was done appropriately. The class size abroad was smaller than at the U, which allowed more students to get to know the professors on a higher level.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The final day of moving out is EXTREMELY stressful. I finished my last final exam at 12pm and needed to be on a bus leaving campus at 1pm. The situation with the buses was scrambled so few people knew which bus or which location they were going to. An extra day after exams, or even an extension by a few hours would be greatly appreciated.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

They staff gives you plenty to eat. Variety is limited and hours are limited, but the cooks are reliable.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

An abundance of travel time was allotted. I loved it. I wish I had interacted with more of the Italian students on campus.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

Language

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? If you want more travel time than study time, consider CIMBA. It was an amazing experience. I had great teachers, met amazing people, and saw more of Europe than I could have ever have dreamed.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Entreprenuerial Strategy
Course Department:
Instructor: Fran Lloyd
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Good class, flexible teacher.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

International Marketing
Course Department:
Instructor: Fran Lloyd
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Great teacher, loved the class.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Managerial Accounting
Course Department:
Instructor: Roy Pettibone
Instruction Language: English
Comments: I hate the topic but had an amazing teacher. Challenging course. Teaching style was most like what I experience at the U.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Italian for Travelers
Course Department:
Instructor: Angela Bresolin
Instruction Language: Italian/English
Comments: Great professor even though she speaks little English.
Credit Transfer Issues: No equivalent at the U
Course Name/Rating:

Topics in Managment: Business, Culture and Society
Course Department:
Instructor: Al Ringleb
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course content could be dry at times, but the field trip was great! I provided students with a good opportunity to learn about Italy, which I appreciated.
Credit Transfer Issues: No real equivalent at the U