Take me back to Scotland! Past Review

By taylor.lott20 (Vanguard University of Southern California) - abroad from 09/07/2014 to 12/21/2014 with

CISabroad (Center for International Studies): Semester in Scotland

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

I learned a lot about myself and I learned to be more independent. There were great things about my trip and there were not so great things, but the great far outweigh the bad, so it was definitely worth while.

Review Photos

CISabroad (Center for International Studies): Edinburgh - Semester in Edinburgh Photo

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.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:	The food was delicious, I don't think there was anything I ate that I didn't like. Except maybe peas. It comes with everything!! So be warned if you dislike peas, they come with a lot of meals.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I never felt unsafe, which was really nice coming from a place where a girl can't walk a block without the fear of being hassled. I walked everywhere at different times of the day and had no problems whatsoever.
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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	about $130
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Save all you can!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students
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 city I lived in
* What could be improved?	Communication with students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I would have known how difficult it would be to get the classes I wanted.

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 Adventurer The 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Critical Psychology
Course Department:	Psychology
Instructor:	Callum Neil
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This class was awful. The first day of class the professor tries to explain what critical psychology is, but can't really do so because it might not be a real thing, according to the professor. So you sit, baffled, for two hours and the future classes don't make much more sense than that first one. So you sit... and listen... to a professor... who talks with all of these... pauses. I'm not sure if it was for dramatic affect or if he didn't know what he was going to say next, but it made the class that more strenuous. Also the powerpoints that were used were very ineffective, there was almost nothing on them. I like taking notes, it helps me to focus, but when you have a naked lady on the board and a professor keeps looking at it and taking long pauses, it is almost impossible for anyone to actually focus. Now on to the work part; there were only two assignments, one worth 40% of your grade, the other, of course, worth 60%. There is no way to do better if you didn't do well on the first assignment, and high marks are rarely given, so it is impossible to improve in the class. It is also hard to improve when you are critiqued on your writing style and have it compared to a facebook post, with no constructive criticism, just comments tearing apart your paper. Even if you answer the question posed for the paper, that doesn't mean anything. Or if you try to get clarification on the vague guidelines, you are told that it is a broad question and tat it should be fairly easy to write about. Overall it was a waste of time and money and in no way helped me to learn more about psychology.
Credit Transfer Issues: