Exchange Program with Ireland was a Life Changer. Past Review
By Madison S (Architecture, University of Nebraska- Lincoln) for
Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT): Dublin - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I realize that there are other options out there and that there is more to my life than what is going on right now. I see the possibilities that are available and the places I can take my life.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was about the same at DIT as at UNL, maybe a little less because we weren't taking as many classes there as we would have been at UNL. The grading system was different as they used numbers instead of percentages and letter grades, but it was easy to understand. The teaching methods were identical. We had studio classes and assignments/deadlines to meet, informal desk crits as well as formal critiques with guest lecturers/professors. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
It was hard to get used to the building at DIT closed every night and we had to haul our work home with us and then back to school. We had to plan out what we were going to work on and when and what was to be completed at school and at home in order to get assignments done on time instead of being able to complete everything in one place with less hassle. One of our professors was actually from America so he had an idea about how things worked but also pushed the European way of doing things. They weren't very timely in getting back grades and sending response emails. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We had to find our own apartment. The neighborhood we lived in was not good at all. It was not safe at night. It was about a 20 minute walk to class. Nightlife was about a 30 minute walk at the most. The nightlife was a lot of fun. Ireland is full of things to do, day or night and the city was very fun to see. The realty company that owns the apartment complex that we stayed in hasn't been very reliable though. I wasn't told of any electricity bill and so they are having trouble returning my deposit back. Housing is fairly expensive there because of their economy. |
| * Food: |
I was on my own for food but luckily there are grocery stores on almost every street. The one I went to was about 3 blocks away. We had a mini fridge in our apartment and we |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Our class trip was to Italy which was absolutely amazing. Being in Italy alone was awesome but being there with the Irish students who can make everything fun, made it that much more enjoyable and memorable. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
There are police out walking the streets at night and I had very few times where I felt unsafe, but those times were just at night. It's the little kids that you have to watch out for more than the men. When you go abroad, there is a a health program that will cover you but I never had to use it. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Remember that you are an international student and can usually use that phrase to get out of some things BUT it will also get you into a lot of trouble if you use it at the wrong time. |
