Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes were a lot more difficult than they are on our home campus in Boston. I know that European professors are supposed to be more challenging, but some of the difficulties came from miscommunication and the sheer absurdity of the way the classes were run. I know other people that had better experiences than me. Even so, I will give it a 4/5 because I did learn some things, and I do not blame the professors for grading harshly. I blame myself for not living up to those standards.

On-site administration of your program

The admin here is great. They really want you to grow and experience a lot. The rules are all in place for a good reason. The program size is perfect. There are always administrators to talk to, they know this area of The Netherlands well. Smart people.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The castle is a beautiful location to have a program. It's just a shame that it's kind of in the middle of nowhere. But the facilities are great. I love my dorm room. There are a few pubs in town that students hang out at.

If you hate potatoes, meat, or bread, there is nothing to eat here. It's hard for people do be vegetarian here, and I think all of the original vegans have gone vegetarian until they get back to the US. There is plenty of food to eat here, you just can't be picky.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Being in the castle with 80 other students is great. Being open-minded and friendly, you will make a lot of new great friends here. There are events going on every week, something for everyone to participate in: talent shows, comedy skits, sports night, capture the flag, dance performances. The students love to put on activities and shows. Going on travel excursions really brings the group together. We went to Amsterdam and Prague and they both were pretty great.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

We have a local doctor we can visit, and there's a hospital a few towns over. I didn't have any experiences with the healthcare though. But the school helps students make appointments.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I didn't learn any of the Dutch language. I did get to use some of my French while I was in Paris, but I did not get better at any of my foreign language skills.