The Philadelphia Center allowed me to grow as an individual and realize what I want my future to be. Past Review
By Mallory S (Sociology and Anthropology., DePauw University) for
Great Lakes Colleges Association: The Philadelphia Center Off-Campus Experience
I do not have enough good things to say about this program. I had the experience of a lifetime and I will never forget the people and experiences I had during my semester.
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes were a lot more laid back than on campus, but I think I learned a lot! The basis of the Philadelphia Center is experiential learning, and I think I learned more in one semester from their experiential learning than I ever thought possible. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The faculty and staff were amazing!!! They go out of their way to get to know everyone on a personal level and want everyone to succeed and get something out of their experience. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with 4 other students in the program. All of us were from different schools in the program and different areas. I lived with a girl from Hawaii, Washington D.C., and Michigan, and also lived with a boy from Vietnam. |
| * Food: |
Make sure to get food from the food carts because they are delicious, and also any local staples are always good. For Philadelphia these would definitely be cheesesteak, pretzels, water ice, crab fries, and probably some others I am blanking out on. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Through my program I was able to visit the Philadelphia Art Museum, Eastern State Penitentiary, one of the oldest churches, Peddlers Village, a Phillies Game, the Union League, Museums, and many more Philadelphia staples. On my own I was able to walk through Old City to see where some of the most historical events took place, and PIFA had their annual event when I was there. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Philadelphia is a big city with all different types of people. With that being said just be aware of your surroundings. I did not have any problems when I was there, but I know some people did. Simply make sure to not travel alone, and the best advice I received is to always look like you know where you are going because if you look like you are lost you are an easier target. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Each month I spent $86 on a transit pass to use the subway and buses whenever. I probably spent around $50 a week on food whether it was at the grocery store or eating out. I did not spend a lot of money on entertainment because through my internship I was able to see a lot of shows for free that I worked. Going out on the weekends I probably spent $30ish. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure to always have extra money for any unexpected event you might want to see, or if God forbid something goes wrong. It is easy to spend money on stuff you want but don't necessarily need so simply keep that in mind when you weigh what you would rather have looking back later. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I would recommend this program to people who may not believe they could live in a city because I thought that and it completely changed my outlook. I would also recommend this program to people who may be unsure of what they want to do in their future because the faculty and staff are so amazing and will help you figure out what a good track may be. The internship experience is great to give you an idea of what you might be interested in, and the faculty help challenge if the internship is what is best for your future. This is also a great program for people hoping to be more independent and looking for an opportunity to be in the real world with a little help. |
