Past Review
By Megan C (International Business., University of Hawaii - Manoa) for
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology: Hong Kong - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I'm overall satisfied with my experience, and I am forever happy that I took this opportunity to go on exchange. There is a lot about other countries that I learned, and I couldn't have picked a better time to go. I learned a lot about the culture abroad, as well as our own culture in the eyes of others. As for academics, it opened my eyes, to realize I have a lot more I need to do, and I still need to figure out what I want to do.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The local students were very competitive, often putting other students down, almost in a criticizing manner. I understood this after learning only a select few make it to college.The professors come from all over, and the ones I had knew the content of the course material. I did think though that many of them were intelligent; however, didn't necessarily know how to transfer all the information from them to the students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I really enjoyed my dorm, because there were other exchange student in there as well, so I felt safe walking around at night. It was also located at the bottom of campus so I had a wonderful view of the ocean. The dorm didn't contain any amenities, so I had to bring everything. Also mold tended to grow everywhere. I asked for housing to help me clean it, and I was forced to clean it myself. Which I think was unsafe for me, because the mold was growing on the sealing. |
| * Food: |
I thought that the campus has a wonderful variety of foods. However, I had friends that were vegetarians, and it was often hard for them to find meals to eat. There were only a select few dishes that they were able to eat. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It is always a treasure to be able to experience another culture. As being a business student. The exchange school did a good job making the business students feel welcome. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Be aware that at this college, the doctors may not know what is wrong with you. They prescribe a lot of pills. Some of my friends got sick and the doctor prescribed them many medications. I think it would be a good idea to contact your own doctor if possible, if it's not a severe case. I felt safe through my program. I never felt like I was in danger, in Hong Kong, and the other countries I visited. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
The only thing that I found challenging, was that Mandarin Chinese was offered. In Hong Kong the majority speak Cantonese. So although the course was informing and presented valuable information. It did not sink in as well as I was hoping, because I only practiced the language in the classroom. Especially since I also found myself interacting with mostly exchange students. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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 do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I think this study abroad person would be good for a student majoring in marketing or management. For an international business student, it's good to see other countries, but as for class availability, it is limited. |
