I miss Amsterdam already Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The Dutch system is very different from the US system. There's more focus on individual work (and in music on individual practice). Homework for classes that give it isn't graded and your entire grade is based on one or two projects. They use a 10 point system for grading, but a 10 or even a 9 is extremely rare and an 8 is considered really good. My classes were smaller and I got more personal attention from teachers. I think teachers also had a lot more freedom about what to teach every class, based on the classes progress.

On-site administration of your program

The IES staff was very helpful and friendly. The program is very organized and they were able to answer any questions I had. The CvA (Conservatorium van Amsterdam) administration was less organized and less helpful, but after the first two weeks it didn't really affect me at all. Signing up for classes was a bit stressful because we didn't get a list of classes until halfway through orientation week, and then only had a few days to pick out classes. It also took them a long time to get us our student IDs, without which we couldn't enter certain rooms in the building, print or make copies, or receive a discount at the CvA's cafe.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had a single room in the building where the majority of the IES students, and some other international students were housed. The room was quite large and had a bathroom and a kitchenette. It was very conveniently located in a quiet neighborhood close to the city center and my classes. It was also very close to a tram stop, a bus stop, an outdoor market, and several supermarkets.

Eating out is quite expensive in Amsterdam and I only did it a few times. Groceries, especially at the markets, were very affordable so I mostly cooked my own food.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

IES organized a bunch of field trips. We went to Zaanse Schans (a really nice village with a bunch of windmills), Texel (the largest of the West Frisian Islands), Pampus (an island fort) and Muiderslot (a castle), and the Hoge Veluwe National Park and Kröller-Müller museum. They also organized two dinners and got us tickets to a soccer game and a concert at the concertgebouw. I also did some sightseeing on my own, just within Holland. There are many museums in Amsterdam and we each got a museumkaart from IES that got us in free or at a discount to most of them. I went to concerts almost every week because they have a discount for people under 30 that made them very affordable. The huge amount of world-class performances within a 20 minute bike ride from where I lived was really the best thing about this program.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I felt very safe in Amsterdam, even walking alone at night. Because everyone bikes everywhere, some people did have bike accidents, but I didn't here about anything very serious. I didn't need any vaccines that I hadn't already gotten for college. IES has required health insurance and a doctor that they send all their students to when needed.

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

Most people spoke English, and knowing Dutch was not necessary in most situations, but I chose to speak Dutch whenever I could.

Select all that apply

• Apartment

Select all that apply

• Americans

• Amsterdam
• The number and close proximity of world class (musical) performances
• The IES Amsterdam staff's helpfulness and organization

• Conservatory classes (with descriptions) should be made available much earlier
• More access to actual Dutch people (in housing, classes) to help learn the language