Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Da togliere il fiato Past Review

By (Economics., Georgetown University) - abroad from 01/09/2012 to 07/09/2014 with

IES Abroad: Milan - Study Abroad With IES Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was probably the best choice I have made to date.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I took courses at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administrators were very helpful and always willing to answer questions

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in a dorm with a hundred other Italian students. It was incredible! I got my own room, bathroom, and we even had a cleaning service!

* Food:

The food was not the greatest so I ate out quite a bit.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I'm more Italian than I am American!

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

I didn't have too many problems, mostly because my food was included in my room and board. It is expensive to go out in Milan and to go shopping.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

I took my classes entirely in Italian.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Advanced
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? ITAL 397
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Friends
  • Location
  • Internship opportunities
* What could be improved?
  • A little bit more assistance could be given to students that don't study at the center
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known how to navigate the Italian university system a little bit better. It was confusing!

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!