I learned how to live on my own. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was as heavy or light as you wanted it to be, since you chose the majority of the readings. The grading system is slightly more rigorous, and performance is only assessed once or twice, rather than through continuous exams. Most of my classes were graded based on one paper (30-40%), seminar attendance/participation (10%) and a final exam (60%). The plus side to this was that I wasn't constantly stressed the entire semester. Instead, I could take it easy and travel and then just cram everything the night before. It also allows you to skip material you don't find interesting. The University also provided past examination questions for most of my finals (e.g. The past two years' essay prompts), which was extremely helpful in narrowing down what to study. The downside to this is that you don't really know what your grade is and if you do poorly on the essay, there's no chance to improve--you just have to do well on the final.

On-site administration of your program

The team at IFSA-Butler were extremely knowledgeable about any questions we had, from what classes would be like, to where we could buy a cheap mobile phone.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in an on-campus apartment in the Merville housing complex. There were four single rooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room. The rooms were adequate, with a desk, chair, and sort of a closet (shelves and a bar for hangers). We were provided with a pillow and duvet, but had to bring our own sheets. IFSA-Butler arranged housing for us. The apartment sometimes seemed dingy, as it was one of the older houses. The stovetop was disgusting, with stains around the burners. The sink leaked/dripped unless it was shut off VERY tightly. Couches in the common room were uncomfortable. However, it was useful that the apartment was so close to my classes and I didn't have to commute. We had to provide all of our own cookware.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I always felt very safe at UCD, and even in Dublin. On campus, the gates close by 10:)0 pm and you need an ID to enter, which made me feel very secure. Our houses were locked, as were our apartments, and even our individual rooms had their own locks.

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

Dublin is a very expensive city and costs add up quickly.

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• Dorm
• Apartment

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• Local Students
• Americans

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• The IFSA-Butler staff was extremely helpful
• The weekend trips we did (Northern Ireland & Killary Adventure Centre) were highlights of my trip.

• They could provide more information ahead of time about basic living things like cell phones and grocery stores.