Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

If you want to learn or improve your Mandarin and do it quickly, come to LTL Past Review

By (Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations., CUNY - Baruch College) - abroad from 09/15/2014 to 11/23/2014 with

LTL Mandarin School: Learn Chinese in China

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
One of the biggest gains from this experience was that I've become a lot more confident about using the language. No matter how much you study, unless you actually use it on a day to day basis, you can't improve - and by being at this school, it became very easy to practice and use the language in daily situations. It was very worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I've discovered LTL as I was researching for a Mandarin Language school in China to do an intensive 2-month study program at. In most major cities, there are lots of options to choose from, but LTL stood out from the rest. It seemed more professional, more organized and more focused on actually getting their students to start speaking the language. After communicating with them for a few weeks, I signed up for the program. At LTL, I ended up doing 2 months of 1-on-1 study with a couple of their teachers. It was a fantastic experience from start to finish. The teachers - Linda and Victor - were absolutely top notch. Not only they are professional and genuinely care about the student's progress, but they are also fantastic individuals and make the learning process interesting and enjoyable. The school is well-run and organized - and provides a good support system to those just arriving to China for the first time. If I return to Beijing, LTL would definitely be my top choice again. I highly recommend it.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* 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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About $200 per week

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

At the school, they definitely encourage all students to speak Mandarin as much as possible.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

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

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Teachers
* What could be improved?
  • Overall, everything was quite satisfactory
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I feel that I was adequately prepared for the program.

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'