Winter in Montreal Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/07/2016 to 04/30/2016 with
McGill University: Montreal - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I got to be a part of a different part of the world. I improved my French. I really became more independent and confident in my ability to travel and navigate the world.
Personal Information
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
McGill often seemed not to realize that I was an exchange student. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was living off campus, so McGill didn't have any direct involvement. However, their rooms for rent listing site was very helpful in finding a place to live. |
* Food: |
Food on campus was somewhat limited. I did pretty much all of my own cooking, and was able to find reasonably priced groceries. There were also some good, cheap restaurants near the downtown campus. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I'm not really sure what my health care was, honestly. I had travelers' insurance from my home university, and I'm not sure if I had any coverage from McGill. However, I received an email from McGill telling me that I had insurance for the upcoming fall semester, when I will not be at McGill. |
* Safety: |
I never had any incidents, and I felt fairly comfortable walking around the city alone between ten and midnight. |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I loved spending time getting to know the city of Montreal. I loved the city's restaurants and unique shops. I had a great time at street festivals and visiting museums and historic monuments. I was living in a really vibrant neighborhood. |
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 was able to spend only half of the money that had been budgeted for my expenses, and therefore was able to afford museum visits and theater tickets and such. |
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $60 |
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy a discounted students' monthly subway and bus (OPUS) card. |
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 |
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How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | French 221 |
How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Perhaps live with French speakers; listen to French radio and television. |
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 |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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? |
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* What could be improved? |
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* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I had had a better understanding of McGill's grading policy. I wish I had known how much English is spoken in Montreal. |
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 LinguistYou 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! |