Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Difficult, yet fun and completely worth it! Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/23/2019 to 07/12/2019 with

Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina: Buenos Aires - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was definitely worth while as I learned a lot about myself as a person and South America while getting to do some amazing traveling and improve my Spanish!

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.

Loved my classes and my professors they were nice, understanding and super helpful

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Loved my host family they were so nice and amazing!

* Food:

My host mom was a good and healthy cook!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Very integrated as I was forced to speak Spanish constantly and be in classes with Argentinians

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I only went to the hospital once but they were very nice and one of the programs directors actually took me there!

* Safety:

Buenos Aires is definitely not the safest place so I felt like I had to be constantly watching my bag and everything on me.

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

I think Buenos Aires was the perfect choice for me, as it was a big city and since I had already studied in Europe, I wanted to pick another location. I also love all the friends I made through my program!

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)

Very easily with the inflation of the peso everything was very cheap!

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $25

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

We were required to speak it always, even between each other.

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? 350 level
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Stick to the language pledge, it’s worth it!

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

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • People
  • City
  • Travel
* What could be improved?
  • Communication within the program
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Be patient because everything is not as efficient in South America.

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!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Psychology of the family & institutions
Course Department: Psychology
Instructor: Analía Losada
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: I really liked the course! It was helpful in that I learned a lot of psychology vocabulary and we did get to go and interview one of my professor’s patients at the institution she works for for a project. I think I participated in class the same i would here at home. We had a group project (that included a presentation and a paper) as well as a midterm and a final.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Forensic Justice Psychology
Course Department: Psychology
Instructor: María Elina Grecco
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: It was challenging but not too hard! I really enjoy red this class and professor as she came with prepared powerpoints and was available for help when I needed her. I think I participated in class the same amount as I would at home. We had a group project with a paper and a midterm and final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues: