Memorable and beautiful. Irreplaceable. Past Review
By A student (Texas A&M University - College Station) - abroad from 08/16/2016 to 12/13/2016 with
Qatar University: Doha - Exchange Program
It's weird to admit, but I became aware of the fact that "people are people" no matter where you go. Just because someone grew up across the world in a completely different environment doesn't make that person impossible to relate to or befriend. Cultures, religions, customs; they can differentiate people groups...but at the end of the day we're all humans and we all have that in commun. We all desire to be loved and have friendships and it's something truly beautiful. Without a doubt, it was worthwhile.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I took the same courses at Texas A&M Qatar that I would have taken at main campus in College Station. For my major the courses were much easier. The classroom size was much smaller and you were in all the same classes as other students. This made it easier to make friends and work on assignments along with asking the professor questions in and outside the classroom. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The female and male dorms where the exchange students are housed are on campus and walking distance (5-10 min) from all the campus buildings. There are also shuttles that take you to campus every 15 min if preferred. Also the dorms are furnished like luxury 5 star hotels and probably one of the nicest places I've stayed. |
| * Food: |
They have buffet for 25 rials (7$). They're okay but get old after a while. There's a la cart which is good as well. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
There's girls from all over the world staying in the female dorms and it's easy to get to meet them in the lobby and just walking around. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I had a great time getting to meet different people and experiencing a new culture. I had fun with the people I met and I learned a lot about myself. I realized studying abroad/traveling abroad isn't about the places you go really, the people and the experiences you have are what make it special. |
Finances
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* 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 spent on average $80-100/week on transport, food, going out and just daily expenditures. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Budget carefully and try not to spent too much all at one place. Pay attention and record what and how much you spend. Keep track of spending. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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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? | Don't be afraid to stay up late and take chances |
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! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Geology of Petroleum |
| Course Department: | GEOL |
| Instructor: | Mike Bowman |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This was the most challenging course I took in Qatar, but still didn't compete with the level of difficulty from main campus. Because I struggle with memorizing and reading material, this course was difficult for me. It's not problem solving as much as it is memorizing and grasping geology concepts and different rock properties from GEOL 104. The teacher is very knowledgeable and has a lot of experience in the field. He knows what he's talking about. Strict and doesn't tolerate tardiness and cheating. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Not at all, all tamuq credits are treated as tamu credits. They're not considered transfer. |
