Amazing Summer Spent in D.C.! Past Review
By Charles O (Real Estate and Finance, Florida State University) for
Study Away Programs and Internships in Washington D.C.
This gave me the career boost that I needed. It allowed me to transition smoothly from school into the "real" world.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | N/A |
| 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. |
This was a priceless experience that granted me real-world opportunities to apply the things I studied in school. I met an incredible amount of people who were genuinely interested in me and they all made a real effort to answer any questions or concern that I had. We also had weekly seminars that provided us with some advice on how to maximize the benefits of our internships and professional advice for the workplace. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff was incredibly supportive and made us all feel welcome. They knew the area perfectly and answered any questions we had about the city. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
There was no issue in getting housing as it was already arranged before we arrived. We lived in a dormitory-style apartment building, 2 students per room. While the location was fantastic, the building was built in the 1960s (like much of the city) and we did have some persistent internet problems. TV was reception was also rather poor. To be fair, I did not spend much time indoors as I traveled around the city and worked for the vast majority of the time. |
| * Food: |
The accommodations for food were good. We had a choice between a small cafe downstairs, subway sandwich shop, a Chinese food place and a Falafel place down the street. By the end of the summer, it did get a bit repetitive but fortunately there is a huge selection of fantastic restaurants throughout the city. The staff also made it a point to go as a group to different restaurants on Wednesdays. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
BEST PART OF THE PROGRAM! Everyone in the program was of a similar age and everyone had something in common. The trips we took were well planned and no problems arose. I made several friends that I keep in contact with to this day! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt safe throughout the entire program. As with any cities, there are bums that will come up to you and ask for money, but we lived in a part of town that was well-lit, active, and well-patrolled by the police. Safety was never an issue for me. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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Other Program Information
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* 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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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? | Step outside your comfort zone! |
