Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Past Review

By (Math, SUNY - Binghamton) for

SUNY Binghamton: Edinburgh - Exchange & Study Abroad Program at University of Edinburgh

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It has been the greatest 5 months of my life. I have only ups, no downs, to rave about. It has also solidified the fact that I can do anything I set my mind to.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks
The term and year this program took place: Spring 2010

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I felt the academics were outstanding and on a higher level than Binghamton and that this raised my academic performance to that higher level and improved me as a student.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

There was a 1.5 day crash course orientation that took place the weekend before classes started. Other than that they seemed very helpful> however, I never really needed to contact them.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My apartment is supplied by the university it is very nice and I have no complaints. Self-catered accommodation is the way to go. 38 South Clerk St EH8 9PS, Edinburgh this is in the neighborhood of Newington in Old Town. Its in the perfect location for everything. <br /><br /> It was great! Truly no complaints.

* Food:

I cooked it, so the quality depended on my effort that night

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I love being a student in Edinburgh! It is such an involved place, and its easy to get involved.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I was covered by NHS, which answers all health related questions. I always was safe.

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? Not a lot because I cooked for myself 5-6 nights a week, and every breakfast/lunch. Sorry I cant be more specific.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Dont be stupid with your money. That's about all.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Go. You will fall in love with the city like everyone else. The sun never rises in the winter or sets in the summer, so be prepared for a drastic change in the hours of daylight. You have to be a serious student to go to uni in Edinburgh. Dont worry, you will have a lot of fun, this school is NOT an "all work and no play" environment.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Discrete Mathematics (Year 3)
Course Department: School of Mathematics; U01607
Instructor: Chris Smyth
Instruction Language: English
Comments: A very interesting course. This course covered counting and graph theory, the latter being my favorite part of the course. The difficulty of the (very) few problem sets seemed the same as prior work I've done. Our lecturer was well prepared and all around great.
Credit Transfer Issues: N/A
Course Name/Rating:

Numbers and Rings

Course Department: School of Mathematics; U01632
Instructor: Mark Grant
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was my favorite course. This course covered ring theory. There were no problem sets, making it impossible to determine the difficulty of the course. Our lecturer was well prepared, enthusiastic and all around great.
Credit Transfer Issues: N/A
Course Name/Rating:

Archaeology of Scotland 1B
Course Department: School of History, Classics and Archaeology; AR0057
Instructor: several
Instruction Language: English
Comments: I am not a humanities person, but in order to reach the necessary number of credits, had to take humanities courses. It was the most boring class I've ever taken. The grading was highly subjective based on who your TA (tutor) was. The lecturers were well prepared but my TA was useless.
Credit Transfer Issues: N/A
Course Name/Rating:

History of Art 1B
Course Department: School of Arts, Culture, and Environment; U04707
Instructor: several
Instruction Language: English
Comments: I am not a humanities person, but in order to reach the necessary number of credits, had to take humanities courses. Not my cup of tea, but the lecturers were highly knowledgeable and the discussion groups (tutorials)were both informative and helpful.
Credit Transfer Issues: N/A