Valuable Semester, Poor Program Choice Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The American University of Rome is more academically comparable to a middle school or a high school than a university. Most classes have nightly assignments that are due at the beginning of each class rather than just a midterm and a final, as is typical of many universities. Generally speaking, neither professors nor students are dedicated to classes. Many students take classes pass/fail and put very little effort into classes. I found nearly all of my work to be busy work versus intellectually stimulating material. Despite the level of work, grades are very harsh at AUR. There is certainly not the inflation that is typical of many universities in America - don't be fooled that this is an American university. I would not recommend coming to AUR if you care about learning or about your grades. The academic facilities are also extremely lacking. Technology in classrooms is very old and many chairs don't have a desk or table to write on. Professors also discourage students from using laptops, even for note taking. In student housing, there are not even desks, which is quite unheard of for university housing.

On-site administration of your program

Student Life was receptive to concerns and addressed them properly. Communications were provided prior to arrival in Rome and throughout the semester. My only major complaint was their response to a power outage that they could not control. Rather than canceling classes, they held them, despite the lack of lights, computer use, or functioning bathrooms. It's very hard to focus on classes when you have to go off campus to use the restroom.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

There is great variation in student housing. I lived far from the University, a 30-minute walk or anywhere from 25-45 minutes by public transportation. The housing had no heat or air conditioning, nor screens on the windows. There was no microwave or dryer, and the apartment felt very old. There were also 6 people sharing a pretty small space, though the room did have enough storage space. The kitchen facilities were not electric, and the refrigerator was very small. The water pressure and temperature were also very poor. The lighting in the bedrooms was terrible, as there was not even enough light to read at night. There were also not desks to do schoolwork on.

There are definitely great restaurants in Rome, but food is very expensive (even from the grocery store). While Italian food is great at first, I found options of other cuisines to be fairly limited. Dining takes a long time, as is typical in the Italian culture, and they charge for bread and water.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

In AUR's student housing, I lived with all American students, so I didn't feel integrated at all with the local culture. There is a pretty big divide between resident students and study abroad students at AUR.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I was not impressed with AUR's doctor, as he had no understanding of a very common medical condition and gave very little attention to me as a patient (answered lengthy phone call during our appointment). However, I was impressed by Student Life's response to the situation, and they made sure I got taken care of.

Living in Trastevere was one of my biggest complaints. I did not feel safe walking around. According to Wanted in Rome, violence is growing in the area: http://www.wantedinrome.com/news/2003048/growing-violence-in-trastevere.html There are a lot of people begging in the area and there's graffiti, broken glass bottles, trash, etc. all over.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Rome is very expensive as a city, especially if you opt for healthier foods rather than pizza and pasta. Travel adds lots of costs, too.

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• Apartment

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• Americans

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• location in Rome made it easy to travel
• many study abroad students to relate to
• URome programming

• student housing facilities
• technology on campus
• standard grading at AUR