Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Studying abroad: harder but also more worthwhile than expected Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/29/2016 to 12/16/2016 with

Trinity College - Dublin: Dublin - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I think it was worthwhile. I learned a lot about living on my own, gained a more global perspective, understood more about other cultures and immigration

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

disorganized

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Off-campus with other international students

* Food:

Responsible for my own food

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Not really mentioned, didn't have any health problems while abroad

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

Unsure. I didn't like Trinity as much as I expected, but I loved being in Dublin city centre

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? About $75 per week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Lidl is great and cheap

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? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

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

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Meeting Irish people
  • Meeting other international students
  • Being able to travel easily
* What could be improved?
  • Trinity Administration
  • Would prefer on-campus housing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It's going to be a lot harder than you expect, but you'll make it and be better for it

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Social Networks and Digital Lives
Course Department: Sociology
Instructor: Wodniak
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Professor was very knowledgable on course material, not very challenging class, assessed with one final paper
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Addiction: Cognition and the Brain
Course Department: Psychology
Instructor: O'Sullivan
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Didn't feel like we covered much information, course seemed very unorganized
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Race, Ethnicity, and Identity
Course Department: Sociology
Instructor: Moriarty
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Not very challenging, professor was very knowledgable, participated about the same amount
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Irish Language and Literature
Course Department: Irish
Instructor: De Paor
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Not challenging, very interesting. Learned a lot about the history of Ireland and Irish folklore. Professor was very knowledgable on the subject
Credit Transfer Issues: