Worth it Past Review

By A student (Economics., Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/23/2013 to 07/06/2014 with

Tsinghua University: Beijing - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

Yes, First of all, I learn a great deal of new stuff academically. I took many course that I could not take in my home college. Secondly, the culture experience was adventurous, the food, people, professor all very different from the US. I would say it was definitely worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
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?	Around $200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	The live cost at school and the neighborhood is relatively cheap compare to the US. So I think students would rarely have money problems.

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	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	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?	10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	People I met Courses Culture experience
* What could be improved?	Local interaction Accommodation
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wanted to see and experience the most prestigious university in China, and compare the different teaching style and material on my major. After this year abroad I got what I went for.

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 Outright Urbanite A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Political Economy
Course Department:	Economics
Instructor:	Zhen Liu
Instruction Language:	Chinese
Comments:	One special point about this class is I would never had a chance to have an economics class like this in the US. This class focus on the basic principle of Marxism, and its a required course for economics majored students. In addition to the basic theories, the professor used sufficient data and graphs to illustrate to current and historical economic issues in China. I was assessed by a very sophisticated research paper.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Introduction to Sociology
Course Department:	Sociology
Instructor:	Jin Jun
Instruction Language:	Chinese
Comments:	This course was the most interesting course I took in the 2013-autumn semester. The professor used profound examples to explain plain and boring theories on sociology. I also had a chance to use the tools I learn from this class to analysis some social issues raised in China, for example Environmental issues, Media censorship, and Urbanization problems. I was assessed by one class presentation, one final paper and one final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	An Introduction to International Political Economcis
Course Department:	Economics
Instructor:	Mei Kuang
Instruction Language:	Chinese
Comments:	This course introduced the basic theories of international political economics. In addition, it focus on real world applications like TPP and TTIP, the international trade agreements between countries and areas. As this is a small class so I participate in class discussion more often than I would in my home institution. I was assessed based on one class presentation, one midterm paper, and one final paper
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Financial Institution
Course Department:	Economics
Instructor:	Jiaren Pang
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course covered an introduction to all the financial institutions, like investment banks, banks, and talked about the use of interest rate and overnight rate etc.. The professor was knowledgeable and well-prepared. The course was a big class so I did not participated as much as I would in my home university. I was assessed by a final exam, four homeworks, on class presentation and one midterm paper.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	China and the World: legal Traditions
Course Department:	Economics
Instructor:	Xiaoru Li
Instruction Language:	Chinese
Comments:	This course was quite challenging to me because I never had any encounter with any material related to law and legal. However, the professor, who graduated from Columbia law school, and currently practicing in China, offered me a great insight of how the current legal system was formed. The professor covered different systems from ancient Greece to modern China. It also compared systems between China and the US. He also used many concrete examples and invited guess speakers to the class. The class was a lecture based course but I had my chances to ask questions and interact with the professor during his office hours. I was assessed by a midterm paper and a final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Creativity and Fallacies in the Media
Course Department:	Film
Instructor:	Zaixin Zhang
Instruction Language:	Chinese
Comments:	I was assessed by several homework portfolio one final exam and one group project. This course challenged my logic thinking skill. The professor introduced many terms that used in the media, film, advertisements etc.. The professor used his own book, and did a really good job in preparing the class. I participated in class as much as I participated at Middlebury. Overall I think this class was fun and interesting; it expand my logic thinking skill, and I learned something that I never could learn in my Major area.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Eternal Arts
Course Department:	Arts
Instructor:	Ying Xiao
Instruction Language:	Chinese
Comments:	There were a lot of material in this course. The professor went from prehistoric to Modern; compared China and Western arts; went through calligraphy to paintings, from architecture to sculpture. The professor was well-prepared. I did not get to participated much in this class because this class had around 300 students. But I was able to discuss the course material during smaller discussion classes. I was assessed by a final paper and my performance in discussion classes.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Movie and Politics
Course Department:	Politics
Instructor:	Xiaohong Yu
Instruction Language:	Chinese
Comments:	This course uses half of the class time introducing the basic political theories, and the other half watching a political related movie. The professor was well-prepared for this course, the readings were very helpful understanding the course materials. I led one class discuss session, and it was very successful. I was assessed by a movie critique paper and one final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	The history and culture of university
Course Department:	General course
Instructor:	Fengshan Bai
Instruction Language:	Chinese
Comments:	One of the major purpose of my study abroad experience is to find the difference between university in China and the US. This class was a single credit class, but it offered me a very comprehensive view on the development of university, from Germany to US. Also the history of Chinese Universities. The professor introduced different educational systems. Also used profound views of past principals, leaders and professors to support his standpoint. The professor was well-prepared and very logical. Although the class was big, but I get to participate a lot in the discussion sessions. I was assessed by my performance in discussion sessions, one final paper and one final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	China and the World: Evolution of Institutions
Course Department:	Economics
Instructor:	Chenggang Xu
Instruction Language:	Chinese
Comments:	This course was very challenging, yet I gained a lot of insights from it. The course analysed the relationship between institution and economics development. Following the question of "why the UK had industrial revolution but not any other ones?" The professor used more than enough evidence supported his argument. During the lectures the professor had a very intense schedule, but I had chances to ask questions after classes. I was assessed by a very comprehensive final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Psychology and live
Course Department:	Psychology
Instructor:	Kaiping Peng
Instruction Language:	Chinese
Comments:	The professor used the most interesting and humor way going through the dry theories of psychology. His class combined basic theories, live examples and empirical studies. I participated in many psychology experiments. I was assessed by a midterm project and a final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Environmental and Resource Economics
Course Department:	Economics
Instructor:	Cao Jin
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The course covered a great deal of materials. The professor was very knowledgeable and well-prepared. I participated in class more than I would have in my home institution. I was assessed by four problem sets, one class presentation, one midterm and a final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Public Speaking
Course Department:	Journalism
Instructor:	Fan Hong
Instruction Language:	Chinese
Comments:	The most challenging part of this course is I have to speak to the class randomly and give commons logically. The professor is a very experienced public speaker, she taught me a lot of technic in public speaking, which will be useful in my future interviews and presentations. I was assessed by my class performance, one class presentation, one final paper and one final presentation.
Credit Transfer Issues: