A Generally Positive Experience that I Won't Soon Forget Past Review

By David P (English Literature (British and Commonwealth)., Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/09/2013 to 12/20/2013 with

University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

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

To be honest, the cultural aspect was not as great as I thought -- Scots really aren't all that different from Americans. I did gain a more international outlook though, and some independent-living skills.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The academic aspect was adequate, but not fantastic. Classes (I took three) were a mix of lecture and tutorial (seminar) meetings. The experience was fairly impersonal and many of the local students didn't do the work, making for awkward tutorial hours dominated by visiting Americans.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	I didn't interact with them, but I'm marking them down a star because it's January 20th and my grades aren't up yet.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	This was a downside. I lived in the IQ Fountainbridge, which was very nice but quite far from most of the student hubs (25 minutes to George Square). It seems like the stuck most of the visiting students here, which was pretty isolating.
* Food:	It's not Italy, but the food in Scotland is actually not bad. Edinburgh is full of cool pubs and restaurants. I cooked almost every meal for myself, which was great because it can get very expensive if you eat out frequently
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Edinburgh Uni is very internationally diverse, and people were generally happy to interact with me. My best advice is to join a society (club); that was how I met most of my UK friends, and I otherwise would have been hanging out with mainly Americans.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	Edinburgh is very safe. That was a definite plus.
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)	If you cook your own food, you will be fine. If you eat out a lot, you might run out of money fairly quickly. Dinner can run you 15-20 pounds, and a night out at the pub can be easily 25-30, so you just have to be careful about the choices you make. The exchange rate is not your friend.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	~100 pounds

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Access to Edinburgh -- awesome city Easy to travel Access to outdoor activities
* What could be improved?	Host Uni's academic program is not rigorous Housing was awkward and isolating
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	When choosing housing, location is everything

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:	Scottish Literature II
Course Department:	English
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments:	This was a bright spot. Lots of reading, but very interesting. If you take it, you'll leave with a great understanding of Scotland's rich literary tradition.
Credit Transfer Issues: