Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The most academically distracting and yet life-enriching experience. Past Review

By (Music., Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/28/2013 to 05/16/2013 with

University of Nottingham: Nottingham - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Being in Nottingham taught me to search for self-motivation, persistence, getting things done with little or no help from the university. Most importantly, I have established a social life outside of the university. I met fantastic people though my job and now I think I'm somewhat ready to leave Middlebury, knowing that I can manage real life.

Review Photos

Direct Enrollment: Nottingham - University of Nottingham Photo Direct Enrollment: Nottingham - University of Nottingham Photo Direct Enrollment: Nottingham - University of Nottingham Photo Direct Enrollment: Nottingham - University of Nottingham Photo

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)

Being abroad one definitely tries to take advantage of being in a new place. Going to concerts, events, traveling around, etc required a budget of at least $100/week

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Use giff-gaff for your mobile service provider, meet more locals (as opposed to just university students), take buses, not taxis (even late at night), before coming to Europe - apply for an International Student Identity Card (ISIC)

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? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* 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? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Location
  • Academics
  • People
* What could be improved?
  • I personally struggled living with the freshers
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Perhaps how expensive living in the UK would be. I would have started saving up long before going.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Musical Modernism in Britain
Course Department: Music
Instructor: Joanna Bullivant
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very interesting, area-specific course. The professor displayed in-depth knowledge, as well as incredible passion for the subject. I think I contributed to the in-class discussions more or less similarly as I normally do at Middlebury. In this class I had an exam and a final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Composition
Course Department: Music
Instructor: Mervyn Cooke
Instruction Language: English
Comments: We had very little class time, and very little tutorial time. Most work was done completely independently. We composed a 2-minute-long piece for a string quartet, that was later workshopped and performed by the Galitzin String Quartet from London. It was a wonderful experience. The other piece, a 5-minute-long composition for a small ensemble wasn't supervised too well either, which I somewhat struggled with.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Introduction to Aesthetics and Philosophy of Music
Course Department: Music
Instructor: Nannete Nielsen
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Fantastic course that challenged me in many ways. The professor was phenomenal. I did contribute more than I would expect myself to in a philosophy class. In this course I was assessed based on a written exam and a final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues: