Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An enjoyable break Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/21/2019 to 01/23/2020 with

University of Nottingham: Nottingham - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot from my classes, but most importantly it gave me the opportunity to travel and experience a different culture, and have a more fun social life.

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.

My classes were for the most time interesting, not too challenging. The break before exams made finals a lot less stressful then at midd.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The university's administration is not the easiest to communicate with, but eventually any issues I had were resolved

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Very satisfied, my room was huge, it included a sink and a fridge as well as a lot of closet space.

* Food:

The dining hall food was really bad - many times there were no healthy options and the quality was really low - also you aren't allowed to serve yourself and sometimes the portions they gave out were too small. They seemed to have improved it a little after winter break, however.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Fairly integrated, partly because I had an idea of the culture from my siblings who both study in the UK

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Excellent. I got strep throat while there and booking an appointment with the health center was the easiest thing.

* Safety:

Overall in my experience I would say it is safe but there was recently a murder in the city center and apparently Nottingham is known for many gun related crimes.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

This program was a much needed break from the often stressful environment and academic rigor at Midd, but it is not like there is something extraordinary about this specific program. (I chose this one specifically because it was the best option financially.)

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)

Fairly easily, only money I had to spend was for eating out and nights out, and when using the tram to go to the city center.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Around $15 (dining was included in my exchange deal)
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Not come to mind

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
  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Other
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?
  • The independence
  • The access to the city
  • The social events
* What could be improved?
  • Administration
  • Food/dining services
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nothing comes to mind, I think I had been informed of everything I should expect before starting.

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:

Physiology of Electrically Excitable Tissue

Course Department: Biosciences
Instructor: John Harris
Instruction Language: English
Comments: As I MBB major with no neuroscience background, this class was challenging, but not too challenging. The professor was excellent. Participation is not really a thing in the classroom, as lectures are recorded, so I definitely participate more at Middlebury. We were assessed with weekly homework sets, exams and lab work.
Credit Transfer Issues: No