Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Very fun and I miss it so much! Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 07/01/2020 to 11/10/2020 with

University of Otago, New Zealand: Study Abroad Programme

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Independence, how to stay calm and how to spend time alone. Completely worth it.

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.

Hardly any homework, nobody studied until the exams.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

(I cooked for myself)

* 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

I love New Zealand and I loved being outside all the time.

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? 180 (including money spent on trips)
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? cook for yourself! don't eat out

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

  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
* 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • How the beautiful the country is
  • The people in New Zealand
  • Living in a house with friends
* What could be improved?
  • Classes are too easy/not enough work
  • Direct enrollment can be lonely for some
  • First week was a little confusing (not that many planned events)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? You need a car to see the country!

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:

Database Science
Course Department: Computer Science
Instructor: Haibo Zhang
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Many students did not go to class, the exam was difficult and not related to what we did in labs.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Maori Society
Course Department: Maori Studies
Instructor: Erica Newman
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Not challenging. Lots of memorization and not a lot of analysis.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Contemporary American Literature
Course Department: English
Instructor: Rochelle Simmons
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Great reading list, great essays, great instructor
Credit Transfer Issues: no
Course Name/Rating:

Reading Minds
Course Department: English
Instructor: Simone Drichel
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Good reading list and assignments, but often psychology not backed by science was discussed.
Credit Transfer Issues: no