Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Sun, beach, crocodiles and some classes. Past Review

By (Architecture., Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/20/2014 to 07/23/2014 with

University of Sydney: Sydney - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was mostly worthwhile for the incredible experiences I had, and the people I met. Sydney is an amazing place, it would be hard to be bored there. The classes at USYD were, of course, comparatively dull, but not bad nonetheless (some great professors).

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? 100$
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan ahead! Share food with others- plan meals with friends? much easier to organize and there are ALWAYS leftovers! Pancakes/Crepes are easy, so it oatmeal. Don't skimp on fruit/vegetable.

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

  • 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Freedom
  • Large School
  • Friendliness of Staff and Students
* What could be improved?
  • More advice on housing pre-departure
  • Class sizes
  • International Orientation?
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How EASY it is to find housing through online tools- via facebook or gumtree. I ended up living in an overpriced building full of other international students. Friendly, but not what I was looking 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 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:

GEOS1001
Course Department: Geography
Instructor: Jo Gillespie
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Interesting, not very challenging in terms of content-- the most challenging part was keeping up with the assignment and finding academic resources outside of the assigned reading.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Biomimicry in Practice
Course Department: Interdisciplinary
Instructor: Jane Gavan
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very interesting, have never had a class that combined so many disciplines before (art, biology, chemistry, philosophy, architecture, literature). Professor Gavan was a little disorganized at times (understandably, given the classes's nature).
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Architecture & Society
Course Department: Architecture
Instructor: Simon Weir
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Fascinating topic, but the lectures were very dry. The assignments were not numerous, hence their individual weight in our final grade. Readings were arduous, but helpful to the material covered in class.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Sport in Australian Culture
Course Department: American Studies?
Instructor: Steve Georgakis
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Not challenging, but very fun. Instructor was patient with his students, very friendly, but not the most dedicated (I must point out that he fell asleep on two occasions, during student-led presentations).
Credit Transfer Issues: