Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

AMAZING travel and friendships! Not a great academic experience. Past Review

By (Psychology, Middlebury College) - abroad from 07/13/2015 to 11/02/2015 with

University of Waikato: Hamilton - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to travel, how to live on my own, and how to improvise. I feel like the experience helped me grow up a lot, while also being extremely liberating.

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 coursework was less rigorous than I was accustomed to, the resources available to students were limited, and the faculty/staff was reluctant to help me in my time of academic need.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

There were some cockroaches, but other than that it was pretty nice.

* Food:

I cooked for myself.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt rather integrated, but my integration was mainly prompted by joining a local frisbee team that was unaffiliated with the university.

* 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? No

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? $200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Alcohol is crazy expensive in New Zealand.

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

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • 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?
  • traveling on the weekends and breaks
  • meeting locals on the frisbee team I joined
  • meeting other international travelers
* What could be improved?
  • the university as a whole
  • the orientation and welcome for international students could have been a lot stronger
  • the academic support system for international students was quite poor
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The public transportation in New Zealand is pretty poor. I bought a car with some friends and we were all unbelievably happy that we did in retrospect.

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:

Community, Culture, and Diversity: Applied Social Psychology
Course Department: Psychology
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: The course was more of a Maori and women's rights class than a psychology class. The grading system seemed inconsistent and unfair, and the professors were reluctant to discuss controversy over coursework.
Credit Transfer Issues: