Excellent Program Past Review
By A student (Marine Science, University of Maine at Orono) - abroad from 09/23/2013 to 06/06/2014 with
Bangor University: Wales - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
My experience was very empowering. I did a lot of independent travel to many countries. My abilities to budget my money, school commitments, and travel time improved greatly. I learned a lot about the culture of the UK and Ireland. I would definitely say it was worthwhile.
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. |
The courses required more independent motivation and outside research than the ones at home. However there were resources available at Bangor that there isn't at UMaine, such as a research vessel. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was housed in an apartment with 7 other people. I was extraordinarily lucky that all my housemates and I got along. Our situation was unusual, and most people I knew had a problem with at least one housemate. However if I had decided to try to find housing once I arrived, then I would have had nowhere to live at all, as all the rental options are taken by December of the previous year. |
* Food: |
There were no dining facilities, so I made my own food. There was a kitchen in the flat. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
There were plenty of interesting societies to join, with a lot of opportunities for social interactions. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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* Safety: |
For campus housing, there was security. However there were a couple incidents of attacks on students while I was here. One happened because of the gay marriage legislation that passed while I was here, and some locals burned a gay bar. The other was a student who was unstable attacked another student with a knife. No one was seriously injured in either incident, but they could have been. Despite these incidents, I felt very safe on campus, and these were the only incidents I heard of all year. |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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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? | I wrote out how much money I had to spend each week before I went. Once I was in Bangor, I would budget my expenses for every week, including what I needed and wanted. I would buy what I needed first and if I had leftover money, then buy what I wanted. I made sure to budget more for my first week, as I needed more supplies, like dishes and sheets that were one-time purchases. |
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 |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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? |
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* What could be improved? |
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* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | How difficult it would be to enroll in classes for the semester after my study abroad. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
Individual Course Reviews
Course Name/Rating: |
Prince Madog Cruise |
Course Department: | Ocean Science |
Instructor: | Various |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | The class was very interesting and provided a chance to do field research, analyze the results, and do a report. It was an example of what a research position in the field of Marine Science would be like. We didn't get to pick the topic, but there were both biological and oceanographic aspects to the project. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | I had no issues. |