Past Review
By Emil T (International Relations and Affairs., The College of William and Mary) for
Yonsei University: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
This study abroad experience was definitely one of the most, if not the most, memorable experience of my life. I have made numerous friends spanning the globe. Not only did I learn a lot about Korean and other cultures, I saw the role and impact American culture has on the rest of the world. There is no doubt in my mind that I will go back to Korea again at some point in the future.
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Fall 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The teaching style is more or less the same as in my home university. Professor lectures using slides and blackboard and answers students' questions. Testing is a little different since there are only two exams during the semester, one midterm and the final. The midterm is initially weighed the same as a final and more or less treated as one (during midterm week there are no regular classes scheduled). This puts more pressure on midterms since it is not spread out into 2 or 3 exams in the semester. The advantage I found is that this makes the final non-cumulative and usually just pertains to the latter half of the course. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I personally had no real problem with the administrators, but I do know many students that had difficulty in dealing with them. It mostly pertained to class registration, and there were quite a few students that had trouble getting ANY classes. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The International House is in a great location. It's located on campus and most classes taken by international students is in the building next door. As for me, the classes I signed up for were about a 7 min. walk from the dorm. In terms of nightlife, the location could not get much better. A 15-20 min. walk from the dorm and you will be surrounded by restaurants and bars. The next subway station over is Hongdae which is very famous for its art and music scene and also dance clubs. Needless to say, many students take advantage of the I-House's great location. |
| * Food: |
Food is amazing; it's both delicious and cheap. To be honest, I admit that it took some time to get used to spicy food, but after that, I was hooked. Most of the academic buildings have a cafeteria within them, and meals would cost around $3-$4. If you get tired of the school food, Yonsei is surrounded by countless restaurants. There are plenty of varieties as well (vegan, fast-food, Western, Indian, etc.) My favorite was the all-you-can-eat Korean barbecues which will set you back a mere $6-$7. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Seoul is a very safe place. Of course, I did spot the occasional drunk on the street, but there wasn't really any point where I felt threatened or unsafe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The way I kept track of my spending was to withdraw around $90 a week. This way I'd have a limited amount to spend, and it's easier to keep track of how much I spend. When I needed more money, I used Western Union to wire money to me. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I primarily used English since all the international students knew it and most of the local students are proficient speakers. Korean was mostly used when interacting with locals, usually when in a restaurant or shopping. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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