Seoul Searching: Recommended Past Review
By Jessica L (Finance/International Business, University of Hawaii - Manoa) for
Yonsei University: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Because I took classes with Korean and International students, I was exposed to various perspectives and I was able to see the positive and negative aspects of multiple cultures. My experience helped encourage me to pursue a career abroad because I saw just how much we seek to learn from each other and sharing cultures.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Course material was generally more challenging but teachers tended to grade on a curve and grade easier if the courses were taught in English. There was also an emphasis on group projects which made scheduling group meetings towards the end of the semester fairly hectic. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The orientation for students traveling abroad was fairy brief. There was little detail about our individual countries but I found that there was not much that I needed to know beforehand. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The dorms were newly built and my room was clean. We also had individual bathrooms and a common room for each floor that included a refrigerator, computer, water filter, stove and television. The staff was generally friendly ad easy to deal with. |
| * Food: |
There are various cafeterias on campus that offer very affordable meals. A little ways away from campus in Shinchon and Edae are some of the best restaurants, offering everything from Italian to Indian to traditional Korean. A few bus stops away is my favorite district, Hongdae where you can find the best cafes and dessert shops. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Korea is rich in traditional culture and there are always sights and events for those who are interested. You can visit palaces and watch the changing of the guard as well as travel outside of Seoul to more historic areas. What I enjoyed most was just walking around the city, there are so many places to shop, eat, karaoke, drink, and club, Enough to last you the entire night and then some. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I always felt relatively safe, even at night because there were always people out and about. I caught a cold a few times while I was there, but nothing too serious. Korean medicine doesn't really do much for me, so I would recommend packing whatever medication you'll need before you leave. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
The university provided many opportunities to speak Korean: language partners, various clubs, and interaction with the native students. They also offered Korean classes which most students took. The main obstacle to acquiring and practicing the language was the fact that all the international students were housed in the same dorm, where we usually spoke English to each other. |
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?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Studying abroad in Korea will not only be academically challenging, but rich in cultural experiences (both traditional and modern.) You can watch a traditional dance performance and hit the hottest clubs in the same day. You'll always have something to do, the trick is balancing your time between school fun (which isn't very hard when the fun is walking distance from school.) It will be a rewarding experience, especially if you go out of your way to make friends with Korean and International students alike. |
