A growing up experience Past Review
By A student (Political Science and Government., Wellesley College) - abroad from 03/03/2014 to 06/27/2014 with
University of Sydney: Sydney - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I was able to learn how to live on my own and deal with paying rent, signing leases, and planning trips. While these are extremely valuable skills I wish had had more time to enjoy the experience and not worry so much about money while I was there.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
There were very few support services for incoming international students. Many of the information sessions were repetitive and did not provide sufficient information. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
There are virtually no dorms and the private student living companies that are similar to dorms are extremely expensive. The university has an office for housing but I did not find their services very useful. I ended up looking for a place online and because of the extremely high rent in Sydney, ended up in an unsatisfactory living situation |
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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: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
Sydney is one of the most expensive cities in the world. If you are on a budget, I would not at all recommend taking a semester in Australia. If you want to travel different places in Australia, be prepared to spend quite a bit of money on plane tickets, accommodations, and food. |
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
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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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? | I wish I had known more about the housing situation and how little campus life there is. Most local students are commuters so clubs and events are not very well attended making it difficult for international students to meet local students. The housing situation also makes it very difficult to meet other students so unless you can afford to live in one of the private residences, make sure you think seriously about living situation. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
