Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Equine Science in Scotland Past Review

By (Pre-Vet, University of Missouri - Columbia) - abroad from 05/24/2014 to 06/21/2014 with

Adelante: Edinburgh - Equine Summer Program in Scotland

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Defiantly worthwhile. I learned about how another culture lives even though it was not much of a difference between Scottish traditions and American culture.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Most of the topics covered were review for me as I took a lot of equine classes before had. I just wish the subjects were more in depth and challenged me more.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

When we made a small request to get access to watch the Belmont Stakes, the residential staff was extremely rude to us even though they said they would help us.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I ran into problems with my plumbing where it required fixing twice during my stay.

* Food:

I wish there was more of a variety because at lunch and dinner, they usually had French fries most of the time. I also wished they had some healthier options too

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The locals were extremely nice and helpful to us. However, some of the boys here on campus that were here the first week had no modesty. During the dance, they would flash us because they had no underwear on under their kilts. I understand that is a Scottish traditional but I do not need to know what I already know. These boys were extremely immature

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Luckily, I had no major health scares while I was here. But I knew that if I did get extremely sick, Oatridge College would take care of me by providing me a ride to the hospital.

* Safety:

I felt very safe when I was here on campus and in the cities we went to. I had contact information in case anything went wrong with my school back home and here in Scotland

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

I was on scholarship while I was here so it was nice to have that extra money because the exchange rate from US dollars to pounds is not that great. Still I did not go crazy on the shopping because I would then have trouble taking it back home on the plane with me. I also thought I could get most of the stuff I liked back home in the States for cheaper.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About £20 pounds each week. However, the school provided us with lunches and dinners each weekend so we could save money on food
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Save as much as you can before hand because you never know if you will spend money on emergency situations.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The teachers
  • Weekend outings
  • Big Billy
* What could be improved?
  • Time management
  • Manners of the boys who attend here
  • More notification if the schedule changes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I just wished that Adelante was more honest with what they were advertising.

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 Linguist
You 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:

Equine Fitness
Course Department:
Instructor: Gillian Turnbill
Instruction Language: English
Comments: I have never taken a class that was just learning how to get a horse fit. I have taken classes were we just scratch the surface of the topic. This class however we had to design two fitness programs that made me think of how to train a horse safely.
Credit Transfer Issues: I have not had any issues yet