Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A great time! Past Review

By (Brandeis University) - abroad from 02/29/2016 to 06/29/2016 with

Arcadia: Auckland - University of Auckland

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was definitely worthwhile. I gained an appreciation for other cultures, and due to not having the same responsibilities that you have at home, I was really able to learn about what was important to me and my priorities.

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.

Academic rigor depends on the classes you choose to take, and while the weekly work load is not as much as at home, the tests and papers are worth much more and graded much more harshly. I found that you can find the syllabus for most classes online before you pick to get a better idea

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The best!!!!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Carlaw Park Student village is a very new facility with beautiful kitchens and lounges - and the best friend I made on my trip was my kiwi flatmate!!

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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

Kate, Jane, and our student guide Georgia from Arcadia were so supportive and helpful, you could text them with any question any time and theyd be there to help! Also the activities included were great!

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)

This really depends on what you do - food is not very expensive if you are do a good job grocery shopping. Some trips can be pretty pricey especially the adventure activities, but not too bad at all!

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

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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 support system!
  • The planned actives - Specifically the surfing weekend and the all blacks rugby game.
  • Orientation and how helpful they were in organizing housing and things like that
* What could be improved?
  • Better information about which housing to choose on website
  • Nothing else!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That you don't find out the finals schedule until more than half way through the semester so it is difficult to make summer plans

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 Adventurer
The 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.