Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Did not live up to my expectations January 05, 2025

By (Womens studies, Brandeis University) - abroad from 09/30/2024 to 12/20/2024 with

Arcadia: Dublin - University College Dublin

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I am not sure yet.

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.

I found the work not very challenging but the grading extremely harsh and I found it very stressful to be taking six classes at one time.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Very clear, communicative, well-informed, and kind.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I hardly saw any of my five other roommates and it was very disappointing. I wish I could have lived with Irish students or at least other international students and not just other Americans. I did not feel as immersed in Irish culture as I had hoped.

* Food:

I was disappointed that a meal plan was not included.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I found Irish students hard to get to know, it seemed like everyone was already satisfied with their social life and were not interested in meeting more people.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had to get physical therapy while I was there and though it was good I found having to fill out an unnecessarily long and complicated claim every session was annoying.

* Safety:

I felt very safe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I felt pretty isolated and the academic load to be very stressful.

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)

Food was inexpensive compared to the states and public transportation was cheap and very helpful.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100 euros
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I went on lots of hikes using my Leap card and so saved a lot of money doing that. Dublin also has a lot of free museums.

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

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Irelands public transportation
  • My own room and bathroom
  • My Social Theory and Social Media course
* What could be improved?
  • Living with non-Americans
  • Not taking six classes (very overwhelming)
  • Meal plan
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Already stated on previous page

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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.