Loved Berlin, less BCB August 30, 2026
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/20/2026 to 05/18/2026 with
Bard College: Berlin - Semester or year at Bard College Berlin
I loved Berlin deeply, and would return. I was able to travel in and out of the city and country so much. For about $5000 in the entire semester I ate out relatively often, took physical fitness classes 3-5x a week, traveled to 7 countries across Europe and Africa, and went out clubbing/partying at least 2-3x a month.
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. |
Classes were relatively enjoyable but rigor was lacking. I enjoyed my introductory German class and learned a lot, and my photozine arts class was very fun. Resources were lacking in terms of additional professor support (office hours, etc) |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
The current meal plan is abysmal - no fresh food except for at breakfast, prior frozen meal plan for lunch/dinner that is often displayed differently online vs. what you actually get. Pickup times are restricted and variety decreases as the semester continues. Poor options for anyone with dietary restrictions. |
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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) |
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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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 how little BCB students were willing to socialize and form connections with abroad students. BCB is a school where a large population is rotating, and thus the only people truly willing to socialize are incoming freshman during the Fall semester. Being abroad in the Spring means most people are likely to keep you at arms length because they know you’ll be leaving. |
