Education was mediocre but the the traveling was amazing Past Review

By (Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/15/2017 to 04/28/2017 with

Boston University: Paris - Internship Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The experiences through traveling were amazing

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.

The courses material was mostly covered at Brandeis University already. The lectures lacked relevance to current issues and was hard to apply at times.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration was useless since they did not respond to emails, and when they did they were short and rude. When I was in Paris during an attempted stabbing at the Louve I sent them an email but never got a response which was extremely concerning. I personally was threatened that I would be kicked off the program if I had another unexcused absence (this was my first unexcused absence) even though on their syllabus it clearly states that an unexcused absence would result in a 4% grade deduction which I was prepared to take. Overall rude and unhelpful administration that needs serious modification.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The rooms were small yet equipped with a bathroom which was nice. However, the hot water constantly stopped working and I caught a cold in the process. The washer and dryer would also break down constantly and the administration was extremely slow in fixing them.

* Food:

I cooked most of my meal in the kitchen so I did not have many problems.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Since most of the students were from BU it was difficult at first was I was able to integrate into the BU friend groups.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Healthcare was easily accessibly since the building was next door

* Safety:

The building was secure

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

The administration was awful.

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)

5

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Do not eat out

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?
  • Traveling
  • Internship
* What could be improved?
  • Administration
  • Education
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That the administration was going to be difficult to deal with.

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.