Math, Math, Math Past Review
By Rebecca G (Math, Computer Science, Wellesley College) for
BSM: Budapest - Budapest Semesters in Mathematics
I really enjoyed my stay in Hungary. While I probably will not continue on in math, I gained a lot of valuable mathematical insights from the classes. More importantly, I developed a fondness for travel in Europe and, as an almost direct result, am applying for graduate schools in Europe to continue my education and travels there.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The professors were excellent mathematicians, but not all were good teachers. The workload was fair and manageable. I relied more on my fellow students for help than on the professors. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program directors were all very accessible and helpful, especially the student coordinator. The student coordinator was Hungarian, so she was invaluable in navigating the quirks of the country. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
An apartment building in Budapest District VII <br /><br /> The apartment was very nice; considerably larger and cleaner than ones I've had in Boston. It was well situated, no more than a 30 minute walk to school and most other places I wanted to go, and a 5 minute walk to the metro. Almost everything came with the apartment, though we had to get some extra trash cans. |
| * Food: |
Hungarian food is pretty tasty and much cheaper than American food. We spent a lot of time at Pizza Boy and Kiraly Gyros, both very near the school. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The field trip to Szeged was one of the best parts of the program. Szeged is a fun city with lots of interesting attractions. The Mangalitsa festival in February was also very fun and interesting, and a good introduction since it was my first weekend there. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I did not have any major health problems, but our student coordinator was always there for those who did. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Probably around 7000 Ft (about $35) or less a week. Most was on food. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I paid my utilities in a lump sum, which turned out to be really expensive. Also, make sure to always have your pass on the metro; a friend of mine had to pay a 6000 Ft. (about $30) fine. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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 do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | A serious math student, especially one considering further study in math after college. |
