Best Semester Past Review
By A student (Washington University in Saint Louis) - abroad from 01/04/2013 to 05/25/2013 with
IES Abroad: Dublin Direct Enrollment - Trinity College Dublin
I became more independent and open to new experiences. I met a lot of great people who I wouldn't have met any other way. The English department at Trinity focuses more on modern literature than the English department at my home school, so I read a lot of texts I'd never been exposed to. It was an incredibly worthwhile experience - I wish I could go back!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Loved the academics at Trinity, but registration was complicated and stressful. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
IES was very supportive - even though we weren't at the center often since we studied at Trinity, they really made an effort to get to know us. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Apartment was well-maintained and in a safe area. |
| * Food: |
No meal plan, cooked meals at my apartment. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Directly enrolled at Trinity, so I had classes with Irish students and was in some school clubs. My biggest regret is not being more outgoing. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I sprained my wrist, and a staff member from IES brought me to the urgent care clinic and walked me through the process of insurance, payment, etc. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe in Dublin. Almost no violent crime. None of my friends got pickpocketed in Dublin, but I've heard it can be a problem in the more touristy parts of the city. |
| 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) |
Dublin is an expensive city, but as long as you're careful you can make your money last. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $80 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Always ask if there's a student discount. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| 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? |
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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 to better prepare for exams at Trinity, since most of the English classes at my university are assessed by papers only. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
