Can't Wait to Go Back Past Review
By Noah Marshall (Vanderbilt University) - abroad from 01/15/2018 to 05/30/2018 with
IES Abroad: Madrid - Engineering, Math & Science
I improved my Spanish skills significantly and experienced so many new places and cultures.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The local university that I took classes from was challenging but not a lot of work because there is no homework, so it is very doable. IES classes are very easy but attendance is taken. |
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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: |
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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? |
The insurance we are given is the best in the world. Everything is covered in total. |
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| 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) |
I spent a lot of money but I also travelled every weekend and usually planned my trips last minute so if you take the initiative and plan your trips early you can save a lot of money |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $250 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan trips early! Buy cheap pastries and coffee at grocery stores and make them at home for breakfast. |
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? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | High School Spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Make Spanish friends and only speak Spanish with them. They are willing to help and are way better at teaching the basics. |
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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| 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? |
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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 know that Solar Energy is a class I shouldn't have taken. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Solar Energy |
| Course Department: | Energy |
| Instructor: | Carolina Marugan Cruz |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This professor is the worst professor I have ever had and made an easy class impossible. All of the other Spanish professors I had were amazing, but DO NOT take any class with Carolina. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
