Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best semester of my life. Past Review

By (Engineering Science., Trinity University) - abroad from 07/06/2012 to 11/13/2012 with

IFSA: Auckland - University of Auckland

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was worthwhile. Gained insight about how other people see the world.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I liked the style or learning a lot more than I do in the states. There is much less busy work, and text books for technical classes were rare. The teachers taught from their own materials, which is much easier to understand than a teacher throwing a book at you, like often happens here.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

They were pretty nice.

* Food:

Expensive. Had to cook a lot.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I liked the people a lot. Although they were different, we got along fine.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $150-$200

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
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?
  • People
  • Orientation
* What could be improved?
  • A big retreat at the end would be awesome.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? nothing.

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 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.