Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I met many Australians, and know what I do and don'twant in the next few years. Past Review

By (Biology and Film, Middlebury College) - abroad from 07/12/2015 to 11/22/2015 with

IFSA: Gold Coast & Brisbane - Griffith University

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was definitely worth while. I am more independent than I was before.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* 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? No

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? 100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Get a meal plan and live on campus.

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

  • Local 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?
  • living in the dorm
* What could be improved?
  • the food!!!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That some weekends could get pretty boring and that I should've planned more weekend activities.

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Islam, Media, and Conflict
Course Department: Humanities
Instructor: Halim Rane
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was challenging and intriguing for me because I had never taken anything like it before. The teacher had a lot of first-hand experience with research relevant to the course topics. The papers were very good assessments of what we were learning throughout each unit.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Foundations of Western Culture
Course Department: History
Instructor: Stephanie Green
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class was interesting although it covered too broad of a time period to be completely focused. I learned a lot because I usually don't take history classes. The assessments were relevant and challenging.
Credit Transfer Issues: no
Course Name/Rating:

Scriptwriting I
Course Department: Film Studies
Instructor: Hugh Burton
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class was good to get the foundation of scriptwriting. I liked the in-class exercises we did to contribute to our idea for our final screenplay.
Credit Transfer Issues: no
Course Name/Rating:

History of the Body
Course Department: History
Instructor: Robin Trotter
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class was a little all over the place. The topics we covered were very interesting, but they were not cohesive.
Credit Transfer Issues: no