not what I was expecting, but fun none the less. Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/06/2017 to 12/22/2017 with
Jacobs University: Bremen - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I gained a lot of experience living in a new country and learning how to deal with difficult situations. Yes I loved getting to study abroad
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
the host university was not as advertised, but I very much enjoyed the language program that took place before arriving at Jocobs, and I enjoyed the chance to travel Europe both with my classes and on my own. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
lots of miscommunication and lack of communication |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
the rooms were clean and large, It was so nice to have a single! |
| * Food: |
it was extremely difficult to find easy and healthy option in the dining hall at Jocobs and many of my friends who had dietary restrictions found it almost impossible to find adequate food. also the $400 stipend we received for food during our language program in Hamburg was not nearly enough. We did not have access to a kitchen so we were forced to eat out for every meal taking the exchange rate into account $400 is not nearly enough to feed us for a whole month. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
the students at the host university were very exclusive, and not very welcoming. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no health issues while abroad |
| * Safety: |
Bremen was very safe, I had a wonderful time in the city! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
If I were not a pre-med student I would have liked to go to new Zealand or Australia to study anthropology. Jacobs offered no classes in my field of study other than the bio-chem class taught by professor oaks for my pre-med requirements. I loved the clinical experience with the practicum but the rest of my classes did not really interest or apply to me. |
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) |
the $400 allowed for food in august was not nearly enough it lasted for about a week and a half before it ran out. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | depended on the week in hamburg upwards of $200 a week, but at jacobs I could make do with about |
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 |
the month at gothe was incredible I would rate it at 5 stars and my language skills improved immensely, but at Jacobs I would give the language classes a 1 star, classes were held about once a week and we had almost no other exposure the language, I lost most of my language abilities here. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 102 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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 wish I knew more of the downsides to the program before going, all that was conveyed to be were the positives |
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 BlazerCraving 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.' |
