Turkey is a very welcoming place Past Review
By Mehar N (Political Science and Government., Wellesley College) for
Koc University: Istanbul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Yes, my study abroad program was very worthwhile. I understood how to live in a completely different place and culture and came to learn what others think of my own culture by engaging with the locals.
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was less than at Wellesley. The grading system was easier, but a lot of times professors did not provide sufficient comments on papers and tests, like they do here. There was also a lot of emphasis on memorizing facts and events. While the system of learning was different, it was still a positive experience and I think I got a sufficient amount out of my classes. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program was helpful in administrative tasks. It organized for us to get proper residential documentation and was helpful in registering for classes and better understanding how things work at the university. It was helpful to have a place to go to with questions and to familiarize ourselves with a foreign system. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The dorms were nice and exchange students were put in doubles with a local student. We had to buy bed sheets and other dorm essentials. The dorms, which were on campus, are not in too close proximity to downtown Istanbul. |
| * Food: |
The food at the cafes on campus is good, but there is not much variety. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I really enjoyed the field trips organized by my program to the Black Sea region of Turkey. The university's international student group also organized a field trip to central Turkey, which was a great experience. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Istanbul is a fairly safe city, but one has to be alert and careful because it is a very crowded city. I did not need to use the local healthcare system and thus can't comment on the accessibility of it. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | The amount varied but there was no meal plan, so we had to buy all our meals everyday. Transportation is also another major expense because the campus is not very close to the city center. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Transportation from the campus to other parts of the city |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I could practice with the locals at the university and in the city. Yes, I had to use basic Turkish in everyday interaction and no, most people did not speak English. |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I would recommend this program even though the location of the campus is not ideal for a study abroad program. However, because the campus was far from the downtown, exchange students were able to form better relationships. Someone interested in really immersing themselves in a foreign culture would benefit from this program. |
