Fully Past Review

By Zhaosong Dai (University of Nottingham Ningbo) - abroad from 06/26/2018 to 07/19/2018 with

Korea University: Seoul - International Summer Campus

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

It was the first time for me to go abroad and I even do not have any friend to accompany with. However, I practiced a lot during this period. I still can remember how many troubles I had which caused by insufficient preparation such as forgetting to activate credit card and opening the service of international calling. Fortunately, we have already created a group in WeChat which has gathered all the students who was going to Korea University. They gave me some necessary helps to deal with these tasks. Hence, I would like to suggest future students to meet each other first or at least to create a WeChat group, which may provide imperative helps for them to survive in Korea.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	For the studying, I would describe it as strict but practical. Firstly, I would suggest future students not choose too much at same time especially for postgraduate students because Korea University is kind of strict in academy. I only take the course of strategic management but I feel the heavy pressure already because we have pop-quiz every class, assignments for weeks, mid-terms and final-term exams. At the same time, I still have my business plan (14,000 words) need to write. Under the pressure of these, I do not have much free time. However, the content in the class is practical and helpful. All the professors are invited from other countries with specialized knowledge. Our professor even gave us a business tour to visit Samsung company, and we learnt history and developing strategy of this business. It is super helpful for us to connect what we learnt in the class with the physical events in Samsung.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	The overall administration is good, our professor always can arrange every things in appropriate way, and we all appreciate for that.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	For accommodation, the living environment is so good comparing with domestic university. They almost provide any daily use in the dorm like the bed sheet, blanket and pillow. I will suggest future students to select frontier house to live because of two reasons including cheap cost and sharing type. In this building, students will have chance to live with foreigners. So, students will have opportunities to learn their countries’ cultures, practicing English and friend with them. Like me, my roommate is an American who has participated summer school in this university once therefore I have gained a lot of convenience because of this such as delicious food recommendation and interesting activities introduction.
* Food:	The food in the university is not as good as i imagined even though the price is cheap. Coz the food in the cafeteria is limited and not that yummy. Compared with the food inside, the street food is better.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	In Korea university, they have arranged several activities such as entertainment park visiting, basketball competition and soccer competition watching. Especially, in the first week, we will have chance to participate buddy program, all of these make us can quickly get touch with local people. Hence, we can immersed in local culture as well.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	Even though i did not get any hurt in the program, i still can sense that the preparation of Korean university in healthcare area coz it mentioned issues in this area ate the beginning of orientation and we can read related information in handbook as well.
* Safety:	Generally, problems in safety area is not existed. However, i have experienced a anti-China protest in the street which is not respectful and impolite for Chinese exchange.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes The positive studying atmosphere and challenged assignments are the most interested points that attract me.

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?	$50

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Advanced
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university?	Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	International Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?	0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Practical International Culture-immersed
* What could be improved?	peer interactive activities
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Exchange more cash and activate the service of international call.

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Strategic Management
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments:	The professor was trying his best to give us excellent learning experience, and we have gotten multiple ways to touch new knowledge such as visiting museum, watching correlated movies and so on. For the assignment, we have regular quiz in each class, once group cooperation (essay + pre) and weekly essay. Even though the available time is limited comparing with these heavy work, we still make it. It gives us a a sense of achievement. As for the test, we have totally tested by two ways including mid-term and final-term exam. To be honest, the largest difficulty for me is timed-reading, coz in my university, i seldom to be tested by that. Hence, it indeed helped me achieve some skills and abilities to increase my reading speed. In general, i do like this optional class and it gives me several new experience in learning.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No