Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

LIfe changing Past Review

By (PSYCHOLOGY., Fordham University) - abroad from 08/16/2014 to 12/14/2014 with

The Beijing Center: Semester and Full Year Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Maturity, Experience, Fun, Life long friends, A gap year I intend to take, Answers

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.

It was amazing. The teachers they have in the program teach through experience which is the most useful. I also enjoyed the field trips and the guest speakers

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The student development program was AMAZING. They make you feel at home even when you're thousands of miles away from home.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

It was dorm living, which is okay. It was really nice housing considering we had personal western toilets

* Food:

The food on campus was actually really good. And, in addition, there was a whole street full of food options

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

With the weekend trips that student development hosted, I definitely felt integrated into the community. The chinese roommates also helped tremendously to get integrated.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Considering the health care in China, it was okay. I had an incident where I had to be taken to the hospital. Hospital itself was dirty, but the student development team and my insurance company made sure I was taken the best care of.

* Safety:

I felt extremely safe. Living on campus was very safe and as long as you had your wits about you, the city of Beijing was a safe place to study

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)

China's cheap. Super easy

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 30 dollars a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Try cooking. I know there are so many food options that look appetizing but that is really going to save money for travel excursions later. Also, if you are studying in a country like China or any other foreign country, find a native speaker/student to help buy train/plane tickets. Companies try to rip you off if you try to find them in English.

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

I wish a little more... But still, I learned a lot

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
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Intermediate (2 years)
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? SPEAK WITH LOCALS!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • teachers
  • student development
  • the excursions
* What could be improved?
  • more speaking chinese
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I am somewhat happy I went in totally clueless. Gave me the experience to totally be vulnerable.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.