Do it own your own! Past Review
By Leandro V (Economics, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico) for
Pontificia Universidade Catolica Do Rio De Janiero: Rio de Janeiro - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Great traveling experience, and food.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Workload depends on the class you are taking. The grading system is a nightmare, do it at your own risk. Nobody cares!!!!! The equivalence and transfer can hurt you specially if you are taking real classes in Economics and Engeneering think twice and make sure you are willing to give up leisure time to actually study. There is no curve or anything you get what you get on exam. Typically 2 exams 50% each and a final if you do not pass with an average of 60 by the end of the semester. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Accessibility you have at any time if you walk to the office. This people feel more important then the president so you wont be able to get ahold of them by phone. Worthless people/resource, they won't do anything for you except process papers. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
You can find apartments on your own, the challenge is to be able to sign a temporary lease. Best thing is to look for local students looking for roommates or live with a host family. |
| * Food: |
Brazilian food is great. What where you eat and the school restaurant is horrible (lot of people will eat there because its so cheap though). |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Only one or two events organized by the program the rest is own your own. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
If you accept the risk of been in Rio and you will be good to go... |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Be ready to do everything on your own. Like I said the international office people is just to process papers and give you useless info instead of the info that matters to your transfer, credit, grades, etc. |
