Finding out more about myself Past Review
By Suyun H (Journalism, English, The University of Texas at Austin) for
Seoul National University: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Yes, it was totally worthwhile. I think I learned a lot more about myself and my parents' culture and it made me thankful to have had such great opportunities in the States.
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Workload was quite a bit more than I expected, especially doubling up on exams and research papers and having the same deadline on both. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Honestly, SNU's program administration is AWFUL, to say the least. They were very very bad at finding accommodating students with cheap housing in an area of Seoul where housing shouldn't be that expensive. Personally, I applied for the dorms and didn't get in, so they offered me off-campus housing. So I trusted that the university would offer us some choices or at least find us places that were pretty inexpensive, but I was very upset when they charged us so much. I didn't know it at the time, but later my local friends told me I was being ripped off and that I could've found much cheaper housing for the same conditions I was living in (I was living in a very nice one-room). Furthermore, they had us pay for other things like pots and pans and charged us more than their original price. When I complained about these conditions they told me I could take those pots and pans home. Furthermore, |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It was a totally new building with new everything, but I had to buy a lot of stuff to accommodate it. |
| * Food: |
yummy stuff at the school cafeteria and very affordable too. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I joined a club at my school and that allowed me to find lots of friends. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
SNU has a clinic inside the university where it was very cheap for minor sicknesses. |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you know people in your host country, ask them for help. Ask them for help finding any other choices in housing, especially if you're not living in the dorms. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| 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?
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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? | Be ready to be academically challegened (especially if you're taking local courses), but also be ready to meet some of the smartest students in Korea. |
