Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Spring in Seoul August 27, 2021

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 03/01/2021 to 06/20/2021 with

Seoul National University: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained experience living independently in a large city and it was very worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Most of my undergraduate courses covered information superficially and didn't encourage and foster much discussion within lecture times. There weren't many assignments so I couldn't gauge how I was doing within my courses until the end of the semester. Examinations were weighted very heavily. My graduate level course was fantastic and was very challenging. My professor went above and beyond providing resources.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Slow but thorough replies.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I wasn't allowed to live on campus as a visiting student because my school didn't have a previously established exchange program with the school.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 200

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

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

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
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?
  • City life
  • Food
  • Environment
* What could be improved?
  • Education experience
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish that I had known more about the lack of housing for my student status.

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

International Education Development
Course Department:
Instructor: Kevin Kester
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very challenging. The professor was extremely well-prepared. I participated in this class as much as I would have at my home university. I was assessed through papers and presentations.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Advanced Korean
Course Department: Korean
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Korean
Comments: The professor assumed that all students were at the same level of language acquisition at the beginning of the semester and spent far too little time going over language basics. Questions from students often went unanswered. Class time didn't foster participation. I was assessed through exams and papers.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Two Koreas: Modern Korean History and Society
Course Department:
Instructor: Chong Min Kim
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Not very challenging as a general survey course. Information taught was generally superficial. I was graded through papers, exams, and presentations. Discussion wasn't well facilitated, but a mandatory individual presentation allowed for engagement.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Literati Culture of East Asia
Course Department:
Instructor: Olivia Milburn
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very engaging material, but didn't facilitate participation or discussion. The professor was very knowledgable but presented course material in a very unpalatable manner. I was graded on a midterm and final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Introduction to Korean Music
Course Department:
Instructor: Anna Yates-Lu
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Superficial course material and participation during classes. Various graded assignments through multiple written assignments during the course of the semester. Very unique workshop and a fantastic optional field trip experience.
Credit Transfer Issues: