Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Going to college 20 minutes from both the city and the beach Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 07/25/2016 to 11/19/2016 with

The University of New South Wales: Sydney - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was worthwhile. Gained more independence and understanding of what it'll be like to live by myself or with a roommate after college ends.

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* 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

There was nothing that blatantly stands out that I would change about my experience.

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? $150-$200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Use the university cafeteria. Shop at Woolworths, limit purchases at the on-campus grocery store (IGA).

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

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • 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 was close
  • Beach was close
  • Australians were friendly and loved Americans
* What could be improved?
  • Mixing up the types (nationalities) of people on campus
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? More recipes to cook in a kitchen with limited resources.

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:

Political Economy of Capitalism
Course Department: Economics
Instructor: Peter Kriesler
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Professor went through material very quickly, but emphasized the most important material with repetition. Appeared to present unimportant or trivial information sometimes. Helped by not assuming all students had a perfect understanding of every fundamental term and explained economics terms with context.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Sport Law and Society in Australia
Course Department: General / Law
Instructor: Anthony Hughes
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Professor was obviously very well versed in the course material and showed that he truly enthusiastic about the material.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Australian Legends
Course Department: Arts
Instructor: Grace Karskens
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Professor is obviously well versed and enthusiastic about the course material. Teaches the fundamentals of what it means to be Australian and is an entertaining sociology course that analyses modern culture in real time. Professor is light hearted and understanding of any student accommodations. Papers were fair in time given and material tested.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Urban Environments
Course Department: Geography
Instructor: Wendy Shaw
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Class is entertaining as it combines geography, economics, sociology, environmental study, and ethics into a single context of the urban. Professor was not necessarily helpful with making the syllabus be known but otherwise was a knowledgeable, professional instructor who cares about the students. one field trip combined with a field report and research paper. Weekly reading summaries were fair and not especially hard. Participated more than if i was at Middlebury as USA urban locations were talked about quite a lot and I was one of two Americans in the class.
Credit Transfer Issues: