Insightful, motivating, best semester of my college experience. December 26, 2023
By Sumin H (Sociology, Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/04/2023 to 12/06/2023 with
University of Cambridge: Cambridge - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I gained academic insight when it comes to writing focused academic papers, and learned to socialize with a diverse group of students. I was also immersed into the British culture, opening my eyes to a different educational foundation.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Academics were not as intense as I expected, but there was a high expectation for me to succeed. Overall there was more of a focus on academic writing compared to my home institution, Wellesley College. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The orientation given at the start of the program was thorough and I always knew that I had the resources to help me if I were to face any challenges. There was a specific advisor assigned to me (my Director of Studies) who I could reach out to for help. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was clean and spacious. The only downside to my specific housing (Bateman St) was that there was always a 20 minute commute to Pembroke. |
| * Food: |
The food quality of the servery was okay for the most part. The meals were relatively balanced in nutrition and had a couple of options. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no healthcare. |
| * Safety: |
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| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | more than $100, less than $200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try eating at the servery, plan ahead if you want to buy train/plane tickets for travel |
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
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* Where did you live?
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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 did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | A further emphasis on the extracurricular activities that students could be a part of. Though the academics were insightful, the extracurricular experiences took a large part of this semester. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
