Many accents, many geeks, but a single love for humor, alcohol, and life. Past Review
By GSantaClaus (B.S. - Quantitative Finance, Stevens Institute of Technology) - abroad from 01/09/2014 to 05/23/2014 with
University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I gained a great deal of things: the learning experience of living on my own, the academic and cultural lessons from the university and the local towns, the opportunity to travel to Europe in general, the great deal of friends of different cultures, and the chance to learn more about myself. Definitely worth every effort, penny, and cheap donner kebob dinner.
Review Photos
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. |
University of Edinburgh courses were excellent vehicles of discussion, learning, theory, and practice. I was beyond exposed to diverse aspects of my disciplines and beyond them, and made very intelligent friends along the way! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The UoE staff in general were punctual and very communicative with queries we had for all aspects of our stay, including academics, paperwork, visa/national law issues, and health/student life related queries. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It was damn great for a dorm! Convenient location near all varieties of amenities and culture/life, and the building staff were great and friendly. |
| * Food: |
Just about everything I wanted,from the fast food end to the organic local farm produce end, with affordable and fancy stuff at our finger tips (with some digging of course!). |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I definitely made a lot of friends, bonded with locals and participated in a variety of events. While there's only so much one can do, I definitely felt at home given the short amount of time spent there! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I was afforded a doctor to be used at any time, but I never ended up using it at all. |
| * Safety: |
Edinburgh was very friendly and safe, even later at night. It is heavy with tourists but even the locals are relatively calm and peaceful individuals. Do keep your wits about you as per usual but otherwise no need for extraordinary measures. |
| 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) |
It was decently manageable; unfortunately the pound/dollar conversion rate makes everything expensive by default, but by value Edinburgh was much better than Hoboken or the Manhattan area. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about 100 dollars a week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Definitely explore local food shops and groceries/meat markets. There's quite a few halal/middle eastern meat/produce markets that serve locals with better prices than your typical supermarket. Lidl is a godsend, though. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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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| 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? |
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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? | Probably how much I could take in terms of activities and interests that take up time. In short, how to better manage time. |
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 NetworkerAn active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume. |
