Beautiful City To Explore Past Review
By Avanti P (Economics, Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/14/2015 to 12/21/2015 with
University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
i believed this was a very worthwhile experience. Going abroad gives a lot of perspective about the world around you. You will meet so many new people and those interactions will help you grow as a person.
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. |
I think the overall educational experience is fine. I was not bothered by the large class sizes as much as other people might have been. But there was definitely a massive distinction between the two universities. Wellesley classes are about 20-30 people max. while at Edinburgh, two of my classes has 100+ people in it. I liked the professors for the most part. Most classes are giant lecture style. One difference is the availability of professors. At Wellesley, we are used to a lot of office hours where as here that is not quite the case. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The University of Edinburgh has an International Student Center dedicated to visiting students, so there is always support if you have any qualms about your time. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My housing was far and so I needed a bus pass to commute everyday but I really did like my housing. I had my own bathroom and just shared a kitchen with 5 other girls. My flatmates were really nice and kept the common areas clean so my housing life was fine. |
| * Food: |
I cooked most of the time while also going out with friends for lunches and dinners a few times a week. While the UK is expensive, there are a lot of student friendly restaurants around the University of Edinburgh and in Edinburgh in general, so you can enjoy outside food as well. It is important to budget though. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
One of the most important things about studying abroad is that you have to be able to say "hello" and talk to your neighbors. The University of Edinburgh does have activities for visiting students and there are so many chances to meet people from all over the world. It just depends on how much you engage with the people. It is easy to get stuck with friends who are also studying abroad, but do not look at that as a bad thing because those friends are valuable when you return to your home institution. But if you join clubs, you will meet full-time Edinburgh students and those friendships are equally valuable. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't sign up for a GP but these opportunities were available. |
| * Safety: |
I believed the city was very safe. Yes, you have to take general caution, but I have walked home at 1-2 am and everything was fine. |
| 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) |
If you budget, it's not that difficult. people get caught up in wanting to go out all the time. But you do save money if you just buy groceries and cook at home. And you can do that with friends as well and make it an experience! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 75+ |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Budget Budget Budget! |
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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| 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? | I wish I knew how far my dorm would be from the University of Edinburgh. Also, I am a computer science minor and I took two CS classes only to drop them. I didn't really enjoy the classes as much as I would have liked to because the curriculum is a lot different than that of Wellesley. I didn't really enjoy them and my friends who took classes in CS, didn't enjoy it either. In addition, at the University of Edinburgh, you do not get problem sets and assessments all the time as you do at Wellesley. You are more likely to have all your assignments due at the end of the semester and they will carry a lot of weight so it is important you start them early. It'll make the end of the semester easier. |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
