A Good Change of Pace Past Review
By A student (Various, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/12/2015 to 05/27/2015 with
University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned how to be more independent and crawl outside my comfort zone. Although I struggled personally during the program, I don believe it was the fault of the system, and so I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to study abroad that have not studied a second language enough for immersion programs. Edinburgh is a fantastic, fantastic city!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My accommodation itself was run down and very small but it was incredibly central, right off the main campus and on one of the main roads in Edinburgh. I was also able to get my preferred set up of having a roommate, which I know was rare. |
| * Food: |
Food was expensive in Edinburgh but the estimated weekly amount provided by the University was accurate. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I met almost exclusively other American students studying abroad, which was a shame, but there were plenty of opportunities organized by the college to travel with other students and also general social gatherings. Edinburgh has a plethora of clubs to choose from, and everyone was extremely kind and inviting. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got sick over my stay there and my GP was lovely, and the whole process was amazingly easy. I was given appointments and medication completely free of charge, which was a great surprise coming from the States. |
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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) |
The conversion to pound from US dollar is steep, and traveling eats away at a lot of your budget, but it is still doable. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you are living right off the main street like I was, don overextend yourself and try to buy food for the entire week. You will be walking past a Tesco at least 4 times a day, so no need to buy in large bunches. This way food won go bad and you will save money that way. |
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? | I wish I knew how easily one controls their own loneliness. It is, for better or for worse, very easy to be social and have the time of your life, but it is also very easy to hole yourself up. While studying abroad, you have to be proactive to find your happiness, the support system that you are used to, family and friends, is no longer as strong. That being said, it is a risk I encourage everyone to take, the benefits are enormous. I would do it all over again a thousand times. Never stop exploring! |
