Manchester: Challenging and Lively Past Review
By Lori S (English Literature (British and Commonwealth)., Wellesley College) for
University of Manchester: Manchester - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned to be more outgoing and confident and to face challenges head-on. I learned to be more independent in my academics.
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload at times seemed unreasonably excessive. I did not appreciate how my grades for each of my classes was determined on only two assessed pieces of work (hard to pace myself throughout the course and get a sense of my progress). I appreciated the highly formal, impersonal teaching style at times for its encouragement of independent learning, but sometimes felt I was not given enough guidance with the material. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Special circumstances department was helpful in guiding me through an illness in regards to my coursework. Housing department was fairly helpful at resolving housing issues. However, the sheer size of the university made me feel like just a number in their administrative system, especially in terms of my grades. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Fallowfield neighborhood is a lively, gritty, student party center. Plenty of nightlife, grocery/pharmacy/doctor\'s office access. Heavy drinking culture. Well connected to public transport. |
| * Food: |
Dining hall food uses low-quality, high-fat, very processed ingredients. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Weekend trips via International Society: Stratford-Upon-Avon, Trentham Monkey Forest, York. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
As in all large cities, travel in groups after dark. DO NOT WALK THROUGH PUBLIC PARKS AT NIGHT, AS MUGGING/RAPE IS RELATIVELY COMMON. City feels very safe during the day. Stay on the beaten path whenever possible (main roads). Public Healthcare system is very easy to use and is free for anyone living in the UK for 6+ months. |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | You will need to pay for bus tickets almost everyday to get to university. Also, dining halls do not provide lunch or meals on weekends, so you need to buy your own food during those times. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Be prepared to encounter a student culture with a heavy emphasis on partying/drinking/going out. Although the structure of the classes encourages you to procrastinate, try not too as the final class projects are very extensive and must be a very high quality. Use Manchester as a stepping stone to explore the rest of Europe. |
