Was Awwwlllrryyyeeee (alright) Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 10/01/2018 to 01/22/2019 with

University of Nottingham: Nottingham - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Why it is important and beneficial to go to a small school.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

One thing I liked about the school was they don't require you to buy books for classes. In addition, they force you to look for your own resources by providing a reading list, an extensive list of books that correspond with each lecture. Writing an essay feels like intense research work where as at Middlebury, sources for each essay are provided. The higher level courses also force you to use sources other than books, primarily academic journals. The lectures were not the best; professors read off the slides for the most part. Most students were not as tech savvy as I assumed i.e., many of them were unfamiliar with Google Drive. Professors in the politics department seem to just regurgitate the same information in lecture and seminar, not expanding or truly analyzing the information they provide. They can't expect students to truly expand/argue a point when they only repeat surface-level information.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

If i could give them a zero, I would. The admin team is absolute garbage at the University of Nottingham. I once emailed the I.T. team a week before arriving to campus. They sent an email a few days lather saying they'd respond within a few days. They didn't respond until a month and a half later. The hall porters/wardens are quite rude as well. I once forgot my key in my room and I asked if they could open the door for me. I had to argue with them for about 5 minutes before they finally decided to escort me to my room and open the door for me (they could've just gave me the key). The housing team constantly charges you even after you've explained to them, through email and in-person, that you've paid your HOME college/university. The people in charge of class scheduling didn't have a schedule ready for me until 2 and a half weeks after the semester started. For one, they told me I couldn't take one of the courses because it was offered in the spring. Then why would you approve of it during the summer when you asked me to make a list of courses I wanted to take? They consistently blamed the I.T. team for their shortcomings while the I.T. team blamed them for my non-existent schedule.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The rooms are nice and cozy. I was especially impressed with the fact that they provide you with a lamp, mini-fridge, and a sink with a good-sized mirror. My only issue was I was unable to control the heating system in my room.

* Food:

The food was decent. They don't allow you to get seconds and they only allow you to have one food choice.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Though I didn't need it, the NHS is always ready to assist students. A few kids in my building got sick towards the end of the semester and NHS employees came and ran tests/provided them with medication.

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

It's too expensive, the academics aren't the best, and you find yourself doing things alone most of the time.

Finances

* 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)

Do not go to a country where the USD is weak. Things were probably even more difficult since Brexit only occurred 2 years ago. England is an expensive country and I wasn't able to budget properly because I ate out a lot.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Easily 80-100 pounds
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Do not go to a country where the USD is weak. Try to eat out less; I was tempted to consistently eat out because Nottingham reminded me of a city. The convenience of ordering food through apps/online services, as well as the wide selection of typical/familiar food places makes it very tempting to spend money, especially if you come from such a rural, empty place like Middlebury. Grocery shopping is a lot easier, I noticed that things were overall less at super markets in comparison to those in America. i.e. Shaws and Hannaford in Middlebury.

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? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Nottingham was like a city.
* What could be improved?
  • The Admin Team
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How expensive it'd actually be.

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Politics and Drugs

Course Department: Politics and International Relations
Instructor: Sue Pryce
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Professor Pryce is a nice lady and is very knowledgable on drugs as a global debate/issue. Her course didn't push me as much as I believe it could have. She did introduce me to information such as supply-side/harm-reduction policies.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Ficitonalised Politics

Course Department: Politics and International Relations
Instructor: Steven Fielding
Instruction Language: English
Comments: A mix of media/film/TV and politics, Professor Fielding's course was enjoyable. He probes your understanding of what you think you know about politics versus what you have studied.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

British Party Politics

Course Department: Politics and International Relations
Instructor: Mark Stuart
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Professor Stuart is entertaining and passionate about the subject. However, he does not provide you with thorough, analytical answers to the many topics he lectures on. He expects you to make use of academic journals but all of the information he provides are from books.
Credit Transfer Issues: