Overseas exchange advice (1 Viewer)

[danielvh]

Hey guys

I'm considering doing an exchange program in semester 1 or 2 in 2008 (will be my 3rd year in my 4.5 year economics/commerce double degree at UWA.

Looking at the universities that UWA has an exchange agreement with, the University of California, Berkely looks really good.

So, what I'm looking for is:
1) Whether it'd be worth doing an exchange? Does it add anything to my employability?
2) Do most people enjoy doing an exchange? (I have no trouble living out of home, going to different countries or meeting new people as I have backpacked solo around Asia and Europe for 6 months last year when I was 18 and had an incredible time.)
3) Is Berkely a good choice? Can anyone recomend a better one?
4) How difficult is it to get in? What do they take into account? My marks are pretty good after semester 1. About an HD average (80), got 90% in Microeconomics 1101, and got top mark in the unit for Asian Business, distinctions in my two other units. I got a TER of 98.
5) What are the options for accommodation?
6) Anything else to consider?

Cheers

Daniel

 

[elena24]

firsly uni of california, berekely is a top university, in fact in the top five in the world. so by just attending that uni you will immediately stand out from the pack. also it just a few km/miles from san fransisco which is a lovely city and that gives you options to explore the rest of california. as for accommodation i would reccomend living on campus, although it is quite expensive i think its worth it to blend in with the rest of the student and gain a real campus experience. (from my memory i think its over 10,000 per year for acco/flat/apartment) with ur marks u should be able to get in, i mean ur practically acing ur subjects which is good. but the best thing would definately be that ur resume after that would look very impressive/attractive after not only doing an exchange(thats a feat in itself), but doing it at one of the top 5 unis in the world is something special. so from that perspective if u can get in i say why not! (also its just one semester and that time will fly!)

 

[danielvh]

Hey. Thanks for the reply.

Been doing some more research since then and my perspective has changed a little:

Firstly, I probably want to do a whole year.

Secondly, Berkely, while it has an extremely good rep, it seems to stem mostly from its grad courses. The undergrad courses look like they're a little overcrowded. It seems as if classes would be very large and impersonal. Anyone know first (or even second)-hand about this?

So I started looking at smaller unis which would give a bit more of a personal experience. What's really looking good is the University of Bristol in the UK. Been looking into it and it offers all the units I'd want to do, is in a great city, is near family (family's in London), offers easy travel opportunities to Europe (there's some people in Spain I'd like to visit from my travels last year and also I'd love to go to Morocco) and still has a good rep (top 50 in the world-certainly better than UWA which is around 80th).

So now I'm undecided between U of Bristol and Berkely (with Queens in Canada being an outside choice mainly because it's near family in Toronto). What are your thoughts? Go for the top rep uni or the proximity to family, European travel opportunites, and (incorrect?) view that U of Bristol would provide for a more personal experience?

Also, I MAY look at doing honours in a top uni after my undergraduate degree due mainly to the rep. If I was applying to say Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Berkely, LSE, Oxford and Cambridge, would, having done an exchange at Berkely improve my prospects of getting in, assuming I would get the same marks at Bristol or Berkely?

Cheers

Daniel