Review Overall Rating
A review on BCSP - Bologna Consortial Studies Program
Reviewed by Narkkustudent(Tulane University) on
The best way to see Italy.
This is by far THE BEST Italian program, and THE BEST study abroad program out there. From the city, to the administration, to the rules, the academics, and the people that are in it. The planned trips that they take you on are one of the best parts about the program. They take you to some amazing places and feed you the best of Italian foods, so easy to enjoy. And the final Tuscany trip is the best weekend of all time. If you're going to Italy, hell, if you're going to Europe, you must do this program.
Review Details
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Academics
The BCSP classes are great. You're tested in the American style, but the courses are very easy going and they just want to make sure you listened and learned something (which you do, because the classes are super interesting) as opposed to forcing you to memorize random facts. Great courses, and not too hard.
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Program Administration
Professor Ricci is the coolest guy ever, the perfect Italian guide and protector while you're far from home. And Danielle is super legit too, they both will do so much to help you in any situation. And they're not afraid to get to know the students and loosen up. They made my year abroad so much less stressful and fun.
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Living Situation
Don't mess around with dorms or living with Americans. Finding your own apt with just Italians is the only way to do it, which is one of the reasons why this program is THE BEST.
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Cultural Immersion
This program does just about everything it can to immerse you. If you're not immersed, it's your own fault.
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Safety
No comment
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Food
It's Bologna.
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Social Life
No comment
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Health Service
No comment
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City Life
The Giardini Margherita at night.
Other Reviews on BCSP - Bologna Consortial Studies Program
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BCSP - Bologna Consortial Studies Program Italian Universities are just awful. The...
Reviewed by Anonym. on .
Italian Universities are just awful. The teaching is terrible, there is zero structure, and exams are a joke. Several of the Italian professors were remarkably racist, including one hired by the program. Second of all, you have to find your own apartment in Bologna, which exposes students to being ripped off by local Italian landlords. I lost $800 on housing. Finally, the administration was poorly run.
However I did really learn Italian. Bologna is a much better city than Florence, which is like an American theme park. So that was the upside to this program. -
BCSP - Bologna Consortial Studies Program FULL Immersion = best year ever
Reviewed by rijacobson on .
I had many expectations for my year abroad in Bologna, and I can happily say that BCSP made my experience better than I ever could have imagined. The program requires that students live in apartments with Italian students, and while this search can be stressful at first, it becomes the BEST way to orient yourself to the city and give your Italian language skills a crash course. I ended up in a 6 person apartment with 5 life-long Italian friends who helped me grow as a person in so many ways. Problems with landlords or losing money may occur, but that will happen in any apartment in any city in the world, so it's great training for life after graduation.
The classes are different in terms of workload and pacing, and admittedly the disorganized atmosphere of Italian university will be an adjustment at first, but you get out of the classes what you put in and honestly the in-class experiences are only a portion of what you will take away from Bologna.
The administration is friendly and gives you the freedom to make a lot of your own choices but is also there 100% of the time for those who need help.
Loved every minute of it, and sorry to leave.