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Studies > Italy > Firenze > Istituto Lorenzo de Medici > Review by Allison
 
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Istituto Lorenzo de Medici (IDM)

Instituto Lorenzo de Medici, Via Faenza, 43 - 50123, Florence, Italy, Firenze
4.03 / 5 based on 150 reviews.
Description:
Located in the heart of Florence, the Lorenzo de' Medici school has been providing Italian language and cultural instruction to foreign students since 1972. With 24 years of experience, the Institute has perfected a method of teaching Italian not only to students from all over the world, but also to those whose professions require a special knowledge of Italian.
The School is a member of FEDE (Federation of European Schools ) and was one of the first schools to become a member of the ASILS (Association of Schools for Italian as a Second Language).


Reviews
International Partners
Programmes
Accreditations
86% of students recommend
150 reviews
Housing
4.1/5
 All experiences (150)
Student life
4.4/5
 5 stars (48)
Academic
4.1/5
 4 stars (66)
Languages
3.9/5
 3 stars (36)
Expenses
3.6/5
 2 stars (0)
Overall
4.5/5
 1 star (0)
“Don't freak out the first few days everything will be ok. Try to meet as many people as possible and mingle with the locals. Stay clear of any clubs that are too american because you could go to those clubs in the US.” Read Review
alcarter, United States

Istituto Lorenzo de Medici review by Allison

Review by Allison, University of Georgia, Athens, United States
Journalism, University Agreement
HOUSING    
Personal assessment
Cost
KEY:
Couldn't have asked for more.
Pretty good.
Could've been better, but didn't lessen the overall experience.
Disappointing.
Facilities
Location
Cleanliness
Space
Type of housing: Apartment/House
Arranged by: Host university
If returning, I would choose: With a family
Why? I lived with five other American students. I was taking my third Italian class and improved greatly in being able to understand the language I would have learned a lot more had I lived with Italians.
Personal comments:
The housing was great. I just didn't like my roommates. However, what ever you choose I think living with other students or a family is a learning expirence.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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STUDENT LIFE    
Personal social experience
Activities
KEY:
Amazing! Hardly had time to study.
Plenty to do when I had the time.
So-so.
Did not get involved.
Nightlife
Travel
Overall
Describe host city: Students equally interact with the local and student community
Activities, Nightlife, Travel: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment
Personal comments:
My favorite night spot was a visit to Ponte Vecchio. Occasionally there is live music there which is cool. Also I wouldn't miss out on Be-Bop or Twice at night. Of course Mercato di San Lorenzo is awesome for shopping and there is a good forno behind one of the vendors.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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ACADEMIC       5.0 / 5
My academic experiences
Quality of courses
KEY:
Fantastic.
Pretty good.
Could've been a bit better.
Disappointing.
Variety of courses
Availability/access to resources
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with other international students
Interaction with local students
Course recommendations:
Take courses that will keep you interested it makes it easier to study in an environment that it is so tempting not to study. Also take an italian language course.



My opinion of the university assessment
Exams at end of course
KEY:
Liked it.
It was alright.
A bit annoying.
Didn't like it.
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course.
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
Overall
Personal comments:
none

This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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Language difficulties
Social
KEY:
No problems.
I coped pretty well.
Sometimes it was difficult.
It was a constant struggle.
Educational
Administrative / Institutional
Overall
Language of instruction: English
Local language was: Different than language of instruction.
Was learning English a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.
Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian
How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
Personal comments:
I learned so much being there. I picked up things and remember them so much better than when I am learning the language in the US.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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EXPENSES    
The accessibility of student needs
Second-hand text books
KEY:
Very easy.
Minimal effort.
Accessible but required effort.
Almost impossible.
Second-hand household items
Computers / Internet
Administrative
Money from home
Main source of funding:
Personal savings
Other sources of funding:
None
Work opportunities:
I didn't want/need to work
Personal spending habits:
I felt like I would only see these thing or get to eat these things at this time in my life so why not spend the money.
Food, Travel, Nightlife, Overall: was more expensive than at home.
Telephone, Housing: was the same price as at home.
Personal comments:
Don't eat out all the time. Learn recipes and cook for yourself at home occasionally.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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OVERALL    
Important to choosing this university...
Academic reasons
KEY:
Very Important.
Important.
Not really important.
Unimportant.
Culture
Costs
Activities
Campus life
Party / people
Weather / Location
I wish I had known...
I wish I had known that living with a family would have furthered my knowlegde of the culture. Also that I would learn so much more about life in general.
In my opinion:
Everybody loved it, you will too!



During my experience abroad, I ...
Became familiar with another culture
KEY:
Happened all the time.
Happened quite a lot.
Happened a bit.
Didn't happen.
Traveled
Improved language skills
Met people from other countries
Became more independent
Partied a lot
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies/career
Personal recommendation:
Keep doing what they are doing and the students will be satisfied. It is a great university.



FINAL COMMENTS

Don't freak out the first few days everything will be ok. Try to meet as many people as possible and mingle with the locals. Stay clear of any clubs that are too american because you could go to those clubs in the US.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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