Philip King '18 from Co Mayo, Ireland, is studying in the Barcelona GSE Master's Program in Economics. In an interview with the Irish Times, Philip explains why he chose to study abroad at the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics. Here are some takeaways from the interview:
Reputation
“I felt the course in Barcelona was superior to anything available in Ireland in my field. The reputation quality and the quality of the researchers (and their name recognition) are higher. I felt it was of a very high quality and undergrad lecturers agreed with that when asked for advice.”
Cost of living
"Barcelona also had a reputation as a very nice place to live. And it didn’t hurt that the cost of living would be lower than in Dublin...Though locals complain about the property market in Barcelona, there is a lot of value to be found for Irish students on rent compared to Dublin. I’m paying roughly the same as I did in Dublin, but for a far better location. I’m essentially living on College Green for Phibsboro prices (where I lived in Dublin). Pretty much everything else is cheaper, I think...The weather was the cherry on top.”
Diverse classmates
“On a personal level, the experience of different cultures and friendships with a diverse, international group was well worth it...With post-graduate studies, for me anyway, the vast majority of your time is spent in a room in the library. So you could argue that studying abroad or at home makes little difference. For me, it’s the people you study with that really matter. And I think I’ve found a more diverse group in Barcelona than I would have found in Dublin.”
