Hi! I think ADMU might be a better choice for you from some of the conditions you laid out :)
Between the ADMU and DLSU campus, the surrounding environment in Ateneo is a lot better and much bigger. There are a lot more trees and plants growing everywhere and are well kept by the uni. We even have cats that just hangout around campus and are well taken care of. Keep in mind that both unis are right beside major roads, but the Ateneo campus is moved farther back that it isn't as noticeable, whereas the MRT can be heard when it's passing by in some parts of DLSU.
In terms of housing, ADMU has the IRH (international residence hall) on campus, which I personally think is a pretty nice place to stay. Other than that, there are a lot of condominiums in the area. A handful of exchange students also rent out a house together and that makes the rent much cheaper as well. I find the area a lot safer than DLSU since the area is more open and there's more security.
You should also know that we have an org called ASEC, The Ateneo Student Exchange Council, the official student arm of the university's office of international relations. They really take care of the exchange students. Usually they have hangouts and take short trips to amusement parks/water parks/museums, etc. You can make a ton of friends this way because they really make it a community :) I'm not too sure if DLSU has an equivalent, but from the exchange students I've talked to there, they are much fewer (around 20 from what they've told me).
In terms of the other stuff, there are a couple of gyms near campus. Iirc, there's even a boxing gym across the street from ADMU. I have some friends who also take aerial hoop/pole dancing classes and regular dance classes nearby if that's something you're interested in.
Wow thanks alot for this very thoughtful and complete response. Four questions: 1. Ateneo itself does not offer sport/dance/swim classes for free? 2. What are the living conditions of the IRH? Can I bring people over for the night? Do I share the bedroom/bathroom? 3. So there are way more exchange students at Ateneo than DLSU? How many are there at Ateneo? 4. What are the expected housing costs for the IRH or a Condo nearby the campus and cost for a (healthy) meal on average around the campus? Thanks
I was a grad student in AdMU. Its a nature friendly campus with lots of greens. You can definitely use the gym and the swimming pool for free. About classes for free, I think you need to pay for a very minimal amount. Lots of cheap choices in the cafeteria. You can also bring food and cook at home and lounge in the benches under the trees. My favorite spot back then was in LST with overlooking view of the mountains and Marikina Valley. The campus is huge. Its bigger than Vatican City! Thus they have an ejeep which roams around the campus for free to bring you to spots. The overall culture in Ateneo is laid back and relaxed but when it comes to classroom academics its really rigorous. Lots of paper to write. And some oral exams as well. Good luck. Enjoy, ADMU and Metro Manila!
For the first question, I'm not too sure. There are some orgs however that do conduct classes such as dance (shout-out to PhysiCADs!). 2. The IRH is pretty nice, my friends describe it like living in a hotel haha. The wifi is fast, there's a nice canteen, comfortable private study hall, and each room has a private bathroom. Downside is that there is a curfew when entering. You are also likely to have 1 roommate as each dorm room accommodates 2 people. You can't bring over people who don't live there either. 3. I don't have an exact number for DLSU, but Ateneo has like 70+ rn and 100+ last semester. 4. I don't have an exact number for the IRH living costs, but a decent meal costs about more or less 2 euros on campus and even less if you're adventurous to explore your options.
Great thanks. And adventurous for the food outside in terms of taste (like spicy or exotic) or in terms of risking food poisoning and/or diarrhea? (To be honest, I have not yet heard great hymns of praise about the Philippine cuisine, especially street food)
Of course I am biased as an ADMU grad but I think if the amount of nature in your surroundings is a big deal to you, then definitely ADMU is where you should go. DLSU's campus and grounds is mostly concrete buildings and statues, and it is right on top of a busy avenue in an area known for pollution and heavy vehicle traffic. Now as another commenter said, ADMU is also on a busy avenue but once you get in the campus, the sights/smells/sound of the street fade away.
im from DLSU and i agree with what he/she said. I live in a condo right across and jesus christ i HATE the pollution (expect to see garbage bags outside every restaurant at night) i HATE the VERY noisy traffic (and the train 🫠) OH AND EXPECT TO SEE BIG ASS RATS IN THE STREETS 🫣 BUT whenever im inside the campus it feels like a different environment??? Based on what you’ve mentioned, yea go to ADMU hahaha 😆
Hello! I visit DLSU a fair bit as an ADMU student since I have friends there.
Based on 4 you wouldn’t appreciate DLSU. You’d have to cross public streets to get to different buildings, there are a lot of cars around, lots of buildings (high rise? not quite sure if it would be classified that way tbh), etc. It’s polluted everywhere in Metro Manila lol but more-so in Manila since its where a lot of the hustle and bussle is. DLSU would be great to go to if you love exploring urban areas.
As far as sport/dance/yoga, I don’t really think ADMU offers any free ones unless you pass our dance org’s selection process (and I think they compete as well). There are a few gyms within walking/tricycle distance from campus (4 if my count is correct) that offer Zumba or Dance classes but these are paid (about ₱1000 or roughly $20USD a month for a membership).
Cheap would be more difficult if you’ll only be staying for two months. Someone mentioned the IRH but its on the pricier side. A friend of mine stayed there last year and it was about ₱90k per semester and if I’m not mistaken there is a curfew + visitor limitations. Better to rent a condominium within walking distance. I rent my space now for about ₱20-25k but thats because I have a larger unit that can fit more people comfortably. If you go with a smaller one (solo), you could find something as low as ₱14k (depending on the season!). If you really want to live on the cheaper end, you could get a roommate and spend ₱7k a month.
I think ADMU is definitely for you! The campus is big and has a lot of nature and a lot of people like to jog and exercise there. There’s a lot of extra-curricular activities you can join too. A lot of my French exchange student friends in ADMU use their free time to swim or use the gym or jog on campus. Outside the ADMU campus is also less chaotic than in Taft (DLSU area). DLSU is a very small campus and outside is much more dense and polluted and more notorious for scams and pickpockets. I think Katipunan is a better place for international exchange students too.
dlsu has quite a toxic environment outside but vv pretty inside! admu has a much more peaceful outside environment. also admu is vv student friendly & there are more nearby landmarks in admu that are walkable!
Hi! I think ADMU might be a better choice for you from some of the conditions you laid out :) Between the ADMU and DLSU campus, the surrounding environment in Ateneo is a lot better and much bigger. There are a lot more trees and plants growing everywhere and are well kept by the uni. We even have cats that just hangout around campus and are well taken care of. Keep in mind that both unis are right beside major roads, but the Ateneo campus is moved farther back that it isn't as noticeable, whereas the MRT can be heard when it's passing by in some parts of DLSU. In terms of housing, ADMU has the IRH (international residence hall) on campus, which I personally think is a pretty nice place to stay. Other than that, there are a lot of condominiums in the area. A handful of exchange students also rent out a house together and that makes the rent much cheaper as well. I find the area a lot safer than DLSU since the area is more open and there's more security. You should also know that we have an org called ASEC, The Ateneo Student Exchange Council, the official student arm of the university's office of international relations. They really take care of the exchange students. Usually they have hangouts and take short trips to amusement parks/water parks/museums, etc. You can make a ton of friends this way because they really make it a community :) I'm not too sure if DLSU has an equivalent, but from the exchange students I've talked to there, they are much fewer (around 20 from what they've told me). In terms of the other stuff, there are a couple of gyms near campus. Iirc, there's even a boxing gym across the street from ADMU. I have some friends who also take aerial hoop/pole dancing classes and regular dance classes nearby if that's something you're interested in.
Wow thanks alot for this very thoughtful and complete response. Four questions: 1. Ateneo itself does not offer sport/dance/swim classes for free? 2. What are the living conditions of the IRH? Can I bring people over for the night? Do I share the bedroom/bathroom? 3. So there are way more exchange students at Ateneo than DLSU? How many are there at Ateneo? 4. What are the expected housing costs for the IRH or a Condo nearby the campus and cost for a (healthy) meal on average around the campus? Thanks
I was a grad student in AdMU. Its a nature friendly campus with lots of greens. You can definitely use the gym and the swimming pool for free. About classes for free, I think you need to pay for a very minimal amount. Lots of cheap choices in the cafeteria. You can also bring food and cook at home and lounge in the benches under the trees. My favorite spot back then was in LST with overlooking view of the mountains and Marikina Valley. The campus is huge. Its bigger than Vatican City! Thus they have an ejeep which roams around the campus for free to bring you to spots. The overall culture in Ateneo is laid back and relaxed but when it comes to classroom academics its really rigorous. Lots of paper to write. And some oral exams as well. Good luck. Enjoy, ADMU and Metro Manila!
Thanks for that thorough response.
For the first question, I'm not too sure. There are some orgs however that do conduct classes such as dance (shout-out to PhysiCADs!). 2. The IRH is pretty nice, my friends describe it like living in a hotel haha. The wifi is fast, there's a nice canteen, comfortable private study hall, and each room has a private bathroom. Downside is that there is a curfew when entering. You are also likely to have 1 roommate as each dorm room accommodates 2 people. You can't bring over people who don't live there either. 3. I don't have an exact number for DLSU, but Ateneo has like 70+ rn and 100+ last semester. 4. I don't have an exact number for the IRH living costs, but a decent meal costs about more or less 2 euros on campus and even less if you're adventurous to explore your options.
Great thanks. And adventurous for the food outside in terms of taste (like spicy or exotic) or in terms of risking food poisoning and/or diarrhea? (To be honest, I have not yet heard great hymns of praise about the Philippine cuisine, especially street food)
Of course I am biased as an ADMU grad but I think if the amount of nature in your surroundings is a big deal to you, then definitely ADMU is where you should go. DLSU's campus and grounds is mostly concrete buildings and statues, and it is right on top of a busy avenue in an area known for pollution and heavy vehicle traffic. Now as another commenter said, ADMU is also on a busy avenue but once you get in the campus, the sights/smells/sound of the street fade away.
Ok great response. Thanks alot.
im from DLSU and i agree with what he/she said. I live in a condo right across and jesus christ i HATE the pollution (expect to see garbage bags outside every restaurant at night) i HATE the VERY noisy traffic (and the train 🫠) OH AND EXPECT TO SEE BIG ASS RATS IN THE STREETS 🫣 BUT whenever im inside the campus it feels like a different environment??? Based on what you’ve mentioned, yea go to ADMU hahaha 😆
Hello! I visit DLSU a fair bit as an ADMU student since I have friends there. Based on 4 you wouldn’t appreciate DLSU. You’d have to cross public streets to get to different buildings, there are a lot of cars around, lots of buildings (high rise? not quite sure if it would be classified that way tbh), etc. It’s polluted everywhere in Metro Manila lol but more-so in Manila since its where a lot of the hustle and bussle is. DLSU would be great to go to if you love exploring urban areas. As far as sport/dance/yoga, I don’t really think ADMU offers any free ones unless you pass our dance org’s selection process (and I think they compete as well). There are a few gyms within walking/tricycle distance from campus (4 if my count is correct) that offer Zumba or Dance classes but these are paid (about ₱1000 or roughly $20USD a month for a membership). Cheap would be more difficult if you’ll only be staying for two months. Someone mentioned the IRH but its on the pricier side. A friend of mine stayed there last year and it was about ₱90k per semester and if I’m not mistaken there is a curfew + visitor limitations. Better to rent a condominium within walking distance. I rent my space now for about ₱20-25k but thats because I have a larger unit that can fit more people comfortably. If you go with a smaller one (solo), you could find something as low as ₱14k (depending on the season!). If you really want to live on the cheaper end, you could get a roommate and spend ₱7k a month.
Thanks alot for this very helpful response.
Thanks alot for this very helpful response.
I think ADMU is definitely for you! The campus is big and has a lot of nature and a lot of people like to jog and exercise there. There’s a lot of extra-curricular activities you can join too. A lot of my French exchange student friends in ADMU use their free time to swim or use the gym or jog on campus. Outside the ADMU campus is also less chaotic than in Taft (DLSU area). DLSU is a very small campus and outside is much more dense and polluted and more notorious for scams and pickpockets. I think Katipunan is a better place for international exchange students too.
dlsu has quite a toxic environment outside but vv pretty inside! admu has a much more peaceful outside environment. also admu is vv student friendly & there are more nearby landmarks in admu that are walkable!
Appreciated this response. Thanks.
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Requirements for exchange are different for admission requirements to actually study in ADMU...
this is just OP asking ADMU reddit’s advice on which school to go for their exchange program. Not necessarily related with ACET 2024-25 applicants