Total Rollercoaster but Worth It Past Review
By A student (University of Minnesota - Twin Cities) - abroad from 01/03/2017 to 04/15/2017 with
Arcadia: London - Arcadia in London
Yes it was worthwhile. I learned a lot about myself and what I can handle as well as the way in which others live.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Not clear on guidelines, a lot of work outside of class that was required but not count for points. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Not very helpful with questions. Didn't explain things well. Had to figure things out independently most of the time. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Living up a hill gave me tendinitis, I had an hour commute to all of my classes, and there was constant construction on the building. Housing should be closer to Central London. |
| * Food: |
Food was not provided. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Londoners were not the most welcoming. My social life was strictly with other American students because of this. The program did not help integrate besides a power point presentation at orientation. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Easy to make appointment and receive treatment. |
| * Safety: |
After living off of Highgate Hill for two months, a local told my friend and I that there were multiple stabbings there. I never felt completely at risk, but never completely at ease either. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I would have chosen a program that "held your hand" a little more. This is necessary in a new country. Nothing is familiar. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
London is very expensive. Especially while trying to eat well. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | At least $100. Not including travel. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Save before you go and know you won't have any money when you get home. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | A better overview of finances (Oyster expense, groceries, etc), also would have been nice to know that other university timelines do not match with Arcadia's |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
