Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The best 6 months of my life. Past Review

By (Anthropology., University of Arkansas - Fayetteville) - abroad from 01/09/2012 to 06/13/2012 with

Arcadia: London - Goldsmiths, University of London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained so much confidence and a new sense of self. Studying abroad was the best decision I ever made.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

No meals were provided and the kitchen was a bit of a mess considering there were 8 of us sharing a mini fridge.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I got sick while abroad and was sent to the local clinic. Merely getting an appointment was a fiasco and then the facilities were unclean and then I was misdiagnosed. I ended up making several trips there- though it was lovely that it was all free.

* Safety:

Though Goldsmiths is located in a particularly dicey neighborhood in London, I felt very safe on campus.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

Finances

* 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)

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? No
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 350ish
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't eat out and never take taxis.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • I really felt welcomed into the Goldsmiths community.
  • The other people living in my dorm were incredibly nice.
  • I had plenty of time to travel and experience London.
* What could be improved?
  • What was expected of me as a study abroad student could have been made clearer from my professors.
  • The dorms were not exactly the lap of luxury.
  • Arcadia didn't provide much. Other programs take the students out or pay for some cultural activities. Arcadia does not.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wasn't aware of the state of the neighborhood that I would be living in, but that is mainly my own fault.