Experience of a lifetime Past Review
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/01/2019 to 05/31/2019 with
Arcadia: London - King's College London
Incredibly worthwhile. I did abroad in a way that let me see the world, explore different cultures, learn about the history and art of the cities I visited. Some do abroad a bit differently and simply go to party. I traveled more than most and I learned more than I could have possibly learned by sitting in a classroom. You not only learn about different cities and cultures, but you learn how to be independent and problem solve when things don't go your way in a city where you don't speak the language.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Really what you make of it, some of my classes were interesting and could be rigorous if you put in a lot of effort. Resources were also somewhat available if sought out but not nearly what it compares to home university. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Arcadia has a physical location a 10 min walk from KCL strand campus, which is great for free printing. Otherwise, I didn't have any involvement with Arcadia throughout the semester. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Facilities were nice but incredibly expensive (Moonraker Point). Not sound proof at all and had extremely loud and inconsiderate neighbors. |
| * Food: |
Cooked yourself, fully equiped kitchen |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Very integrated with London as a city (learning your way around and understanding certain cultural aspects), but Brits in general aren't particularly friendly and didnt make much of an effort |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
I traveled a lot, so expenses seriously added up and London is an incredibly expensive city to live in generally (food and public transport especially). And that's coming from a New Yorker. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Use skyscanner to find cheapest flights and find someone without a previous airbnb account to share new user codes for $40 off (or use new emails). KAHAL is a great Jewish organization that will give you money for traveling if you're Jewish. |
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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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
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? | I wish I had known what to expect for the program, especially in regard to academics and the very different educational system in the UK. |
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. |
