London Study Abroad Past Review
By Emily E (HISTORY., Austin College) for
Arcadia: London - University of Westminster
Absolutely. I was completely on my own for an extended period of time for the first time in my life, and it was an incredible confidence boost.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Each class met once a week, with a one hour lecture and a two hour seminar for discussion. This was very different from what I was used to but I enjoyed it. The workload was manageable though the written assignments were not what I was accustomed to. The grading system was similar though a 70 was an A. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
There was a sense that Arcadia was not particularly helpful. When we arrived at the airport we were put on a bus with no program personnel and told they would see us later. When we were divided up to go to our various dorms, there was a mix up with the buses and again no personnel. Our contact people were often out of the office or otherwise unavailable. Aside from a fairly helpful orientation, I for one had very little contact with Arcadia staff for the duration of my stay. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in the International House. I was told beforehand that I would need to buy sheets, and that I could do so at the front desk without having to preorder anything. When I arrived in the late afternoon, I found out that I could not buy anything at the front desk and would have to find a store in the rain before dark if I wanted bedding that night. The building and rooms definitely looked nicer in the pictures online, and the fire alarm was set off about a dozen times over the three months I was there. |
| * Food: |
I cooked for myself most of the time - there were several cheap grocery stores within walking distance of the dorm - and sometimes got fast food. Be warned that portion sizes are almost always smaller in England than in America! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Arcadia arranged quite a few field trips. I only went on one, a day trip to Stonehenge and Bath. It went smoothly and was very fun. It was a good chance to catch up with friends I'd made during orientation who had gone to different universities. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
To be safe, I rarely walked around after dark - though that got harder when it started getting dark at 4 in the afternoon - and when I did I did not go alone. I stuck to busy areas even during the day and never really felt like I was in danger. I did not have to seek health care while abroad. |
| 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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The tube can get expensive. If you are going to ride it a lot I recommend an 18+ oyster card, but within London it's fairly easy to walk to places so the tube is not necessary. Budget your money and keep track of expenses. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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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