Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A Semester of Non-Stop Adventures Past Review

By (Economics., Providence College) - abroad from 09/01/2012 to 12/15/2012 with

Boston University: London - London Internship Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Being abroad was an amazing experience that I would recommend every student to do. I learned a lot about myself and even more about the world and different cultures around me. It was a very worthwhile experience and if I could do it again and for longer, I absolutely would!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

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:

There were no meals provided by the program

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

The city is very expensive and the currency exchange was almost double the US. Transportation and food were amongst the biggest expenses.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan trips in advance, take advantage of local deals (i.e. Groupon, LivingSocial, TimeOut, etc.), create a weekly meal plan, and get to know the locals...they usually have the best advice on finding deals.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The program kept us in touch with local activities
  • The program encouraged the Americans to meet locals and not just stay together
  • The program encouraged students to not only explore the local area, but go outside of that even to other countries
* What could be improved?
  • Communication between students and staff
  • Staff often treated the students more as high school students rather than adults
  • More learning outside of the classroom should have been encourages (Especially with the business courses)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish that I would have known how strict the program would be. For instance, they would threaten to fine us substantial amounts of money for minor problems and the program also would not allow us to have vistors past a certain hour. Not allowing visitors made it hard to connect with locals and have a safe place to go just to hang out with friends.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.