Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I learned a lot about British culture through my classes. The only thing that was hard was that the classes were only with other American students studying there, so you didn't really feel like you were part of the university.

On-site administration of your program

Elizabeth Watkins was so helpful and really made the program the positive thing that it was.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived at 1 Bloomsbury Place, Flat C. It was a beautiful flat in a perfect location, right in central London. My only complaint is that there were so many things that were broken or severely run down in our flat when we got there--the coffee table, the couches, the washing machine--that simply never got fixed or were replaced with inadequate and incomparable replacements.

I've heard so many people complain about the food in Britain but if you went to the grocery store, you could find almost anything you could find in American stores. I liked the British staples as well, like baked beans and ham, so that also helped.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It was hard to meet actual London or British natives because of the program we did, unless it was through work. I played on a club field hockey team which allowed me to meet locals my age, but many others found it difficult and many complained about that.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never really dealt with any health issues but Elizabeth Watkins considered everyone her responsibility. I also felt very safe as a result of where we lived.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

This doesn't really apply because we spoke English.