This experience was very worth it! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The courses were informative and there was a good amount of reading for the classes but the resources were not like Middlebury. Their online resources were not as accesible as Middlebury. You had to pay a considerable amount for printing. They had tutors but it was a little unclear how to connect with them. The one tutor that was very helpful was their dyslexia tutors who also helped students who had ADD. The women I had was great and really helped me organize my time and helped me with my writing.

On-site administration of your program

The abroad staff could have done a much better job at providing all the information and resources we needed. We did not know our schedules until we got to London. Our emails were not working correctly and we never knew where to go. The abroad office and all the other offices were only open for a small window during the day. When you talked to the abroad staff they were very friendly. Not having a lot of the information especially before I got to London made me and my parents very nervous. I also still have not gotten my grades back and it is February. They did give us a care package when we got to London and that was it.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My dorm was awesome! I had a single in a 8 person flat. We had a shared kitchen and there were bathrooms in our room. The only downsides were that there was no wifi and the ethernet was slow and the laundry was expensive and many times out of order. The laundry was also far away.

There was no meal plan on campus. The food was British and there were not a lot of options especially healthy ones. It was also pretty expensive like everything else.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The area of London we were in was not like central London. It was definitely poorer. My school was very hipster, artsy, alternative kids. There were a lot of internationals not just from America but from all over the world. The school is gated in at night with a lot of security and I would not suggest walking around alone at night but during the day it was fine. We were right next to a tube station. As for the people at school many were very friendly and a lot of fun. The other abroad students were really nice too. There are a lot of pubs near school and there is a nightclub in the student center. A lot of live music too. Central London is amazing!! The tube is so easy. It was all very expensive but worth it. Go to pubs they are so fun and you meet a lot of people

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had a bad sinus infection and then a fever while I was in London and I went to a free clinic down the street from school because it is universal healthcare in London and I saw a nurse I think and she would not give me antibiotics because she did not believe I had a sinus infection. I got the flu shot before I went because I knew I would be on public transportation a lot. The United States health care system is much better.

New Cross London is not as safe as other parts of London. It is crowded and a lot poorer than central London. The school is very safe. Public transportation is very accessible and easy. At night the tube shuts down at midnight which made it difficult sometimes there were night buses but you should not go on them alone. Taxis are very expensive. At night you should always walk around new cross with a buddy because there a lot of pubs there are also a lot of drunk people at night. Goldsmiths is very safe but at night you just need to be careful in New Cross.

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

It was expensive. Laundry was expensive, food was expensive, and transportation was expensive. It was better to shop at the grocery store which was close to campus. I tried not to do laundry that much but you kind of had to. It was much nicer in central London so I wanted to go there a lot but the tube is very expensive. Get a student oyster card.

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• Dorm

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• a lot of freedom
• classes were pretty easy and lecturers were good
• LONDON

• organization of the program-more upfront information
• better communication
• ability to get more involved at the school with local kids like sports and things

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer