Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Fantastic experience because of the people and the environment-not the program. Past Review

By (Southern Methodist University) - abroad from 09/08/2014 to 12/13/2014 with

IFSA: London - University College London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
That I am much more capable than I ever thought. That great friends make a great experience. That I love traveling and I love London. I would do it again and again if I could.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Felt like I was constantly playing catch up, had to change my class schedule multiple times, just overall felt pretty clueless about education/the process there in general

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The program in England was much more involved/presented many more opportunities for help than SMU Abroad did.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Great students! And i loved having a single. But the dining hall arrangement was horrible--the hours were bad, the options were bad, you were not able to eat lunch. And the quality of the housing was also horrible--at one point 4 out of the 5 floors of toilets were broken. It was constantly dirty.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Felt a lot more comfortable than I thought I would for a big city, but I figured out which areas to avoid. Was comfortable riding the Tube by myself also.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

I spent $5000 over the semester.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Don't know
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make a budget right after you get there so you have a realistic idea of what you'll be spending.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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 people
  • The city
* What could be improved?
  • The program involvement/information, especially on SMU's end
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That you should get as involved as possible and do as much as you can, because a semester seems long but it goes by way too fast.

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.