London Calling - A Semester Abroad That Ticked All the Right Boxes Past Review
By Phillip L (Political Science and Government., Tulane University) for
INSTEP: London - Institute of Economic and Political Studies
The opportunity to explore London and several cities in Europe an extremely valuable cultural experience, one that left me with increased confidence in every aspect of life. I would also like to single out the academic experience at INSTEP as truly superb. The small class sizes (my largest seminar was 7 students total) and brilliant professors were invaluable to me academically. INSTEP made it easy to get to know the professors by sponsoring two community dinners during the semester. Overall, the academic experience at INSTEP is something that students get as much out of as they put in. Your GPA will not suffer if you choose to do the bare minimum, but if you have the desire to really engage with the subject matter it is extremely rewarding to do so.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
After a period of adjustment I came to prefer the academic environment of INSTEP and the UK in general to the one in America. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
My general expectations were met in almost every area. Philip Davies, the local director, gets an A+ |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Our flat roomy and well-furnished and was located in central London, which was very convenient. The only issue I had with housing was the wireless Internet, which was frequently defective and strictly metered according to an inadequate megabite quota. I was very dissatisfied with the Internet in our flat and I know my fellow students felt the same way. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Obviously there are endless things to do and see in London. It was great to explore and gradually get to know the city. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I never felt threatened in London. Some countries Europe were less secure - I was pickpocketed in Barcelona which cost me more than $600. Students need to be aware of their personal space at all times. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Living in London was extremely expensive. I would place my expenses at at least $200 a week. Food is particularly expensive in London. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Students going to London probably understand that it is going to be incredibly expensive. If you have cooking skills you can mitigate this to some degree to cooking at home. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 400 |
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 do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Just study abroad. Any anxieties that you may have before you leave will seem petty after a few days outside of America. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
The New Security Agenda |
| Course Department: | PoliSci |
| Instructor: | Christopher Coker |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Coker's seminar was one of the most engaging academic experiences of my college career. I recommend the course wholeheartedly. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No |
