Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Beautiful Social Life, Disappointing Academic Experience Past Review

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/15/2018 to 05/02/2019 with

King's College London: London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I became far more confident, developed better independency skills, and came away feeling a lot more optimistic about my place in the world. It was certainly worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

My frustrating academic experiences had nothing to do with anything KCL did wrong. Rather, because KCL has no equivalent department for my Women's and Gender Studies major, I had to take classes across different departments. Coming in with a WGST-centric liberal arts background rather than the standard academic experiences of a third-year British uni student, I felt my contributions in seminars were considered to be off-track or not constructive. I also struggled to produce work on par with my non-study-abroad peers, who completed their exams with several semesters of studying in their particular department under their belt.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

n/a

* 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? Yes

Based on the lifelong friendships I made, the extracurriculars in which I was involved, and the fondness I have for the city of London, I would chose the same program. I did not study abroad for the academic experience, and though I wish I could've had opportunities to be more academically engaged, the friends I made and experiences I had made that disappointment more than worth it.

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)

London is expensive! Plus, walking to uni was not an option for me based on where I was living, so I spent a lot on public transportation.

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? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Student theatre
  • Accessibility of professional theatre in London
  • Location of campus (central London)
* What could be improved?
  • n/a
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The British university system is dramatically different from the American one, and it is incredibly difficult to fudge your way through classes outside of your major and coming from a liberal arts background without the background knowledge of your peers, who have been studying this subject for several semesters already.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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.