Rewarding and Unique Experience Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The UK education system is very different and incredibly reliant on students to be self motivated and proactive in their education. There is very little class time and interaction with teachers, and 90% of the learning I did was on my own time in readings, research, and projects. Given the prestige of the institution the environment is very competitive but incredibly rewarding if you're willing to put in the work. One must take full advantage of all the incredible resources available at LSE, it is incredibly rare.

On-site administration of your program

The General Course is a very organized and well planned program for students coming from all over the world. There are many events (such as parties, socials gatherings, concerts, etc) that allow all general course students to interact and get to know each other. Furthermore, it is easy to also participate in events for all LSE students. It truly feels like you're an LSE student for a year, as you take all the same classes, do the same work, take the same exams, and can participate in the same sports/social/extracurricular activities. The only thing that was a little bit of a problem was that sometimes professors would be unaware that General Course students are graded slightly differently than regular LSE students and in some occasions it could put a GC student at a disadvantage. For example, projects that LSE students do (formatives) don't count for a grade, and thus professors tend to grade harder than usual on those, but formative grades do count towards a GC student's final grades. But this is very small and I don't think has a huge impact on the overall experience.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I didn't stay in LSE housing but rather UoL houseing, but the location and experience was wonderful nonetheless. I stayed right by Kings Cross station and had access to the entire city through the tube, and was a walkable distance from campus.

Food on campus is accessible, reasonably priced, and pretty good. But there are also a lot of cafes, restaurants, etc near campus which is convenient.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It was easy to integrate as I was active in participating in different activities. I joined a sports team which is easy to do at LSE and I'd encourage students to attend the club/sports fairs at the beginning of the year, as my volleyball team was a huge part of my social life there and also allowed me to travel a little to compete. Furthermore, I worked part time at a local restaurant and was really able to interact with locals and tourists alike, which was a whole different experience.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Health care was amazing in the UK. With your visa, you pay a small health fee and have FULL access to NHS. All you have to do is register with a local GP, which you can do easily online, and you have easy access to any health care you need. My doctor was great and easily accessible.

London is overall pretty safe, as it is always busy even later in the night. I've walked home at 1-2am after work all the time and never felt too unsafe. One just has to be aware of your surroundings and walk in well lit/populated areas. The bigger danger in London is theft, me and several people I know had things stolen e.g. wallets, phones, money, etc. You just have to be very careful and wary of pickpockets and people who may approach you/trick you and take your stuff when you're not paying attention. Secure your stuff very well in your bags, zipped up, and if you don't have to, don't bring too much cash/credit cards and other important things with you.

LSE is a prestigious university, and as a history and political science major it was a very rewarding experience, especially because I took advantage of all the unique opportunities available at an institution like LSE. You get to live and attend classes with local students and are fully immersed as truly an LSE student for the whole year, which many other programs do not allow. London is also an incredible city, and you can easily (and cheaply) travel to many parts of Europe and you will have a lot of free time to do so. It really opened my eyes both academically and personally to a whole new world. The professors are amazing and so knowledgeable, and you meet really interesting people from all over the world. The fact that it is a full year program is also great because just one semester wouldn't do the school or the city justice.

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

London is a very expensive city to live in, and even in student housing the rent is very high. Food tends to be expensive but I was able to budget decently well and cooked every night. I tended not to eat out and attend social events as often because I could not afford to do so all the time. I worked 20 hours a week at a restaurant which helped pay for my groceries, but I still relied on my parents and loans to pay for rent and tuition. Some plusses are for example phone plans are much cheaper in Europe, and you don't really need to pay for textbooks at LSE as everything you need is available online or at the library. Overall, one has to be very careful and if your budget is limited, find a job like I did to cover your basic expenses.

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