A Year at the London School of Economics: Challenging but Rewarding Past Review

By Alyssa N (Economics., Wellesley College) for

London School of Economics (LSE): London - General Course, Year-Long Study Abroad Programme

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I feel that I gained a lot from having the new experience of living in London for a year (as opposed to a semester), which allowed me to interact with the people and the culture over a longer time period, and attending a UK institution, which is substantially different from those in the U.S. I also am happy about the intellectual challenges the institution offered. It has stimulated my interest in economics and has partly steered me towards a career relating to policy formation.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	In terms of administration, most of my expectations were met. I had great access to their support services (e.g. IT, residential).
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* 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:
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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	Food and personal expenses largely depend on the student's lifestyle. When I did not go out or spend much, I could get through a week with approximately 200 US dollars a week. However, prices are quite high in London, and the upper limit on such expenses would be quite high if one were to start spending a lot on food and entertainment.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Food is quite expensive, but such expenses can be minimized if one can gain access to a kitchen and cook for oneself rather than eat out at restaurants.