Studying abroad has inspired me to move to Europe after graduation! Past Review
By Leah P (Apparel Marketing, Kansas State University) for
Regent’s University London: Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Yes it was the best decision I ever made and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I can't wait to get back to Europe and experience even more cultures and lifestyles.
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I had very mixed feelings about value of the education I received while at AIU London. I believe in general the European school system is very different from the American so it did take some getting used to. I found that teachers do not give much direction, do not like to be asked questions and are not much interested in assisting students in any way. They believe for the most part students should be creative and think completely on their own. I often felt very overwhelmed by my work load combined with my actual time spent working at my internship. I pulled many all nighters and never got enough rest and wast typically exhausted. The grading system was very confusing, because most teachers never explained or told us how things would be graded. However I do know at the end of the term a lot of students were very upset, because they thought the teachers graded too hard and that they deserved better grades than they were given. I also believed I should have gotten better grades than I did in one of my classes. The other two I was satisfied with. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I had positive and negative experiences with the administration while abroad. I did have some personal issues that I attempted to seek assistance with, however it was very difficult to gain assistance due to certain members being away on long vacations or other reasons. The culture of assistance is just different there and they are not available as much as the administration in America seems to be. It seemed a lot of the times the administration was not really involved with the school or classes. It seemed that there was no one ultimately in charge who knew what was going on in the classes and if expectations were being met. I ultimately was not satisfied with the AIU administration. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My only problem with the housing was that there was never anyone at the front desk to assist with any needs and I rarely ever saw my RA. |
| * Food: |
The kitchen was satisfactory to cook in. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Every thing I experienced outside of school while abroad was truly amazing and life changing. I took part in many cultural learning activities such as a trips all over England and a trip to Paris organized though AIU. I also took part in many activities and trips all over Europe on my own and with friends. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe once while in London and very rarely at all in the rest of Europe even when I was traveling alone in countries where English was not spoken. |
| 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? | It varied, but I spent a lot each week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | There is truly no way of knowing how much you will spend while studying abroad. I was shocked at how much more i spent and needed while abroad than I had originally thought. I needed lots of extra expenses for traveling emergencies, and school supplies. I would just advise to save as much money as possible then add to that, because unexpected costs will come up every single day. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
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 did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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