AIU London, and experience of a Life Time!! Past Review
By Jaz' B (Apparel Studies, University of Arkansas - Fayetteville) for
Regent’s University London: Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned how to become more responsible about school work, and I also learned avaluable information in my field of study. I gained networking connections and I participated in activities that I would never get the opportunity to participate in at my home university. I also made new friends, and thats always a plus!
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Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The teaching methods are different from the Univeristy of Arkansas. You are expected to do a significant amount of work outside of class as well as in class. The teachers will not force you to do your work. The grading system is also different. A's in the U.S. are not considsered A's in England; its about a C+. I actually liked their educational system better because there was more hands on work and going out into the city to do homework projects verse worksheets, and quizzes and exams over everything you learn. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The support services were pretty good. If I ever had questions or needed help I was able to call advisors and they would get me the help I needed. The program size was relatively small, and I liked that aspect. There was more room available for one on one communication with teachers, and it gave me the opportunity to build relationships with my classmates. My expectations were met with the university as a whole. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was able to choose my flat mates prior to arriving in London. That made it more comfortable for me. We all got along great and built friendships that lasted beyond the program. Having my own bed and bathroom was also great! We were placed in a dorm that had just been built so everything was brand new. My only complaint about the dorm was its location. We were at least 30 minutes away from the campus, and the dorm was located in an area that would not be appealing to tourists. If we wanted to go out for an evening we had to take the tube to a different part of the city. There were not many good shopping areas around the dorm either. |
| * Food: |
The food was my biggest issue while being in London. I just could not get accustomed to the blandness of the foods. Everything, including beverages have a weird after taste. So I mostly ate Mcdonalds, and my room mates and I would cook on occassion. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I loved the tourist walks that we took around London. The city is absolutely beautiful! AIU had a list of events set up for the study abroad students. This we perfect for when we needed something to do to get our mind off of school for a night. We went to many historic cites as well. Our trip to Paris was the most memorable for me. We went to most of the tourist cites there as well. I never thought I would get the opportunity to see the Effel Tower in person. And Paris was a beautiful city as well! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
A had no safety issues while being in London. But it would be a good idea for future students to pack meds from home in case you catch a small cold or something of that sort. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The cost of living in London is much more expensive than in the U.S. Setting a budget for food, activities, and transportation each week will help you to manage your money. Also take into account the spending you will be doing for each of your classes. This was unexpected for me, so I really had to budget myself! |
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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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I would not recommend anyone to take independent study courses while studying abroad. I took two courses on top of three classes from the study abroad university. It was VERY difficult to keep up with both work loads and I rarely had any free time. I had to remain dedicated to only my studies, and only on select weekends was I able to go out with the rest of the students. If a student has to take independent study courses, I would suggest only taking one, or trying to complete most of the assignments before leaving to study abroad. |
