Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The Biggest Little Trip to Grow as a Person! Past Review

By (Communication Studies, Pace University) - abroad from 09/03/2012 to 12/21/2012 with

Regent’s University London: Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Having been to London before, and lived in England for a year, I learned more about being an adult and how to take care of myself. I was going to school, but I was paying my bills, commuting about an hour each day, and was holding myself to a level of punctuality that made me responsible for everything I did (with no safety net) It was 100% worthwhile and I would do it again if I could.

Review Photos

Regent's American College London: London - Direct Enrollment/Exchange Photo Regent's American College London: London - Direct Enrollment/Exchange Photo Regent's American College London: London - Direct Enrollment/Exchange Photo Regent's American College London: London - Direct Enrollment/Exchange Photo

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.

All the classes were very informative in the classroom, but they wanted (and required) you to go to in into London and experience what you were learning and apply to the city at large.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They were very helpful and strict where they needed to be. Sometimes it was hard to get an immediate response, but you always got it in a timely manner.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived off campus and I provided my own living arrangements.

* Food:

I provided my own food and I never ate in the dining establishments at the college.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I had a great integration into the culture within the school and within the city. My perspective was skewed compared to others because I had lived there before and I was living with people in the suburbs that I know very well.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had any health issues while being there and never had to seek any healthcare.

* Safety:

London is as large a city as any, so it has its various neighborhoods that could be good or bad. I never felt as if I was in danger, but I lived in a more residential and "scary" neighborhood that might not be as friendly for most, but coming from New York, I knew the rules of being in a city and how to recognize a bad situation when I saw one. My advice to anyone would be to explore as much as you can during the day to get your bearings so that if you get in a situation at night, you will have some points of reference to get yourself oriented.

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)

It helped that I lived with my girl friend, so we were able to split many of our costs and live on a strict budget.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? £50-75
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? If you can live in a place where you can cook, it will save you so much money. And with that money you save, you can put it aside for your travel.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • My professors, because they had so much experience in their field that they did not have to teach, all they had to do was tell us the true facts that got them to where they are today.
  • The diversity, in all aspects from race, age, class, etc.
  • The location. Regent's Park is one of the premiere royal parks of London, and how fortunate I was to be able to be in the school sitting in the middle of a beautiful landscape in the best city in the world.
* What could be improved?
  • Connectivity based events. I lived so far from school that I did not come into central London / Regent's on days that I did not have class. The addition of more events that are aimed at the study abroad students (all of them, not just the ones that lived on and near campus) would be a great addition.
  • More organized athletic activities. I joined the basketball team, but the organization was all over the place and it was very difficult to travel to and from the practice location and the game location. I know it has already changed since I've been there, but any improvements to make it easier to play/be a part of teams would be great.
  • Study abroad buddy. Such a local person attending the university who you are paired with that you can have a point of reference. Someone who volunteers to be a friend so that you (as a study coming abroad) can feel like you have a friend that can help you with any questions (personal or general) that you might have.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nothing. The experience of going somewhere for the first time with all the energy and excitement (and sometimes nervous) is a feeling that can be overshadowed and lost when you know too much about the experience already. Of course you should know the important stuff, such as transportation, money accessibility and options, legal things, and other stuff of that caliber, but if you know too much then that sense of exploration is lost and your trip has turned into a guided tour. So the advice in that would be to know the generals, but not the specifics so you can still wander onto your own path.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'