The scariest thing that I have ever done, but so so worth it Past Review
By Sarah Labady (University of Hartford) - abroad from 09/14/2016 to 12/21/2016 with
Regent’s University London: Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned how self sufficient I am. How good I am at problem solving. I became more financially consious and I have a better understanding of the importance of budgeting. I learned to not take life too seriously and I think all of these are so worthwhile.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was very difficult to get used to not having many assignments but having assignments that were weighted heavily |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
At first I was not able to take the classes that my home institution approved on and I did not find out until I got there. It was a very frustrating situtation and I had to get nearly 20 courses approved because they do not know what courses are being offered, you have to choose blindly and hope for the best which was an inconvenience |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was impeccable. I stayed in Regents park and the upkeep was incredible as well as the cleanliness. It was a very nice area to live in and very close to everything. very easy to get around |
| * Food: |
Absolutely horrendous most days, only occasionally was the food actually edible. I found myself eating out a lot of the time i was there |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The transition was hard at first but by the end I felt as though I were home. The locals were very friendly and eager to get to know what the US is like and how things are different. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Very well secured in housing especially at night. I think the only thing is when you are out and about in the city, be sure to pay attention to your belongings. But it is the same in any city. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I would want to study abroad in France. I think that was the only thing I wish I did because I have always wanted to live there. I went to France twice though during my time abroad. |
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) |
Not very easy, I did not plan for enough money and I did not take into account just how much it would be living abroad. Also I ate out a lot because the campus food was inedible. I also travelled around Europe so I did not account for that either. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent roughly 200 a week sometimes more |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I think that in order to do everything you want to do abroad to think of a number in your head, for example $3000, and then add another $1500 just to be safe. Also sometimes things come up and you have to spend $50 to get home so make sure to have emergency money. The scholarship helped a lot so be sure to apply for it it is very helpful. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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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| 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? |
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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 wish I knew how to budget better and planned for more money. I also wish I knew just how bad being homesick was before I went because I felt like nobody ever really talked about it. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Early Renaissance Art and Society |
| Course Department: | Art History |
| Instructor: | Julia Weiner |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Incredibly challenging and the professor graded very harshly. The field trips to the different museums with both replicas and actual works of art was very interesting. The tutor knew a lot about the subject and was very passionate about it. I participated the same amount and the only thing we were assessed on was two papers and one written exam |
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