Past Review
By Jason H (Psychology, Economics, Tufts University) for
Royal Holloway, University of London: London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Study abroad is a good time to meet new people, explore different, cultures, try new things and to grow personally. I found this last aspect to be the most applicable. I went out on my own a significant amount, and experienced my trip in my own way. Further, managing your own life (food, travel, expenses) without supervision is great practice for living on your own post-college. This experience seemed the most akin to how life operates now.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Royal Holloway, University of London |
| The term and year this program took place: | Spring 2007 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
As a double major at Tufts, I needed to continue coursework in those two disciplines while abroad. The rigor of the American program allowed me to enroll in multiple high-level courses at Royal Holloway, which helped in not setting me back once I returned. British courses rely a significant amount on reading, which I found to be true -- RH is noted as an academically rigorous school, and the workload for some of the courses took a good deal of time. While reading was intense, the overall number of papers/problem sets was much lower than that to which I was accustomed in the US. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
A very new apartment-style dorm directly on campus. I had a single room with a full bed (!) and in-room personal bathroom. There were six such rooms with a shared kitchen for the whole apartment. <br /><br /> The facilities were fantastic -- everything was new and very clean. One main complaint would be that they schedule a fire alarm test every week, and ours was fairly early in the morning (8:30 am), which was not welcome. |
| * Food: |
I cooked my own food mostly, which ended up saving a good amount of money. One would be out of luck if they don't like to cook -- the campus options are generally pretty weak. There is a dining hall on campus, but it is not open for many hours. A cafe-style dining option is available in the student center, but would be expensive to use very often. There are a few good places around Egham (the town) to eat, but again this will get expensive. The Monkey's Forehead is a great bar, and also has quality traditional English fare. Monsoon Tandoori has very good Indian food, and a quality special on Sundays. If you really want to go out to eat, however, go downtown. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I spent a significant amount of time traveling, both within and outside the UK. The English school schedule (for me, 4 weeks off in April before a 4-week exam period) allowed plenty of flexibility in travel. I visited numerous places of interest around England, and thoroughly explored London as well. Over the 4-week break, I traveled with my parents to France and Greece, which was fantastic. I then set out on my own for a few weeks, heading to Italy, Spain and Belgium. Exploration on your own is great -- I was able to visit friends in many locations, was able to make my own schedule, and explore different cultures in my own way. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Abroad students had access to the nursing facilities on campus, which was useful. For students that needed, they also offered counseling service for free. The campus itself always felt safe. Egham is an upper-middle class suburb without a significant crime problem, so there was no creep from the surrounding area. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I don't remember exact amounts, but it can be difficult if you enjoy going out relatively often. I would estimate 40 pounds/week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The exchange rate (USD/GBP) has changed sigificantly since I was there (it is much more dollar-favorable now, as I was there at the height of Pound success). However, some tips will still be applicable: -Save up a good amount of money before you come, so you can have a comfortable bubble before you begin to hit your parents up for more $ -Try to cook as much of your own food as you are comfortable doing. This will save significantly over eating out, which is, on average, more expensive than in the US -Make sure to ask for the student rate when you buy regional rail tickets -- they are there! Also, check the website for special rates. -When traveling out of the country, always check flights from RyanAir and EasyJet first -- they fly out of London Luton and London Stansted airports and are almost always the cheapest option. -Even if you don't go into London often, get an Oyster Card for when you are there. This is the London Underground tube passcard, and offers a significant discount over buying a single ticket (more than a dollar a trip). You can get them at most/any tube station, and can add more value to it online or at the kiosks in the stations. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | This program is particularly good for integrating directly into a campus with solid core academic programs. There are numerous campus activities to get involved in, which is a good way to connect with students. However, if you really want to explore London, I would choose a school that is in the city or closer to the action (read: on a Tube line). I wanted to explore the city a lot, and this did become quite expensive...you really need to make almost a 'day' of it when you go, and can't stay out too late (last train back is at midnight)...unless you want to stay out all night at clubs that provide this option! |
