Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Perfectly suited to my interests. Also- why is there no option to add more courses? I took five courses while I was there. The fifth, which I didn't have space to list, was "Shakespeare's Contemporaries," which Tufts is giving me credit for as ENG 113 (Renaissance Drama).

On-site administration of your program

The office at Skidmore is less efficient than the office in London, but still got the job done. The people at the BADA (London) office are very friendly and knowledgeable. It's a small program, so everyone I talked to knew anything you could want to know- they only deal with American students, so they know what concerns you will have. No dealing with a big bureaucratic process.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Every BADA student is assigned to a flat in the Landward Apartments in central London, near Edgware Road. You live in flats of 4 or 6 (American) BADA students. A typical flat consisted of 3 bedrooms (each with two beds), two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a common room. Flats weren't in stellar condition, but they were definitely livable. <br /><br /> 4/5 only because of the amazingly convenient location. Five tube lines within a 10 minute walk, and a zillion bus connections. It's a little far from the class building (2 miles), but it's a nice walk through Regents Park. Again, they weren't *that* nice, but it's great having everyone in the program living in the same place. I wouldn't walk alone in the neighborhood at night, but that's normal for London. Generally I felt quite safe.

I only say 4/5 because of the terrible exchange rate. When I arrived in London, it was 2 USD to 1 GBP. It's central London: any kind of cuisine you want, they have, but it's not going to be cheap (unless it's sketchy). Grocery store on the same block as the flats. Canteen in the BADA building was decently priced. Also, BADA Shakespeare provides a stipend for food and travel expenses. In fall 08 it was $3700, which was more than enough. BADA London Theatre does not have this stipend.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The other students in the program were fantastic. In a group full of outgoing actors and other theatre-lovers with very similar interests, you're bound to make a lot of friends. Weekly theatre visits forced us to go out and explore the city together. BADA organized great events for us. The best was the trip to Stratford-upon-Avon. The London Theatre Program goes for one day, but the Shakespeare Programme goes for 4 days/3 nights. Train tickets, B&B lodging, and theatre tickets (to 3 RSC shows) are included in tuition. We attended shows, masterclasses, and talkbacks, and visited Shakespeare's birthplace. Group dinner at a restaurant one night was paid for by BADA. Definitely the highlight of the semester. Also, BADA throws a really fun Thanksgiving dinner party for all students (Shakespeare and LTP) and staff. It was great to celebrate together on the day we were all likely to be the most homesick.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No idea about health issues, because (fortunately) I had none. We did get a student insurance card from Skidmore, but I don't know exactly what that's for. Generally felt safe while I was there. The admin office kept copies of our passports and such, and had us list the locations we'd be traveling over fall break in case there were any problems.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

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• Apartment

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• Americans