London Study Abroad: Incredible Experience, Incredible City, Average University Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The change in grading styles was a major adjustment- I am accustomed to regularly doing graded work and receiving feedback, so I had a difficult time coping with the fact that my marks would remain a mystery until the end of the semester. Because entire module grades may be dependent on as little as two 1500 word essays, it was difficult to know how many hours of work should be done for each class. The one type of assignment that required regular work was the weekly reflection log which I was assigned in three of my classes. I made sure to be thorough and thoughtful in every log, but it did still not seem to have the educational impact I had hoped an assignment worth as much as 30% of my final grade would have required. The classes themselves met much less frequently than they do in the United States- each class met only once a week for anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. All classes had one to two "reading weeks" in which class did not meet. Independent reading was not explicitly recommended in my classes, so throughout the semester, there was very little to do other than attend class (and, in my case, go to my internship). Nearly all of my work for each class was focused in the two to three weeks preceding each assignment's due date, but during that time, I worked longer hours than I have in the United States. The most negative aspect of the experience was the in-class atmosphere. Students were highly disrespectful to instructors and some of my instructors seemed to be much less knowledgeable about their subjects than my professors in the United States tend to be. From the marks I have received so far, I appear to have done reasonably well in my courses, but I feel that the system as a whole did not result in me learning as much about each subject as I would have in an American-style class on the same topic. This system appears to work well for UK students, but I am very accustomed to learning in an American classroom and I found it difficult to gain the thorough knowledge of a topic that I usually feel I have acquired at the end of a class.

On-site administration of your program

The program was so large (400 students) that students were not "cared for" in any way. I essentially became a Westminster student for a semester, minus the information and aid provided to actual first year Westminster students. Overall, I was able to manage my way through the semester without any major difficulties, but I did this without the assistance of the Education Abroad Team.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Though I was fortunate enough to have received one of my first choices for housing, I know of many other study abroad students who were informed very near to their start dates that they had been denied university housing and must independently find an apartment in London for the semester. I was initially assigned a smaller, more affordable room, but due to a clerical error on Westminster's part, this offer was revoked (after I had sent my deposit) and I was required to pay extra for a larger room. The dorm itself was the most affordable of the options and it is clear why- it is located in a less central area of London and is very poorly maintained. Much of the filth in my hall is due to the cleaning habits of the other students on my floor, but the rooms themselves are not well-maintained either: when I moved in, the walls were cracked and there appeared to be mold around the windows. I was required to purchase my own sheets and crockery upon arrival.

Food was not provided in any dining halls, but grocery stores and fast food shops are plentiful in London. I spent much more on food than I had originally budgeted, but this was largely because my dorm's kitchen was often unusable due to the cleaning standards of my floormates so I opted for pre-made or take away food instead. London grocery stores: Tesco, Sainsbury's, Co-Operative Food, M&S Food Hall. London fast meals: Eat, Pret a Manger, Costa, Pizza Express.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The university did advertise a tour program held through a third party which many direct-enroll students signed up for. This was an interesting, affordable, and social way to see England. I would give the tour company itself (Proscenium) five stars, but Westminster's involvement was only in the booking process so I cannot comment on their performance.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

All dorms were extremely tightly guarded 24 hours a day, so they were extremely safe. I had no health issues for the University to assist me with, so I cannot comment on the quality of their health services.

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

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• Dorm

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• Americans
• International Students
• Local Students

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• Central London location

• Interaction with English students