Not at all what I was hoping for Past Review
By Hailey (Virginia Commonwealth University / VCU) - abroad from 01/22/2018 to 05/25/2018 with
University of Westminster: London - Study Abroad Semester or Year with an Optional Internship
My internship went really well and I gained a lot of practical life experiences such as budgeting/travel/independence/etc. In the long run it was worth it yes, but London is not a place I would ever live. Don't go for Spring semester, it rained and was freezing the ENTIRE time.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The school system felt completely unorganized. I did not learn anything as my professors were rarely on time, did not seem to have control of the classroom, and fellow students never came to class or participated in group work. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
My counselors seemed disorganized, there were no group bonding activities or ways to feel connected to the school or fellow study abroad students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived off campus with family, but my friend on campus lived in awful dorms and experienced endless issues. |
| * Food: |
Campus food offered a few things for snacks but was close to great places. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Felt very multicultural, nothing very distinct to London. Great way to experience Middle Eastern cultures though! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
No interaction |
| * Safety: |
Campus felt safe enough, no issues. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
London is am amazing city and a great place, allowing you to visit other countries and try great food, but Westminster sucked as a university and I would not recommend it to anyone. |
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) |
Everything is highly expensive, it takes a lot of budgeting to successfully survive London. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I lived with family who paid for most of my groceries, but still about $200 a week . |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make use of student discounts, research cheap places, share meals with friends, and don't go with out a LOT of savings. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
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? | How the classes worked and what the school looked like/layout. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
