A brilliant education in independence. Past Review

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/19/2018 to 06/03/2019 with

Arcadia: London - Goldsmiths, University of London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

It was definitely worthwhile, since spending a full year in London, a place I was initially unfamiliar with and where I knew no one, I have found I've become far more self-possessed and able to takeon challenges. The experience endowed me a great amount of perspective and some of the most brilliant memories.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No I would have directly enrolled to the university.

Finances

* 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 including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	If you have the opportunity to work on a student visa, I'd recommend it.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language	Goldsmiths is an English-language program.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Living in London The people I met (not necessarily through the program) Being able to travel often and reasonably
* What could be improved?	Academic support Integration into the school
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I had known not to be so hard on myself as I went through the initial transition into life abroad.

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 Outright Urbanite A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Dustbowl to Dreamfactory
Course Department:	English and Comparitive Literature
Instructor:	Caroline Blinder
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	One of the best modules I took while at Goldsmiths. Caroline seamlessly meshed lecture and seminar and featured a fantastic syllabus featuring film, literature, both journalistic and fictional, and photography. We were marked based on our final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Understanding Advertising
Course Department:	Media and Communications
Instructor:	Milly Williams
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The course content was interesting however the approach to teaching felt really formulaic and boring at times. The seminar had the potential to be interesting, but students were not at all engaged. We were assessed on a final poster and paper.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Language and Gender
Course Department:	English and Comparitive Literature
Instructor:	Clare Anderson
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	A fantastic course which focused on a fascinating topic. Clare insured we read a a mix of theory and studies which are written from a variety of perspectives. The final research project was challenging in the best way, and she gave us ample opportunity to recieve feedback both from her and our peers.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Moderns
Course Department:	English and Comparitive Literature
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Great syllabus featuring key modernist works and overall interesting lecture despite how fast she presented the information. The seminar on the other hand felt redundant, with only a few students participating who seemed to get preferential treatment. We were marked on two papers.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Drama and Transgression
Course Department:	English and Comparitive Literature
Instructor:	Marie-Claud Conova Green
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course should not be offered to students who do not already have a deep knowledge of classics. The course material felt super inaccessable. I was assessed on a final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Psychology, Subjectivity and Power
Course Department:	Media and Communications
Instructor:	Louise Chambers
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	I really enjoyed the course. The material was dense and challenging at points, but Louise always presented information in an accessible way and often connected theory back to relevant examples pop culture. The seminar was also useful and I participated often. We were marked on a final paper.
Credit Transfer Issues: