Experience of a lifetime Past Review

By (Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/01/2019 to 05/31/2019 with

Arcadia: London - King's College London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Incredibly worthwhile. I did abroad in a way that let me see the world, explore different cultures, learn about the history and art of the cities I visited. Some do abroad a bit differently and simply go to party. I traveled more than most and I learned more than I could have possibly learned by sitting in a classroom. You not only learn about different cities and cultures, but you learn how to be independent and problem solve when things don't go your way in a city where you don't speak the language.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Really what you make of it, some of my classes were interesting and could be rigorous if you put in a lot of effort. Resources were also somewhat available if sought out but not nearly what it compares to home university.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Arcadia has a physical location a 10 min walk from KCL strand campus, which is great for free printing. Otherwise, I didn't have any involvement with Arcadia throughout the semester.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Facilities were nice but incredibly expensive (Moonraker Point). Not sound proof at all and had extremely loud and inconsiderate neighbors.

* Food:

Cooked yourself, fully equiped kitchen

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Very integrated with London as a city (learning your way around and understanding certain cultural aspects), but Brits in general aren't particularly friendly and didnt make much of an effort

* 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? Yes

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)

I traveled a lot, so expenses seriously added up and London is an incredibly expensive city to live in generally (food and public transport especially). And that's coming from a New Yorker.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Use skyscanner to find cheapest flights and find someone without a previous airbnb account to share new user codes for $40 off (or use new emails). KAHAL is a great Jewish organization that will give you money for traveling if you're Jewish.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Living in London
* What could be improved?
  • Arcadia could have been more involved in my experience. I didn't really have any interaction with them all semester.
  • The orientation was too early and unnecessary. For KCL, we had to show up a full 2 weeks before classes started which was completely unnecessary
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known what to expect for the program, especially in regard to academics and the very different educational system in the UK.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Avid Adventurer
The 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.