Cheers to the Best 5 Months Past Review

By (Mathematics, Statistics, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/04/2015 to 06/06/2015 with

Arcadia: London - Queen Mary University of London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Studying abroad was one of the best decisions I ever made. After this semester I am confident that wherever I go in my life I will be able to handle myself in new situations, navigate new places, and befriend people from all over. London is an amazing city and I can see myself living there at some point in my life.

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.

I took all first- and second-year courses, but even so, they were not nearly as challenging as classes I've taken at Brandeis. I think that just comes down to the university system in the UK -- pretty much your entire grade is based on a final exam/paper, and there are very few graded assignments during the semester. (Which was amazing, as it gave me tons of time to travel and explore London.)

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived on campus in QMUL housing and my dorm was one of the newest. There were 11 of us in my flat, all singles with our own bathrooms and one huge shared kitchen. (Each building has a different set-up.) A few of my flatmates were Americans studying abroad, and the rest were full-time QMUL students from the UK and elsewhere.

* Food:

No one really does meal plans here. At first I was a little worried about cooking for myself but once I got into a routine it was fine. There's a Sainsbury's right across the street from campus so grocery shopping couldn't be easier. Eating out gets expensive but there are lots of good curry places nearby, one of the perks of being in the East End.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

London is such a multicultural city, so it wasn't too hard to feel integrated. It really helped that one of my British flatmates invited me out to gatherings with her friends, so from the beginning I felt like I was having a real British experience. I also tried to see as much of London as humanly possible, and by the end I felt like I knew the city (and the tube map) like the back of my hand and really felt like true Londoner.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I was not feeling well for most of March actually, but HTH made it really easy. I found a doctor using their search engine and they covered the visits and reimbursed me for prescriptions.

* Safety:

I had read about the East End before going abroad, and phrases like "up and coming" and "a bit seedy" were used a lot. But really, it's not bad. Sure, the area where QMUL is located is not your idyllic image of London, but it is by no means unsafe. It's really not much different from Waltham safety-wise. I never had any issues. Just use your common sense.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $150-200?
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Try to cook for yourself as much as possible, and take advantage of free things to do in London -- there's plenty! Don't spend money on things you can do/buy at home; save it for unique things/experiences. Definitely get a student oystercard for travel throughout London, and if you think you'll be travelling a lot through the UK, a national rail student card is worth it as well because it gives you 30% off train fare. As far as travelling, easyJet, Ryanair, and hostelworld.com are your best friends.

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

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • LOVED living in/exploring London
  • Class schedule allowed for lots of time to travel
  • Living and taking classes with British/international students was the best way to integrate into UK life
* What could be improved?
  • Caliber of the classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Wish I had known how amazing this semester would be, I would have saved myself a lot of anxiety. And I shouldn't have bought the bedding and kitchen packs through Queen Mary -- you can easily get the same stuff cheaper from Primark

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Statistical Modelling I

Course Department: Mathematical Sciences
Instructor: Barbara Bogacka
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Prof. Bogacka is a very dry lecturer, but if you can get yourself to pay attention in class then it's not a complete waste of time. The lab sessions were helpful (one hour per week where we did hands-on modelling in Minitab). The class felt like a breeze until the final exam rolled around -- worth 90% of your grade!!
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Organisational Behaviour

Course Department: Business and Management
Instructor: Gerard Hanlon
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Not a very difficult course -- one paper for 40% and 60% final exam where the question was given in advance. But Prof. Hanlon was a very engaging lecturer.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Architecture in London II: 1837-Present

Course Department: History
Instructor: Eva Branscome
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Great class! It met once a week and every other week alternated between lecture/seminar and site visit. A learned a lot about London, and the site visits were a great way to see parts of the city that I never would have known about otherwise.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Global Worlds

Course Department: Geography
Instructor: Cathy McIlwaine
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The class was new this year and taught by four professors -- mainly Prof. McIlwaine, but three other profs taught various weeks. I took it thinking it would be like an anthropology class...but I'm really not sure what it was. The material was extremely basic and very broad, I feel like we spent the whole semester defining poverty, globalization, and diaspora. BS class, really not worth your time.
Credit Transfer Issues: