A Great London Experience Past Review
By Megan A (Marketing Communication, Emerson College) - abroad from 01/02/2014 to 05/24/2014 with
Arcadia: London - University of Westminster
I learned a lot about myself as a traveller, student, and friend. I was able to see different cultures and meet tons of new people. I'm able to look at America differently and appreciate what I have at home. It was definitely worthwhile, even for the amount of money I spent!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The UK education is different from that of America's, so it depends. As a second semester sophomore, I took classes that first year university students took, so I found my classes easy. I think the content is usually easy enough - the hardest part of the academic side is time management. Some courses I felt had professors that weren't properly qualified. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I wasn't impressed with Arcadia before leaving for England. I felt that the representative that was emailing us didn't actually know anything about the program or the school - when I asked questions I often got a reply that didn't answer them. Arcadia in England, however, was more organised and efficient. I didn't utilise all the resources that Arcadia made available, but I knew they were there. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in Alexander Fleming, and I was overall happy living there. I was in a single in a flat of 6 people. I liked the area of Shoreditch and felt that I was right in the city. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
More often than not, international students are grouped together. This meant that I was able to meet people from all around the world, but not really any British students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any experience with health care. |
| * Safety: |
I felt safe, but partly because I live in a city at home. You have to be careful and be aware of your surroundings, but as long as you're smart, you'll be safe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
London is expensive! I travelled almost every weekend, so that added up too. Overall I spent way more than I thought, but I still believe it was worth it. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy plane tickets early, buy store brand, don't buy more food than you can eat, avoid going out for dinner and drinks everyday (instead buy your own)! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | The experience is what you make it! It's all up to you how much fun you have. |
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. |
