Classes were great; cultural experience and support was minimal. Past Review

By (Neurobiology and Neurosciences., Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/22/2014 to 12/12/2014 with

King's College London: London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to spend time by myself without feeling lonely, how to navigate a city, and how to attend classes that I'm not used to. I'm glad I did it, but I wouldn't recommend this program or even London in general.

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

Things were fairly disorganized; I couldn't get an accurate copy of my schedule of meeting times and places until a week after classes started, which seems really ridiculous to me.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived 4 miles off campus and ended up paying a lot for transportation, which was unexpected. Also, the housing had several issues with the WiFi, fire alarms, etc.

* Food:

no food was provided.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I didn't feel like we had good opportunities to get to know UK students, only other Americans. And group activities were limited in scope, mostly took place at bars, and mostly took place in the first week.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The school was of no help when I got an ear infection-the health center asked me to come back in a week, which is much longer than anyone should have to wait. But I was able to go to an urgent care center, not affiliated with the college, quite easily.

* Safety:

I lived in an area of the city in which I did not feel comfortable walking around alone, especially after dark. It was not well lit, was a bit far from a bus stop, and we didn't have any instruction/support on how to stay safe

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cook for yourself, do not eat out.

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?
  • Classes/Teachers
* What could be improved?
  • Organization
  • Student Support
  • Housing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that some dorms were very far off campus, making it difficult and expensive to commute. Also, I wish I knew that most of the students I would meet would be either American, or if they were from the UK, they would be freshmen. The age/maturity gap was extremely apparent, and it was weird for me (21 years old) to be living with mostly 18 year olds.

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:

Social Medicine

Course Department: Social Science, Health & Medicine
Instructor: Orkideh Behrouzan
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Good level of challenge, reasonable and clear expectations, assessment all through papers and small amount through participation.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.
Course Name/Rating:

Global Health

Course Department: Social Science, Health & Medicine
Instructor: Bronwyn Parry
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Expectations were unclear at times, but teacher was knowledgeable. I participated a bit less than I would at home (class size was large). Assessment was purely by essay.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.
Course Name/Rating:

Health & Society

Course Department: Medicine
Instructor: Mathew Todres
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Assessed by paper, journal entry and presentation. Participated a lot, class size was small and intimate, I felt like I learned a lot and there were great field trips.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.
Course Name/Rating:

Economic & Social Change in Postwar Europe

Course Department: Geography
Instructor: Chris Hamnett
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Professor was wonderful. Mostly a lecture, so did not participate much at all. Assessment was by paper.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.