Theatre program in one of the world's most vibrant cultural capitals! Past Review

By (Theatre Studies and Political Science, Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/08/2014 to 12/12/2014 with

London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art: London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was absolutely worthwhile. I gained a new perspective on how I view myself as an American and as a Filipino-American while in London. I learned from seeing so much London/West End theatre and about the culture around the arts. I gained a new love in my life -- London.

Review Photos

London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art: London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange Photo London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art: London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange Photo London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art: London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange Photo London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art: London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange Photo London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art: London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I give it 4 stars for rigor, intensity, and resources with the caveat that students looking for an artistic conservatory environment, they will find this program physically and creatively rigorous but students looking for an academic environment will not find this program academically rigorous.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

There were a lot of space issues (there is a new rebuilding campaign for the school and therefore old spaces were being torn down) and organization miscommunications.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Highly expensive, terrible customer service, and relatively uncomfortable bedrooms even outside the central zone (Zone 1) of London.

* Food:

Be prepared to cook for yourself in order to stay on-budget and be ready to spend money if you plan to go out for meals.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Most people in my program were Americans or various other Europeans. However, the program did allow us to have most weekday evenings and weekends off meaning there were opportunities to explore the city and country.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The local healthcare system was difficult to access. I did no need any vaccines for this program but getting one's flu shot might be recommended if attending the fall semester.

* Safety:

London is a great city and generally very safe, keeping in mind of course common sense when walking alone, at night, and if a woman (sad but true fact still). Greater London area, as long as you know where the safe and not-so-safe streets are, were also fine to navigate.

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)

It depends what your budget is. Shopping for one's own food is a big help and being conscious of how much you spend every week is good, financial sense. Otherwise, London is expensive and going out every night (plus drinks, going to clubs and parties, seeing lots of shows) was not doable budget-wise for me.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Food was approximately 30-40 pounds with a shopping trip every week or two. Added to that any coffee/tea/snack runs and another 30-40 pounds. Seeing 1-2 shows a week added another 15-25 pounds.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Prioritize. For me, my priorities were seeing as many shows and going on as many day trips as possible therefore I put most of my money towards those expenses rather than things like shopping, drinking lots of alcohol, or going to expensive clubs and bars. Buy a monthly or weekly Oyster pass and apply for a student Oyster card as soon as you land! Because LAMDA is an accredited university, you can apply for a student discount which means you can get up to 30% off rates. Walk everywhere -- if you're willing to do so, you can see more of the city without paying excessive amounts for transportation (unless of course you buy a week/month pass in which case I took advantage of traveling as much as I could).

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • 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?
  • Conservatory/technical training
  • Network and resources I gained access to
  • School-sponsored cultural and historical trips
* What could be improved?
  • More interaction with local students
  • Better organization with class schedules and spaces
  • Separation by skill level for classes and workshops in order for everyone to improve relative to skill level
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known to save up more funds for pocket money and that I had brought more money in cash rather than withdrawing money from ATM's which charged me foreign fees that really added up.

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!