London for a Break Past Review
By A student (Mathematics & Computer Science, Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/30/2013 to 12/13/2013 with
University College London (UCL): London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
It was definitely worthwhile since it was something different. I learned a lot about the world and other people while going abroad, though it wasn't the lifechanging experience it is for some people. I think I would have tried to be more cognizant of my spending habits and also travel more (a paradox, I know).
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Definitely does not compare to the intense environment of a small liberal arts school. There were plenty of resources, but the classes were not personalized. This is biased toward my experience; the professors, however, were certainly knowledgeable. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The international studies office is rather slow to respond to things. I didn't deal with them much, but it always seems that they have a backlog of things to respond to |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved Frances Gardner! The right amount of privacy and community--I had a single room but shared the kitchen with 7 other students, and it was a very nice common space. It's definitely international-student heavy, and it was just my bad luck that I lived in a flat with other Americans. |
| * Food: |
I mainly cooked for myself. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I definitely felt "American" while I was there. There were definitely moments when I didn't integrate well, but that's the whole point of going abroad! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The clinic I went to was small and crowded (being in central London) so I had to wait a little longer but the service was fantastic! |
| * Safety: |
London is pretty safe. The main thing is to be aware--I had a friend who had her smartphone snatched while she was walking around, lost, her first week. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 120-200 pounds a week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I guess, set a budget. |
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? | 0 |
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? | N/A |
