An Adventure to Remember! Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 10/03/2016 to 12/16/2016 with
University College London (UCL): London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
My experience was definitely worthwhile. I had the opportunity to travel, meet other people from vastly different backgrounds, and experience living and studying in an equally different academic culture.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes were slightly less rigorous than what I was used to at Wellesley, but still challenging. Professors made themselves available to students. Exams at the end were fair and in line with the expectations of the class throughout the semester. However, there were multiple times when I left a class feeling as though I had not learned anything--neither art history content nor the less tangible academic skills (like analysis, problem-solving, writing skills, etc). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
There was not a lot of communication between the administration and students. For example, I was not aware that the first two weeks I would be on site I had minimal to no obligations. Had I known this, I may have planned in advance more trips given my days of free time. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The dorm I lived in was always clean, a decent size, safe, and had a great location. It was also very reasonably priced! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
While I loved living in London and being abroad in general, I was not very satisfied with my classes and with the general UCL administration. |
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) |
While London is a more expensive city, there were ways to save money. It helped that I had 10 meals a week provided in my dorm. Then on weekends we found deals for food or cooked in a group. In general, I looked for student discounts for anything I bought or did. |
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
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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? | I wish I had had a better grasp on what the actual classroom expectations of me would be (insofar as it being very minimal, for art history at least) and that I would have time at the beginning of my program for travel. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
