An Alternate Reality College Experience Past Review

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/23/2019 to 12/14/2018 with

University College London (UCL): London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
As cliche as it sounds, I think I learned the most about other cultures through mere exposure effect. I tried my hardest to visit as many places as possible, and I loved learning about the culture and history of each place. I also took classes that weren't offered at my home university, so it was really cool to learn about topics I otherwise wouldn't have the chance to learn about. 1000% worthwhile - I would've loved to extend my stay for another semester if my schedule would have allowed for it.

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

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I found it pretty easy to balance the workload with my desire to explore London and travel to other European countries. I still learned a lot in my modules (classes), but I found my experiences in other cities to be the most irreplaceable experiences.

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? Depending on whether or not I was traveling, my spending ranged between 60 (groceries, going out, etc.) to 200 (when traveling/paying for every meal).
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? If your living arrangements don't have a meal plan, still try to cook as many of your meals as possible. Eating out adds up really quickly, and I found it easier to stick to a routine when I was meal prepping/cooking on a daily basis.

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

  • Dorm
* 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?
  • The flexibility with my schedule
  • The school events (such as winter carnivals/ice skating, student bar nights, etc.)
* What could be improved?
  • Meeting local students our age - b/c we lived with freshmen or other study abroad students, it was difficult to meet people our age.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That I should try to stick to a routine as much as possible. Since I was traveling so often and most of my flights were early mornings/late nights, my sleep schedule was all over the place. My eating/exercise habits also took a turn for the worse, and I realized that although I was living my dream (in terms of all the traveling), my body was struggling to keep up with all the changes. I needed to take care of myself more, health wise.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.