London: Expanded learning to a global level Past Review
By Alice L (Economics., Wellesley College) for
University College London (UCL): London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Definitely, I really enjoyed UCL! The best part was expanding my economics knowledge to a more global and applicable scale. I learned more in my courses abroad than I thought I would and these skills along with the international exposure has allowed me to grow and become a more marketable person.
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. |
Grading system is very different from the US, so be aware of that. Overall, great academic experience. It was nice to have exposure to real-world applications that came from studying at such a global university. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Accessibility: good Ability to get things done: slower, requires more patience Program size: large Knowledge about American higher education: good Expectations: exceeded |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Shafer hall is in a safe location and very close to UCL and the main street Tottenham Court Road. Most affiliates were placed with other affiliate students, which I disliked. It made it more difficult to make friends with locals. |
| * Food: |
Cooked for myself |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Day trip to Stonehenge, Bath, Windsor Castle. Traveling to other european countries during the longer weekends. Going to broadway shows, museums, restaurants, tourist attractions... |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Studied abroad for less than a full year so did not have insurance coverage. So while health care was accessible, it would have been very expensive. Some food poisoning from vegetables bought from the grocery store (food expires fast in London, so be sure to check expiration date)! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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? | 40 pounds on average |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Definitely budget, London can be very expensive, especially with all the things you will want to do. Find places to cut costs. Transportation costs can add up quickly, if you are going to use the tube a lot, invest in a monthly pass. Also, cell phone usage can be quite pricey. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Be open-minded, take courses outside your comfort zone, take advantage of every day in another country by setting a schedule of things you plan to do. For example, museums in London are great and free. So, every Thursday, my friends and I had a museum we would go to. The goal would be to have gone to every major museum in London before the end of the Semester. Don't spend all your time in your room. |
