Amazing experience! Past Review

By (Computer Science, University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse) - abroad from 08/23/2012 to 12/23/2012 with

University of Wisconsin La Crosse: London - Study Abroad and Internships through Birkbeck University

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned to appreciate what I have at home, and that everyone does things differently which makes every experience very different and fun. Very worthwhile

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Just go to class occasionally.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

One advisor bailed half way through the semester, the remaining advisor would only help you if she was backed into a corner it seemed.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Security was a pain in the butt and they charge you 9 pounds for 2 loads! that is almost $16! The location was awesome though.

* Food:

Meh food in the UK was nothing to brag about, but that is not why I studied here. In Rome it is amazing though!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

You fit in pretty well relatively quickly, their accents take some getting used to though.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

We had to go to the hospital once because my friend was not feeling well. It was the same as here, sitting around in the ER for hours waiting for him to be looked at.

* Safety:

London felt incredibly safe, we were walking around all parts of London at all times of the day and night and never felt threatened. Just keep you lady friends with you, the Brits are a little aggressive when they start drinking.

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)

I lived on around $200-400 a week because the value of the dollar is cut in half. I saved up around $5000 over the summer and went though it very quickly because it was only worth a little more than 2000pounds.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $200-400
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make you own food, buy your food from Iceland (their version of the dollar store), buy your alcohol smartly and drink before you go out. The cheapest beer you can get at a club is 5pounds, about 8 dollars and mixed drinks are exponentially more.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • Night Life
  • Traveling to different countries
* What could be improved?
  • Nido student housing
  • The US dollar
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Be prepared to come home with no money.

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 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Art in London

Course Department: Study Abroad Department
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class was only available to study abroad students, so only for students who are not in London for the class but the experiences. They brought us to some neat museums, but we would only look at 2 or 3 art pieces in the ENTIRE 3 hour class. On top of this, this class had by far the biggest work load compared to my other three classes. Overall this class was neat for the museums, but we still had to pay to get into a few of them and we could just do this alone, and they made us do an incredible amount of work. DO NOT TAKE.
Credit Transfer Issues: Hopefully it transfers, but this class will just be a putty credit. It will not count for anything specific.