<p>Well, I’m not any help, I’m afraid, because S1 has yet to decide on what he’s going to do. He had planned to go abroad this spring, but tit would have interfered with his preparation for LDAC (he’s in army ROTC). He’s pretty far ahead on credits, so is now considering requesting a leave of absence the fall of senior year, after his army training and evaluation has been done. That way his school shouldn’t have a problem with the shorter UK fall semester…</p>
<p>Last year we did a lot of research into the Arcadia programs, and were very impressed. The woman who assisted with could not have been any more helpful. Hope your D will have a wonderful time in Barcelona!</p>
<p>Im a current American student doing my junior year abroad at the University of St. Andrews. First and foremost, many UK schools start term in late September/ October, and therefore, since most American students have to be back at their home institution by the start of THEIR second semester, you will really only have about three months in the UK. Long story short, staying for the full year will be very beneficial.</p>
<p>As far as acommodation goes, i have found that it is true that American students who are enrolled for four years at university are often required to share rooms, however, most American study abroad students are given a single if that is their preferance.</p>
<p>“Cupcake” was correct on the grading system and the high cost of living over here. Ill copy and paste just to reiterate:
"Look into how your grades are assessed by your home school. In the UK. 70% is outstanding and 80% is genius. Most of the time you will get 50%. Schools have different ways of converting this into US grades. Some are more generous than others. </p>
<p>Note that living expenses are HIGH HIGH HIGH! You think gas is expensive in the US? Ha, ha, ha! The UK was that expensive in the 1970s. Your student will not be travelling each weekend unless they are
a)very rich
b)not doing any studying."</p>
<p>One final note, the high cost of living and travel should not discourage travel. For many students, studying abroad is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the world, and while you may be short on cash for your senior year of college because you spent it all traveling, you will have memories for a lifetime.</p>
<p>I have been writing a blog since arriving here. It has useful tips on travel, the visa process, and pictures and stories from my travels so far. If nothing else, it may give you a glimpse as to what your study abroad experience could be like. feel free to check it out [Study</a> Abroad Blog](<a href=“The Study Abroad Blog - Nate Nault”>http://thestudyabroadblog.com/)</p>
<p>Cupcake, my parents and I had the discussion of whether I’d be exposed to “the real Oxford” last night if I studied abroad. I was wanting to get into a program this summer. Oh well…</p>
<p>D applied directly into to King’s. She had a wonderful experience. She made friends with someone who had applied into to King’s through Butler. They experiences varied a bit.</p>
<p>Friend lived with other Americans. D saw this as a negative. Friend did have some outings and brief trips planned for her, again with Americans.</p>
<p>DD did everything on her own; lived with Brits; partied with Brits. She preferred this, but I can see a kid preferring Butler for the above reasons.</p>
<p>The dorms were close by, and the girls got to see each other all the time, so the experiences are fairly similar.</p>
<p>King’s has a very popular War Studies Program that might dovetail nicely with ROTC interests. My very pacific DD took a course there and found it fascinating. History of weaponry or some such. I’m not sure. She wrote a paper on the bayonet and one on D-Day. She was an American Studies major so learning all about D-Day was useful and interesting.</p>
<p>My D is in her last month of British Studies at UEA, about 90 min. northeast of London.
She is in a dorm, 14 individual rooms w/a common kitchen, three bathrooms for the entire flat, but each room does have a sink. </p>
<p>She did direct enroll. She has met one student fron her school there on the Butler program, but otherwise everyone she does things with have been Brits, Aussies and a couple Canadians.</p>
<p>The first day they were there the American students were given the grade thing cupcake wrote about. I must say I am worried, though, because cupcake also said there would be no people to travel with, but this has not proven to be the case w/D. </p>
<p>She has so far been on campus for one weekend. London 3x, Wales, Scotland, Munich, this weekend Bath, Stonehenge and surrounding area. She hasn’t done any of these alone, but with Brits, and other intels. Munich was with older brother who lives in Europe. I think I am glad it is only the credits transferring, not GPA. She’s really enjoying herself.</p>
<p>DD is at St Andrews, she is loving it and one of her flatmates does IR, so PM me if your son wants to connect with people who are there.</p>
<p>DD was initially non-plussed by the number of Americans around, but it did not take her long to seek and find international friends (she is not there to be with Americans in her mind) She knows many EU students, not so many Scots ;)</p>
<p>At first, I was also kind of discouraged by the amount of Americans at St. Andrews. Its hard to avoid though because St. Andrews prides itself on being an international school, with about 1/3 of the students coming form the US and Canada. Not to mention the University loves North American students because we pay full tuition. Its not necessarily a negative thing thought since it means there is a good chance you will find someone from the same area of the US (always nice when you miss home).</p>
<p>The best way to prepare yourself is to get rid of the notion that it will be mostly domestic students, especially at the bigger international schools i.e. St. Andrews, Oxford, Cambridge. Be excited to meet students from all over the World! And dont worry, you will meet plenty of people from the host country as well as people from around the globe.
[Study</a> Abroad Blog](<a href=“The Study Abroad Blog - Nate Nault”>http://thestudyabroadblog.com/)</p>