Life in London as an American Exchange Student

1. What is the General Course?

The General Course is a year-long study abroad program for third year university students. Our classes are fully integrated with undergraduates and we have the option to take classes from a mix of departments. I'm taking classes in Philosophy, Geography, and Economics. While a decent portion of General Course students are from the US, the cohort consists of students from across the world. 

2. First Few Weeks

⛴️ Events

 LSE puts on events specifically for General Course students. The most notable is the welcome boat party on the Thames, which is free and a great way to meet other GC students. I also took part in the scavenger hunt around LSE, and my group won keepsakes for scoring the most points! Other events include a fish and chips dinner and tours around London, but I didn't take part as they were an additional fee.

🌲 Cumberland Lodge

In the beginning of October there is a GC weekend retreat to Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park, which is heavily subsidised by LSE (£99 for transportation, lodging, food, and activities). However, there are limited spots so be sure to sign up fast! I was hoping to attend but wasn't able to secure a spot. 

📢 Orientation

During Welcome Week, the entire GC cohort has a mandatory orientation with Dean Mark Hoffman who gives an overview of the General Course. It's also a great time to strike up conversations with other GC students and grab lunch or coffee afterwards. 

3. Academics in the US vs. UK

🗓️ Year Long Classes

At LSE it is common to take at least one class that spans a full year. Since my home university operates on a semester system, year-long classes (known at LSE as 1 unit classes) don't transfer back quite as seamlessly. For example, I am taking Philosophy of Science which is a year-long class, but it transfers back to my home university as a semester class. While taking entirely half unit classes is feasible and may be ideal for transferring credits, it also means you will have more essays and/or exams. I opted to take two year-long classes, as I wanted the opportunity to explore topics in greater depth across the span of a year, something I cannot do at my home university.  

📚 Exams

In the US it is common to have midterms, essays, and problem sets interspersed throughout the semester. At LSE, the entirety of our grade is based on a single exam or essay, which can make it difficult to gauge how you're doing. Additionally, many classes have exams and essays due at the beginning of January. For example, I have an economics exam sometime between January 7th and January 16th. However, the exact date of the exam is not released until December, making it difficult to book flights in advance. 

⏱️ Timetables

Back home I could build my class schedule around the days and times that classes were offered, and it was common to have Fridays off. At LSE the timetables of both lectures and classes are released after registration, and only about a week before classes begin. 

4. Student Life in the US vs. UK

🛏️ Dorms

General Course students have the option to live in any of the LSE halls (book early since rooms are first come first serve). I live in Rosebery, which is dormitory style and catered, meaning we're served dinner each night. However, many of the other halls are flat style, with shared kitchens and living spaces. Rosebery has a good number of General Course students, but the majority of residents are first years. If you want a social living environment with other students new to London, I'd recommend living in Rosebery. But if you prefer something more relaxed and don't care for catered dinners, you may prefer to live in High Holborn (close to campus!) or Urbanest, which tend to have second and third year undergraduates as well as postgraduates. In the US it is common to live on campus, but at LSE we are dispersed throughout the city, with most halls being about a 25 minute walk away.

Rosebery has one communal kitchen per floor, shared by about 12 students. While not the most ideal if you are an avid cook (no oven), I've found people to be respectful of the space. Because our dorm is catered, some residents barely use the kitchen at all. 

🏀 Societies

Societies, which are student-led clubs, are a great way to meet new people, explore the city, and get involved in campus life. During the first week of school, societies put on Give it a Go sessions, which allow students to try out societies before joining. Back home, clubs were free to join, but LSE societies require an annual membership fee. For example, women's basketball is £70 for the year. While not cheap, it includes gym time, our coach, league games, and uniforms. My suggestions is to choose 2-3 societies you're most interested in and fully commit to them. 

Back home, my entire life revolved around attending university. I lived, worked, studied, interned, ate meals, and attended clubs on our 150 acre campus. It was convenient to meet up with friends or study in the library late at night. But there is something so exhilarating about living in the heart of London, being able to see a theater show on a Wednesday afternoon, pass by a dozen coffee shops on my way to campus, or spontaneously pop into a museum. Yes, the General Course is a cohort, but we are very much integrated into the wider university system. In some ways we are similar to postgraduate students, as we are here for only a year, balancing academics with limited time to explore all that London has to offer.