One of the good things about studying abroad at LSE is the fact that the program is very well structured and organized. There are about 300 other study abroad students doing the same course as me and so the facilities offered to us are very structured. We have a dean who is American, and he is incredibly approachable, accommodating and helpful. We can go to him with almost any request and if it were reasonable and feasible, he would not deny it. He holds office hours every week just so that we can go to him with almost any difficulty that we are possibly facing – academic, adjustment, logistical or technical.
We have all also been provided with Academic advisors who are relevant to our specific subject choices. My academic advisor also happens to be an expert at Game Theory, which is a subject I am much interested in, and so it’s a great resource to have access to all these people. We also elect student representatives and a council to represent and host events for us. This structure might seem trivial, but it proves to be a great tool to adjust and perform well.
In addition to the study abroad facilities, we have access to all the resources and support systems that all the regular LSE students have – from student council to support staff and systems. There are hence plenty of resources to tap into, to make the most of your time here.
The most valuable resource that you get access to is the amazing base of professors here, at LSE. Given its stature and history, LSE is home to many celebrated academics in the world, and it is truly an honor to get the opportunity to learn under such academics. One such professor who I admire is Prof. Norman Biggs, who is a highly revered British Mathematician. It still feels surreal to get an essay graded by such a key figure.
Not only professors, but LSE also gives access to a lot of great minds that keep visiting the school. Over my time here, I have had the chance to attend lectures by lots of great personalities and minds of our time, including Amartya Sen, a key economist, Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO, and Alistair Darling, a member of the UK Parliament. I love these lectures not only for the people giving them, but also for their content. As an economics major, LSE is a great place to be since most of its content is centered on economics and policy. There is at least one public lecture taking place almost every day of the week here, and all of the lecture have relevant and valuable content delivered by experts in the respective fields. In fact, my favorite part of studying at LSE so far has been the lectures that I get to attend, and I’m sure this will continue to remain a key part of my life here.
