A review on CISabroad - Summer Intern in London

Other Reviews on CISabroad - Summer Intern in London

• A+

  CISabroad - Summer Intern in London Wonderful Experience!

  Reviewed by Emily Easterling on July 27, 2012 .

  This was the experience of a lifetime and I feel so fortunate to have been in London for all of the exciting cultural events that have taken place this summer. My whole experience was wonderful, and I couldn't have asked for more!

• C-

  CISabroad - Summer Intern in London Poor

  Reviewed by Sarah Lang on August 01, 2012 .

  I was one of the lucky ones. I got a good internship that was not really what I wanted to do but was close enough. I had more contact with my internship people directly than with CIS. Furthermore, I got a good host family, but was stuck in Leyton. Nobody gave us a heads up or anything, and I didn't get my housing until the day before I arrived. It was awesome that we were just expected to have a cab company on hand and money converted to get to our homestays on the first day. And that was only the beginning. We didn't realize that we would have to spend 35 pounds a week for the next 8 weeks if we wanted to go anywhere. No one told us about the oyster cards, or the fact that transportation wasn't included in the giant sum of money we had all dished out for this trip. Furthermore, when dealing with visas in the first place, it was really sloppy. I didn't need a link to the British Embassy, I needed someone to give me a CAS number, which didn't happen until 5 weeks before we were supposed to leave---ironically after we were told to apply for them ASAP. How we were supposed to do that, I have no idea. I butchered mine the first time and had to apply for my visa again and have it expedited. Even before I had arrived in London, I had spent over 1000. Besides allocating money to the homestay families, and some to the program, I am not sure where the rest of it went. We only had our class syllabus adjusted in the last couple weeks because people were complaining. So as we had already booked trips assuming that we weren't doing anything, class field trips ended up being on Fridays where many people couldn't go and it was overall just disappointing. We had heard from a bunch of other interns that their transportation was paid for and they were living in dorm rooms or apartments---apparently their programs had planned for the Olympics. I am thoroughly disappointed in the lack of preparation and organization this program had. If it wouldn't have been for the great people I met or the satisfaction with the job I had, this experience would have been miserable.

• C

  CISabroad - Summer Intern in London Fantastic experience, although muddled with poor communication between administration and students.

  Reviewed by Richard Burchfield on August 01, 2012 .

  Overall, I had an absolutely wonderful time in London. I met a lot of new and amazing people, both foreign and domestic. London is one of those cities that I would recommend anyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. The sheer size of the city can intimidate the most traveled of individuals, but its a cultural and diversified city that still encapsulates all things British. As a capital city, it serves as not only the center of economic and political prowess, but also social climate that can only be described as astonishing. There are so many people from so many different backgrounds, that speak so many different languages it's hard to fathom how these people survive in a city that once served as the playground of kings and queens, knights and princesses. Though much has changed about London, a lot still remains the same.
  
  I would've loved every second of my trip abroad, except for a few mishaps. One, mostly everyone was disappointed with their "homestay" accommodations. Some were in bad areas of London. Some were far away from work. Some were far away from other participants in the program. Some had host families that were unwilling to compromise living with a student (even though they signed up to host a student). My experience take a little from each of the issues previously mentioned, but not enough for me to seek alternative means of living space (which some of the other participant did).
  
  Also, for what was advertised on the price tag for the program, the administration was not delivering. For example: In my case, internet was to be included in my "homestay" package. Of course, once I arrive, I have to purchase a cut-rate internet service through a mobile phone provider, which was not only expensive, but unreliable and frustrating as well. I was reimbursed, but my internet situation was unresolved. Also, as part of the "package" of the program, it was advertised that we would be invited to take excursions (included in the program price) to different points of interest throughout England. Some would be included in the class, and longer day-trips would be provided on the weekends. Well, this did not happen until after several complaints from students and parents forced (as it seems) the program administration deliver as promised. If we had not raised an issue about this, we would not have been given this experience. Furthermore, this happened so late in the program that some of the students had already taken it upon themselves to visit the points of interest sites as they were under the impression that we were not going to be provided with the excursions. They were reimbursed, as I was told.
  
  My internship placement will be my biggest gripe about the program. After filling out countless forms, of which the sole purpose of finding me the "perfect" internship for my study abroad experience, was not even close. I wanted to work within a media department at a professional soccer club in London (there are 12). I am extremely qualified to work, but the internship placement was with a social enterprise that was not in slightest a professional club. I was working at a start-up company and doing data entry. This is not the ideal internship I had in mind, nor was it even a suitable compromise for which I would have gladly taken. But being left with no choice as I was contractually obligated to pay the price and take what is given to me. I had a pleasant time with the company I worked for, I learned a lot in the process, but it did not help advance my future career in any shape or form, and for that I will resent the fact that I used this program to study abroad.
  
  If I could do it all over again (with the help of research) I would have found my own internship and I would have found my own living accommodations. I'm not saying it would've been a more pleasant experience, but at least then I wouldn't have thrown my money away blindly as I feel I have done here.
  
  With that said, I would not trade any of the experiences I had while in London. The people were great. The food and weather were less attractive. But all in all, it was a wonderful opportunity and an experience of a lifetime.

• B-

  CISabroad - Summer Intern in London Review

  Reviewed by Devin Petrone on August 01, 2012 .

  I dont feel the program was well organized, and i feel cisabroad had poor communication between the students and the program in london

• A+

  CISabroad - Summer Intern in London Summer in London 2012

  Reviewed by Caitlin Osborn on August 01, 2012 .

  My summer in London was amazing! My internship, although not what I expected, was amazing. I was able to participate in an opportunity that I would have never gotten to in the US. Who can say they helped plan an award show?! My host family was amazing! Getting to experience London in a Summer full of many events such as the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee was amazing. Definately a once in a life time experience, and I wouldn't have changed a single thing about it!

• C+

  CISabroad - Summer Intern in London CISabroad summer internship in London was a great experience beacuse of the people I met but the program was not worth the money we paid.

  Reviewed by Mary Donnelly on August 02, 2012 .

  I loved my experience because I saw amazing things and met lifelong friends. However, the program was extremely unorganized and not worth the amount of money that we paid. When we got to London, CIS took us to orientation (a very unhelpful briefing) and sent us on our way for the rest of the trip without any warning on what to expect, especially when it came to the cost of travel. We lived in homestays in a very rough area of town and all of the interns lived far from eachother so it was very hard to use the buddy system and feel safe, especially coming home at night. Our internship placements were, for the most part, awful. Many people were placed in jobs that had NOTHING to do with their internship or what they wanted to do. I had an amazing time on this trip but it was absolutely not because of the program. The program was not good. Very and organized and unprepared.

• B+

  CISabroad - Summer Intern in London CIS Summer Intern in London: 7/10

  Reviewed by Elise DePlanche on August 03, 2012 .

  CIS's Summer Intern in London is good because it allows you to have 2 months of relatively unrestrained adventures in London. However, there isn't much else to it. The class is very easy, the homestays are low-key, and the internships are hit-or-miss.
  
  DO THIS PROGRAM IF:
  
  --you want lots of free time.
  --you have a boyfriend/family in England you want to see.
  --you are the kind of person who can explore a new city on their own.
  --you don't want to be held back by lots of program obligations.
  --you have a good bit of spending money.
  --you can't find the extra $3,000 for AIFS or Dream Careers.
  --you are looking for a relatively normal internship, such as working for a newspaper, mental health clinic, or law firm.
  
  
  DON'T DO THIS PROGRAM IF:
  
  --you are looking for an internship that is hard to come by (especially theater or psychology research).
  --you aren't comfortable doing new things/going new places on your own.
  --you are looking for serious classwork.
  --you are looking to get credit for the class or financial aid from outside your university. The course does not take place at an actual university, which makes it extremely difficult to get aid or credit. The class is through Anglo-American Educational Services.
  
  
  THINGS TO KNOW:
  
  -You will not be provided with transportation to or from the airport as stated on the website
  -Staff will be very uninvolved
  -You will be largely responsible for making this experience worth your money. You will need to get out and do the city on your own; don't wait for something to be organized
  -The syllabus you actually receive will likely be nothing like the one they give you ahead of time
  
  
  TIPS FOR WORKING WITH CIS:
  
  -If something is not right, speak up IMMEDIATELY and be persistent.
  -Don't assume anything. Ask for specifics.
  -Use the UK Border Agency's instructions for visa applications, not CIS's.
  -Try to find someone you know to live with; it will make a huge difference financially.

• B-

  CISabroad - Summer Intern in London Internship was good, but the class portion of the program could use improvement.

  Reviewed by Nicole Staverman on August 06, 2012 .

  My internship was very pleasant, though I must say I would have been much happier if I had not been living with a home stay, and if there were some sort of ice-breaker or group activity in the beginning so that I could have bonded more with the other people in the program earlier on in the trip.

• B-

  CISabroad - Summer Intern in London Amazing experience.

  Reviewed by Justin Racette on August 06, 2012 .

  Definitely had the experience of my life in London, but the internships themselves need some tuning up...some of us didn't have such a great internship!

• B

  CISabroad - Summer Intern in London Internship Experience, Living in London, Etc

  Reviewed by Caleb Smith on August 28, 2012 .

  Overall, my experience was very positive. I received an ideal internship placement working for an MP in the House of Commons and made valuable connections. Apart from the career benefits gained via these connections, I met fantastic and interesting people that I plan to remain in contact with for a long time. I was also exposed to many different perspectives on domestic and global issues, which have strongly influenced my views on government and public policy. I think that every American student should spend time abroad if at all possible because this experience has been invaluable for me and one that I will never forget.
  
  I will add that my accommodations were less than ideal. I lived in Manor Park and had a roommate (an Italian student) when I first got there who subsequently moved out to seek better accommodations (both because of the location and because of issues he was having with the landlady/"host-woman?") He contacted his program advisor and was moved to a flat in Camden Town (great location) with several other international students for no extra cost. Had I been given this option I would have chosen it over the accommodations I was placed into. So, it may be more beneficial to pursue making your own accommodations if that is very important to you. It wasn't a huge factor for me, so I did not contact CIS for relocation and had no significant issues with the woman I lived with (though we rarely spoke to each other).

• C-

  CISabroad - Summer Intern in London A Deceiving Program

  Reviewed by SMont on September 11, 2012 .

  This was a HORRIBLE program. Every student that was on this program was as equally disappointed as I was. My internship placement was not related to my major. Some students were not even placed in internships until after we arrived. Our homestays were in VERY shady areas outside of the city, I left to stay in a hotel 3 days early because I wanted to get out of the neighborhood as soon as I could. There were also a lot of hidden fees we did not know about. The money we paid to go on the program did not include anything other than our homestays and our two (normally frozen) meals a day. Staff was unhelpful and often times rude. I love London but I would highly recommend choosing another program.

• C-

  CISabroad - Summer Intern in London CIS - too many intermediary organizations

  Reviewed by Alexandra Nyman on December 20, 2012 .

  I went through CIS for their internship in London experience. Everything about my job placement was FANTASTIC. Everything about CIS's program admin, communication, and reliability was NOT. They work through many other intermediary institutions for housing, education, and job placement. This become EXTREMELY expensive and communication is a problem. When I got to my host family, they knew NOTHING about me (even my dietary restrictions which later caused HUGE problems).
  
  They do not keep good contact with students. The only thing they did awesome for me was to find me a placement (which ended up being a volunteer placement-- not a job like I expected).