A review on Creative Chaos International Arts Summer School

Reviewed by Leni.Catstudent on April 13, 2012

York St. John: Challenging Academics & Thriving Cultural Scene

York St. John University provided me with the stimulating cultural, academic, and artistic study abroad experience I had always dreamed of. The city itself is a perfect backdrop for those who are interested in a thriving city culture that isn't completely clogged with tourists. In the center of town, students are able to find shopping, dining, and entertainment all bundled close together. Though, if you are particularly claustrophobic around large crowds, I would recommend avoiding the major tourist spots on the weekends.

In terms of the university classes, I tried to spread out my fields of study by taking classes in psychology, literature, and film. While this did give me the opportunity to experience the gamut of academics, it is not something I would recommend for everyone. The psychology class in particular was quite difficult as many of the United Kingdom students were much further ahead of the game, even in an "introduction" course. Additionally, the international education department on-site could have been a bit more helpful in this transition. This being said, they did an excellent job with building and strengthening bonds of the international student group.

Overall, York St. John University lived up to and exceeded my expectations for study abroad. It's a program that I definitely would and have recommend to anyone, particularly those in the liberal arts field who are interested in studying in a unique and beautiful locale that has all the advantages of a larger-scale city without the disadvantage of contending with massive tourist crowds.