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Name: Rebecca Sallow
University: Kings College London
Program: Biomedical Science
Year of Study: Postgraduate Studies
Contact details: rebs4swallow@me.com
Institution: Program:
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Campus Facilities: Academic Environment:
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Social Life: Career Planning Opportunities:
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Overall Experience:
1 2 3 4 5
Contrast Between Workload hours in University vs High School:
I did less work in university than in high school
Same number of hours
1-3 more hours of work in university
4-6 more hours of work in university
7-9 more hours of work in university
10+ more hours of work in university
What made you choose your institution over others?
When I visited a KCL open day, the students and professors were really helpful and engaged with their subject. The satisfaction scores were really good. I liked the central location. Most of all, I went with my gut instinct; Kings felt like the right fit for me. Looking back now, I couldn’t have made a better choice.
What did you wish you knew before choosing your specific program?
I really loved my course content and I was excited to be taught by top researchers in their fields. However, I wish I had understood that these professors have to teach as part of their job and to get funding/grants for their research. This is their top priority. Sometimes it was palpable that they were being forced to teach and thus the lectures/seminars were poor. This was only the case for one or two lectures from specific professors - not the overall whole experience - but it is something to bear in mind.
What was your best experience at university?
Meeting people from around the world and getting to know people with very different cultures. Because I was in central London, my friends and I would do new stuff a lot of the time.
What was your worst university experience?
The step up from first to second year was a really hard time. No one warns you of the academic jump that you have to make.
What is the hardest part about your program and what were the steps that you took to overcome any difficulties?
The amount of contact hours combined with the amount of extra reading you are expected to do, especially in second and third year. Over time, you learn to manage your time better and prioritize which work is most important. It is a learning curve for everyone but is completely doable.
What was your favourite module/course and why?
Advanced human anatomy in third year. We got more control over which topics we covered so could focus on parts of the body that we were most interested in.
What tips and advice would you give to first year students?
Don’t let all the work pile up: do little and often. However, don’t worry too much about it because first year is for adjusting to a completely new environment.
