London School of Economics and Political Science - LSE
speciality: History

I love it here! The student life exceeds my expectations – a great social atmosphere and a supportive network. The courses are extremely engaging and the academic mentors are here for your every need. I would highly recommend LSE to any prospective undergraduate.

The title says most of it, I like my university even though I think that the student culture could be better- I was used to having a more stable group back home, it seems like the course programs make it harder for us to get to know each other. But I feel like I learned a huge amount, which is what matters.

Overal there’s no denying that LSE is academically a great uni, will open many doors, give you the opportunity to encounter some of the most renound figures in your field of study etc etc… But, being in London, it can also be quite a lonely and unwelcoming place unless you seriously put in the effort to make it otherwise. For qualitative degrees especially there is a very low number of contact hours a week (for my course, History and IR it’s 4 hours of seminars and 4 hours of lectures a week) which doesn’t give you much of an opportunity to see or meet people unless you get involved in university in other ways – sports clubs, societies etc.. That being said, there’s a huge mixture of people at lse, and probably a scene for everyone.

The LSE is a great university for those who are self-motivated, curious and willing to learn new things. It is definitely a studies-focussed institution so if you’re looking for a wild social life, this probably isn’t the place for you. Having said that, societies and clubs offer great opportunities to meet new people and have loads of fun!

LSE is a really cool place; there are lots of interesting people, the classes are good and the courses cover a wide range of material. It’s also amazing to live in Central London, there is always so much going on. The campus, however, doesn’t really have a social hub and so most big friendship groups are made in halls. I was in an intercollegiate halls so didn’t really have this. It can also be a bit intimidating because everyone is smart so you just have to remember that you also do belong there!

Borrowing some very LSE terminology, the returns that you see from your time at this uni are highly based on how much you invest in the first place. If you engage with the incredible societies, go to office hours to talk to world-class academics, and throw yourself into what London has on offer, you’ll have one of the best experiences of your life. But, this uni is also quite difficult as very little is easily accessible (especially the social life which can feel isolating unless you take the initiative).

When applying to such a renowned institutions as LSE, people always highlight the stereotypes of LSE being an overly competitive university with rude, arrogant, and unfriendly people. While, yes it is true LSE is very competitive and the student body is very career driven and very determined; but to my surprise the people you met are actually extremely caring, helpful, and always willing to have a chat or grab a drink! The competitive aspect of LSE sometimes, a lot of the times, can be rather overwhelming I must say. When everyone is rushing so fast to fill out internship forms and going to interviews, you feel a bit lost— but then again, this super fast paced environment really encourages you to do research and find internships and experiences that suit your needs and encourage self- reflection about your career options! ____The academic level is very high at LSE, yet we do have very very very limited contact hours for the amount of money we are paying. It is usually one lecture ( 1 hour) and one class ( 1 hour) per each course each week. So there is a lot of content to cover in little time, so as you can imagine a lot is left to “independent studying” which basically means doing 50-80 pages readings and ‘teaching’ yourself a lot of the material! But LSE very much emphasizes independent studying which yes is good because it helps you with time management, nonetheless some times there isn’t enough time to do all the work set! ____LSE is in the heart of London, Holborn, yet it often feels like we are in the middle of a construction site, there are always construction noise distributing my classes or my study sessions in the library. The campus is filled with construction equipment. I completely understand that this is to expand the LSE campus to make it even more vibrant and dynamic, however it is definitely not the most appealing thing to walk around a middle of a construction zone to get to your next class.____But despite all these criticisms , I think LSE is a great institution where you will meet people from every corner of the world, and it will equip you with great tools, especially if you want to pursue a career in the politics/ economics environment!

My experience at LSE has been positive, but sadly this isn’t the case for everyone. If you get involved and make the most of what’s on offer, it’s an amazing experience, especially through the History department. Courses at the LSE are rigorous and there is a noticeable jump from earlier studies – you are expected to learn a large volume of content in immense detail, and qualitative subjects offer a limited number of contact hours. For history courses, there is a lot of reading required, and it can be overwhelming at times. However, the content is almost always fascinating, and I have learned so much about the world through my studies. Learning at the LSE is interesting and broadened my horizons, particularly through the regular event lectures welcoming notable speakers. There is also the opportunity to learn languages. There is undoubtedly variation in what departments offer, but the History department is certainly one of the best and is recognised as one of the best in the world. The academic staff cover a broad range of periods and regions/themes, with research interests focused on international history post-1900. Lecturers are friendly and approachable (if you make the most of office hours) and are genuinely keen to support one’s studies. Feedback on essays is prompt and detailed, although the quality of classes and seminars can vary with some teachers. The administrative staff are also exceptionally friendly and supportive. One of the first things I noticed was the disparity between the quality of the History and IR departments. The social life is available, but you have to go out and make the most of it. There is a careers focus which can be difficult to avoid, but it is possible. Societies and sports clubs offer a useful way to meet others with likeminded interests, and help to balance the workload and improve the university experience. Most of my friends were made through halls (Passfield is amazing) but I have made other friends through social activities. The Union offers a variety of events, but their work is often not advertised widely and requires seeking out opportunities. Studying in London is an incredible experience, but the wealth of activities such as museums and parks come at the expense of expensive rents. I’ve loved my time at LSE, and would recommend my course to anyone with a genuine interest. LSE is challenging in both an academic and developmental sense, but in my opinion is the best in the world for certain subjects. Living in London, meeting likeminded people, learning about topics I am passionate about and exploring new hobbies through societies offered everything I wanted out of my university experience. There is room for improvement, but that’s true of any university. If you come to LSE with an ingrained suspicion, you inevitably hunt for faults. But if you come to LSE with an open mind and get involved in all the LSE and Union have to offer, you will likely have an amazing experience and gain a world-class education.

My experience at LSE is limited to my course and department. I say this because at LSE, individual departments appear to be the controlling factor behind a student’s experience. Most of their staff in the History department is very knowledgeable in their field and almost if not all are helpful and readily available. Having a wide range of professors and teaching assistants also allows them to focus on their areas of speciality and provide courses that are very focused. They also have a wide selection of courses which allows students to choose according to their interests. These courses range from early modern to 21st century history which I enjoyed since my interest lies in modern history. However, it does seem exceptionally difficult to gain a first in qualitative degrees atleast compared to other universities and the atmosphere is almost too academically charged with little focus given to anything outside of careers and studying amongst the student body. I initially did struggle to adjust to this and would have preferred a more relaxed setting that allowed me to give some more time to outside interests as well. With regards to campus life, LSE does not really have one outside the few buildings designated to it since it is based in Central London. While this is an advantage for me since I love city life, those looking for a quieter more campus-based university experience might not really enjoy it. Overall, I would definitely recommend LSE for anyone wanting to study liberal arts in particular. Being in London in such a central location also gives students a lot of exposure. Given its connections, LSE is a good platform to explore career options for anyone planning on staying in London.

Access to resources via the library is substantial and easy to navigate. There are lots of online as well as physical materials one can use for their studies which go beyond the reading list provided by your course tutor and it is extremely helpful when writing essays as it can give you and edge not found within course reading lists. Furthermore, the library staff are always on hand to help if you are confused with the cataloguing system etc and so are course tutors. Whilst you may find yourself worried or apprehensive to approach tutors or lecturers from your course, LSE provides an atmosphere in which one can do this on an equal and respectable level playing field. No tutor I have encountered has even been arrogant or scary etc which is often the worries of people coming into higher education. I think overall LSE provides a friendly and approachable environment in which one can learn.