Greenheart Travel

Tag: england

  • Going Back to Exeter for University: Interview with High School England Alum Emily Demski

    Going Back to Exeter for University: Interview with High School England Alum Emily Demski

    Like our High School Abroad France alum Zoe Lien, High School Abroad England alum Emily Demski studied as an exchange student in England when she was in high school and decided to pursue university abroad. We asked her about how this idea came about, how she applied, and tips for future students hoping to do the same.

    Emily in England, photo courtesy of Emily.

    Can you tell us about yourself?

    My name is Emily Demski and I studied abroad in Exeter, England from January 2019- June 2019. I am from South Lyon, Michigan and I was 16 when I began my experience. I lived with a host family just outside of Exeter with 2 parents, 2 kids, and another student and I attended Exeter College.

    Tell us a brief overview of what your program was like and what you did on a daily/weekly basis on program.

    I attended 3 AS level courses: psychology, sociology, and English language. I would have either 2 or 3 classes a day and would spend my free time meeting with friends, studying in the library, or exploring the city. I was taking 6 classes a day in the US, so I really liked that I got to focus on only 3 in the UK and learn much more about each subject. It was also interesting to learn about some topics from a different perspective.

    I spent most of my weekends with my host family exploring other parts of Devon. They showed me several local beaches where we would go for hikes or fishing and different parks and trails. I loved this because the destinations in England are so different to what I was exposed to in Michigan.

    Why did you decide to explore the possibility of going to university abroad, and how did you decide which schools to apply to?

    While I studied in Exeter, I fell in love with the area and the life that I lived there. I realized that I wanted to live there longer, so I toured the University of Exeter it immediately felt like home. Because it’s in the area that I wanted and is a great school that provides a great education, I only applied to programs through the University of Exeter. Even though it’s a perfect fit for me, I never would have found it without studying abroad at Exeter College first.

    Tell us about the application process. What was it like? How hard was it?

    I applied to 4 schools in the US and and to 4 programs in the UK, so I became very familiar with both application processes. Both can be done online and were fairly easy to complete. The first major difference  I noticed was while applying in the UK, instead of applying to a school, you chose a program to apply to. For example, I applied to the business economics course at the University of Exeter rather than just applying to the University of Exeter. Another difference that I noticed were the skills you emphasize on the essay portion of the application. For schools in the US, you write a personal story so the university can better understand you as a person. For example, my essay focused on my struggles of having lyme disease, how I overcame that and what I learned from it. However, the personal statement that I wrote for applying to programs in the UK held a focus on why I am fit for that program and was more academic based. I wrote about the classes I took that prepared me for the program and my interests in it. Another fact that is important to know is that you need 3 college level classes (AP or dual enrollment) to apply to programs in the UK. This is because they complete A level classes, which are equivalent to AP or dual enrollment classes, prior to applying to universities.

    Why do you think it was beneficial to study abroad before going to university abroad?

    Going to university abroad is an extremely huge commitment. For me, I will be there for 3 years completing my degree and I would feel a lot less prepared if I didn’t study abroad before. Going abroad alone can feel very scary, but now I have a host family and lots of friends to come back to. Since I studied abroad for only 5 months, it was a lot less scary to move to an unknown area for a few months rather than a few years. I also am very familiar with the area now, so I feel confident in navigating myself around and am excited to return. Having a support system for me there will really help with my transition back and throughout my whole experience.

    Do you have any advice for a high school student interested in studying at university abroad?

    I would highly recommend either visiting the area that you are interested in or studying abroad there beforehand. This is so you will feel confident that you will like living there. Because you won’t be able to come home as often as you could if you went to university locally, you have to make sure that where you go feels like home and you are comfortable there. If you are familiar with the area, the transition will go a lot better.

    If the university seems like a good fit for you, I highly recommend going abroad. You will learn so much about yourself and you will be exposed to so many life changing experiences. I have never felt more alive than I did when I was in England. Everything is exciting, beautiful, and breathtaking.

    Photo courtesy of Emily

     

  • 8 Things You Can Do as an Exchange Student in England

    8 Things You Can Do as an Exchange Student in England

    Greenheart Travel’s High School Abroad England program gives U.S. and Canadian students the chance to join their British peers in intensive academic courses called “A Levels” (Advanced Levels). Students are placed in the final two years of non-compulsory high school (Years 12 and 13, the equivalent of 11th and 12th grade in the U.S.) at semi-private Sixth Form Colleges.

    We often emphasize the rigorous academic aspects of this program with good reason – but as an U.S. teen on an exchange in England, there’s a lot you might know you can do!

    Win a scholarship for the 2021-2022 Academic Year

    All students who apply for the 2021-2022 academic year in England will be eligible for a $1,200 scholarship. While all students will be considered for the scholarship, we’ll give special preference to any student who identifies as a first-time traveler and is particularly interested in music or the arts. The deadline to apply is April 15! Hurry!

    Participate in Activities Through School

    The Sixth Form Colleges we place students at offer a range of “enrichment” activities, most commonly things like basketball, tennis, volleyball, soccer, and gymnastics. There are spas, sports facilities, performing arts centers, and even a rock climbing gym at one school! While the academics are a big aspect of being an exchange student in England, there are so many other incredible opportunities to get involved outside of class.

    Graduate From High School

    Well, sort of. Remember, it’s actually called Sixth Form College! If you’d like to earn graduate from a British Sixth Form College and be able to apply to universities in England, you can study for two consecutive years on the High School Abroad England program. You’d have to enter in your 11th grade year and study in England for both 11th and 12th grade years and succesfully pass your “A-Level” exams at the end of the two year.

    Earn an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma

    There are two schools within our network that allow U.S. or Canadian students to study in an International Baccalaureate (IB) program. This is highly competitive and only available for high achieving students. In order to participate in this program students have to commit to studying their final two years (11th and 12th grade equivalents) in England. We accept students on a case-by-case basis and this program has additionally fees — so get in touch before starting your application.

    Specialize in a Skill or Trade

    While our traditional High School in England program places students in Sixth Form College to get a window into the life of a student preparing for their “A-Level” exams, we also work with schools offering vocational tracks, known as BTEC (Business & Technology Education Council) courses.

    If you’re interested in getting real-world, hands-on experience in things like hair and make-up, massage therapy, hospitality and food science and nutrition, TV and film production, sports therapy or personal training, fashion design and textiles, photography, sound, lights, and stage, and many other skills, there are options for you! Get in touch to inquire about special pricing and options.

    Take a Gap Year

    Already graduated from high school in the U.S. or Canada? No problem. You’re still welcome to study abroad in England! In fact, with the specialization and high academic rigor of A-Levels or the practical knowledge gained from a V-Tech track, it’s a perfect prep for U.S. university or well-rounded career. Read more about why England is a great gap year location here.

    Travel on your own

    As a general rule across all Greenheart Travel high school programs, students are only permitted to travel through school or with their host families, but not on their own. England (and The Netherlands) are our only exception to this rule. In England, you’ll be treated more like an adult and so long as you get approval, have good academic standing and don’t miss any class, you and your new friends can travel on weekends and breaks. One alum Adelaide did several trips, including this weekend excursion with her friends to London. Another alum Josh traveled on his own from his host community Worthing to Bath and Stonehenge.

    Join a Football Academy

    And you know what we mean by football, right? Nope, not what they play at the Super Bowl! In the U.S. it’s called soccer, in the U.K. (and rest of the world!) it’s referred to as football. Any U.S. or Canadian teens with particular skill at soccer are eligible to play the sport while studying abroad in England. Throughout the world soccer is one of the most common sports, and England is no exception. Many of the Sixth Form Colleges where Greenheart Travel students study (for example, Bexhill College or Itchen College) have men’s and women’s soccer teams, where highly skilled players get top-notch training and coaching and the opportunity to play on teams. The Ladies Football team at Itchen College won the National Cup finals four years in a row and many former players of these leagues have gone on to play professionally!

    Not quite a pro yet? No sweat. If you love soccer but haven’t yet reached the skill level required to compete, you’d definitely still be able play soccer as an afterschool activity.

  • My First Week as an Exchange Student in England

    My First Week as an Exchange Student in England

    My name is Joshua Hoffman, and I’m from Plantation, Florida, near Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach. I’d first like to say, Greenheart Travel is amazing!!!!! Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am sitting right now. In my host family’s home in Worthing, England. It’s been two weeks since I left my hometown to embark on my journey. I’ve been pretty busy lately, but now that things are becoming more routine, I can write about how I got here.

    Two weeks ago, I flew from Miami International Airport on the 787 Dreamliner (the plane I’ve always wanted to fly) bound for London. I couldn’t believe it – I was starting the journey of a lifetime! For the next five and a half months, I would be studying abroad in England.

    This is one of the views from my walk home.

    As I stepped off the plane, I felt so excited to meet new people and share these first moments with them as we were all getting ready for our own adventures. After a fun day exploring London with others my age from all over the world (and participating in a selfie competition!), the next day we split up into groups and got into taxi cabs headed to cities across the UK. My taxi was going to the town of Worthing. I watched the scenery change from very urban to rural as we drove south, and when we arrived at my house, I was so excited. My host family was so happy to see me!

    After I finished unpacking, I realized this was not a dream–this is reality! I was so excited to start immersing myself into the British culture. The next day was my first day at sixth-form college, which was great because I’m taking classes that are very fascinating and I would not get to take at my school back home.

    I was invited to a birthday party, and it just so happened that my birthday was the same day as one of the other students from Italy who invited me to the party! After another three great days in England, it’s today, January 16th. The time has been going by so fast, and so far I’m really enjoying every day! Even though I’m still creating a routine in my new home, I’m settling in nicely and getting to know many different people, some are actually from here.

    On Saturday I’m taking a trip to Stonehenge and Bath with Antonio, an exchange student like me staying with the same host family. It should be exciting, and I’ll be sure to take many pictures and post them on this blog.

  • 8 Things I Learned While Abroad That Were NOT a Language

    8 Things I Learned While Abroad That Were NOT a Language

    For a lot of people, a big part of cultural immersion programs means practicing a new language. Language barriers can be great learning experiences, but they can also be very intimidating.

    I’m an English-speaking American, and for many reasons, learning another language was not a priority when choosing my study abroad destination in college. I ended up going to England and visiting places such as Bath, London, Oxford, Cornwall, Glastonbury, Salisbury, and more! Before arriving, I had anticipated a lot of similarities between England and the United States. After all, they are both English-speaking countries, how much of a “cultural immersion” was I going to get?

    I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I really didn’t know what to expect. That’s why I’m going to share with you a list of eight things I learned while abroad – none of which were a new language.

     

    Prior Park Landscape Garden in Bath

     

    1. Pace

    People move a little slower. That’s not to say there is no hustle-bustle (hello, London) but there is this overall mentality to take time to enjoy life.

     

    2. History

    My public school education basically taught me what Hamiton accomplished in two hours. I’m totally kidding, but my history knowledge was limited to that of the United States. England has been around way longer, which means they have even more history that I barely knew.

    Here I am posing outside of the Bath Abbey

     

    3. Food

    Not only did I not know what a pasty was, I pronounced it wrong for weeks. I was also suspicious of something called ‘black pudding’ which turned out to be one of my favorites. I realized that everything I knew about food was constructed from American culture. Turns out, beans are great for breakfast!

    The UK also has different nutrition regulations, so some of the brands you know and love taste a little different.

     

    4. Slang

    Having watched every episode of Skins in high school I thought I was prepared with all the lingo, but I  barely scratched the surface. Did ‘cheers’ mean thank you? Goodbye? Congratulations? I had to ask the meaning of a handful of words that I thought I already knew.

     

    5. Media

    You might be thinking, “Hey, why is every channel BBC?” or “Is that nudity on a kids’ show?” Although a large amount of content is made in Hollywood, England has its own programming and rules to go along with it.

    This bust of The BBC’s John Reith doesn’t match my enthusiasm

     

    6. Humor

    I didn’t quite get what people meant by ‘British Humor’ until I arrived. I still don’t know how to describe it except to say it’s subtle and ironic. Take note of the differences in the British version of The Office and the remake of the series.

     

    7. Travel

    An hour flight in Southern California will get you to Northern California. An hour flight in Bath will get you to Ireland, and lots of other places.

    Just popping over to Dubin, BRB

    8. Fashion

    My Midwestern upbringing taught me that jeans and sweaters are a LOOK. On the other hand, England is a few steps ahead. Sure, a lot of people follow my Jean and Sweater™ vibe, but I saw more than the usual amount of fashion risk-takers while in the UK. The style was bold and very put-together.

     

    Some of the things on this list are obvious, but the point is that I didn’t think these things would impact my overall experience as significantly as it did. There is plenty to learn about a different country’s culture; the language is only a part of it.

    Cheers!

     

    Interested in going abroad to an English-speaking destination, like the UK? Click the link below to find out more information!