For some reason, when I was endlessly searching UK universities to decide where to study for my undergraduate, LSE did not even make it onto my radar! While I did apply to another school in London, LSE was not a priority at the time for a variety of different reasons. Fresh out of high school I did not feel ready to venture into a city as intimidating and large as London on my own. However, as a Master’s student, I feel ready to experience the hustle of big city life. I greatly enjoyed completing my undergrad at a campus-based university, but now wanted to live my primetime city debut. There are two main factors that drove me to pick LSE amid the sea of universities here. In my opinion, the main advantages LSE has been the academic quality and diversity within all facets of the university.

Firstly, (what we’re all here for) academics. Especially for a Law student like myself, studying at an institution specialising in the social sciences is invaluable. For students who are interested in understanding law in context and law’s socio-political implications, LSE’s courses cover a diverse range of topics that range from teaching knowledge very practically to streamlining theoretical contemporary debates. As someone with multiple academic interests, I’m also pleased with the flexibility LSE provides if you aim to take courses from outside departments; for example, I am taking courses from the Gender and Government departments to complement the focus of my Law degree! It is also not a very hard process to select outside courses; all I had to do was just email the teaching professor to make sure outside students were permitted, and then submit a brief statement of interested. Disclaimer: this is only relevant to you if you’re not overwhelmed with the variety of courses the Law department offers in the first place.

Secondly, growing up as a Third Culture Kid across the Middle East, I knew I wanted a university not only situated in a multicultural city, but also make sure the university represented folks from all corners of the globe. I wanted my friend group to be as international as a UN coffee break, basically. And that is exactly LSE: teeming with students and staff from a kaleidoscope of nationalities and backgrounds. I believe education extends to outside the classroom to the environment I am surrounded in. Don’t quote me, but I’m pretty sure LSE is around 70% international! I learn just as much from hearing my peer’s experience as a prosecutor in Canada or the different style of judicial decisions in Belgium as I do from a lecture.

These factors, among many others, make the LSE experience completely unparalleled. At the end of the day, any student wants to make sure they are paying money to have the opportunity to study courses they will enjoy and meet people that will challenge their world views. Fortunately, I am assured that at LSE I can develop academically, but also personally. LSE has opened my eyes in more ways than one, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of my time here holds.