Looking to study at LSE but are not sure yet?
This blog will help you to come closer to making a decision. This blog will cover why LSE is a good choice not just for academic reasons, but also for career and social purposes.
1. Academics
It is well known that LSE is a great social sciences institution. Whether you wish to study economics, law, anthropology and other social sciences, LSE has tailored and valuable degrees for social sciences. So if you want to make a name for yourself and possess a valuable degree by university name, LSE is a perfect choice if you want to study a social science subject.
Teachers are also there to help you with your academics. While university in general is more dependent on the individual student, and while you are expected to spend more of your time studying in your own time, office hours are always available both online and in-person. You can make use of them and book them easily through LSE Student Hub. Office Hours are there for you to informally chat with your teachers, one-to-one, about the subject you need help with or want to learn more about. LSE students are also assigned an academic advisor, to which the academic advisor will arrange a meet with the student to check in with them.
2. Careers
LSE has many careers opportunities, both for students, alumnae and for graduates. As an example, I have worked as an LSE Campus Ambassador for the past two years. The pay is competitive and applications do not eat much into your time, so it definitely pays off to work alongside your studies as you also gain valuable experience and develop your skillset.
You can even do the one-off ‘gig’ job. You can work during the Welcome Week at the start of every year and help new LSE students to feel more welcome and to help them adjust to university life. The pay remains competitive as with a more part-time LSE job, and there are plenty of other opportunities available. You can even work as a mentor or a student blogger!
At LSE, you also enjoy numerous other specific career-related opportunities. The LSE Careers Hub for example is a site you can use to develop your CV and look for all kinds of jobs, be it full-time or part-time. Specific LSE departments also email LSE students to inform them of events and online courses tailored to help students make decisions about their careers or to learn more about career paths available to them.
3. Social life
The diverse community found at LSE is valuable to every student. You will most definitely find your fit and make life-long friends. There are plenty of opportunities for LSE students to socialise and network with their peers. There are two pubs, one of which is for LSE students, the Three Tuns. Drinks are discounted and in the evenings, the pub is always booming. Even if you do not drink, you can easily approach students and join in on a conversation with them as everyone is approachable.
If you will live in LSE Halls, I can guarantee that you will be socialising there too. The facilities include ping-pong tables which students use to have a laugh and some fun.
The LSE Students’ Union has many societies available for you to join for a very low cost and you can engage in more social activities through there. Personally, I will be enjoying bowling with the LSE SU Bowling Society! Discounted bowling and socialising? What is not to love!
4. Support
Whatever it is you may need, LSE has support available for you. There are facilities available for those who require financial support, have a disability, need to have an informal chat with an expert, have mental health barriers, and more, such as the Faith Centre for you to meet people who share the same religious beliefs as you may have.
LSE also invites its students to engage in discussions about what they think needs to improve about the LSE or what should simply change, so students’ voices and concerns are addressed. Unitu is the platform used to do this, to which you can post on Unitu and address any kind of concern you may have.
5. Volunteering
The Volunteering Centre also has many opportunities available for students looking to engage in some paid or non-paid volunteering. Volunteering is a great way for you to put some time aside to not only help the community in various ways but also to develop your skillset. It is also a good way to balance your studies with a new hobby.
I will be honest; while writing this blog, I struggled to fit some ideas in, because there are a lot of great reasons why you should study at LSE as an Undergraduate. I hope this relatively short and straightforward blog will help you to come to a decision.
What would you and how would you describe social science?