My London Trojan Transfer Plan Experience
By Emma Wong
When I was a senior in high school, USC was my dream school. It had been a part of my life for as long as I could remember since so many of my family members were alumni. Unfortunately, I was rejected, and it was a tough blow. It took me some time to recover from that disappointment, but I soon realized that attending USC could still be within reach when I learned about the Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP). At the time, TTP was offered to a select group of students, giving us the opportunity to study at one of five USC-accredited universities in Europe. I jumped at the chance and chose to attend Richmond, the American International University in London, a partner school of USC. Since there wasn’t much information online about the program back then, I’d love to share my experience for anyone considering taking a similar path.
Richmond is a small university—more of a single building than a sprawling campus—located in Chiswick Park, alongside companies like Warner Brothers, CBS News, Pokémon, and Virgin Atlantic. The academic experience in London was very different from what I was used to in high school. Instead of percentages, grades were given solely as letter marks, and each class relied heavily on two or three major assignments, essays, or exams. Since these could count for 20-50% of the final grade, every submission carried a lot of weight, which was stressful since maintaining a 3.7 GPA was crucial. However, most professors were understanding and willing to work with students, so I recommend reaching out to them!
All the USC students lived at IQ Haywood, near the West Hampstead stop on the Jubilee Line. Each of us had a private room and bathroom, sharing a kitchen and common space with seven random flatmates. Honestly, my experience at IQ Haywood had its ups and downs. When we first moved in, London was still quite warm, and since the windows barely opened, the rooms felt like saunas. My bathroom also had an unpleasant odor from the shower drain, which took a while to go away. Additionally, the common areas would often get messy from people partying, and not knowing who your flatmates would be ahead of time made things tricky. That said, having your own room felt like a real luxury since many freshmen in the U.S. have to share with a roommate. It became my sanctuary, a place that truly felt like home.
If you’re considering studying abroad in London, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s an incredible city with so much to explore, and its proximity to other European destinations makes traveling easy and affordable. By the end of the school year, I had visited nine different countries, an experience I never imagined having at just 18 years old. If you have any questions or want to chat more, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram: @emmmawongg.
