Tell me about St Andrews in Scotland

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm always a little concerned when I see parents thinking of sending their children to universities abroad. It is a long-term commitment. The best universities in America offer arguably the best undergraduate education, and at least for job prospects (particularly in North America), a U.S. degree will get you farther. I know it's not popular to say these kinds of things (I feel like I need to say that I am not remotely near a MAGA head), but I feel like it warrants mention.

Do you have stats to back that up? At. Andrew’s rivals good US universities.

What gives you the impression that St. Andrews rivals "good US universities"? It would be lucky to be placed in the top 75 or so if it were plopped in the States.

The Guardian ranks it #2 in the UK, ahead of Cambridge: https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2020/sep/05/the-best-uk-universities-2021-league-table

No one, and certainly not Brits, would rank St Andrews above Cambridge.

It’s subjective, like any ranking, but this one is done by Brits. And even if you think it’s 4th or 5th, the point is whether it “rivals ‘good US universities’ “ and the Brits seem to think it does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did my masters there in International Relations. Great program and close knit student body. It is a small town and the university community is even smaller so that works for some but not for others. Good number of Americans there and other international students— I left with good friends all over the world. As an American you can fit in anywhere (ie the class divide there between the British students is quite real, which was very different for me, but Americans can slot in anywhere). I enjoyed the more in depth study of material versus the more broad American system. Would definitely recommend visiting to get a feel given the small size of the town.

To add on to my post above, social life is very different than US universities— ie dinner parties, bars, and charity balls versus house parties with kegs. One is not better than the other— just different.

I read about this being true even at the college level when my son applied to the joint degree program at W&M. Kids live in apartments. Less class time than in US. Grades based on end of semester papers. And kids socialize at pubs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm always a little concerned when I see parents thinking of sending their children to universities abroad. It is a long-term commitment. The best universities in America offer arguably the best undergraduate education, and at least for job prospects (particularly in North America), a U.S. degree will get you farther. I know it's not popular to say these kinds of things (I feel like I need to say that I am not remotely near a MAGA head), but I feel like it warrants mention.

Do you have stats to back that up? At. Andrew’s rivals good US universities.

What gives you the impression that St. Andrews rivals "good US universities"? It would be lucky to be placed in the top 75 or so if it were plopped in the States.

The Guardian ranks it #2 in the UK, ahead of Cambridge: https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2020/sep/05/the-best-uk-universities-2021-league-table

No one, and certainly not Brits, would rank St Andrews above Cambridge.

+1. St. Andrews isn't even in the top 10

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm always a little concerned when I see parents thinking of sending their children to universities abroad. It is a long-term commitment. The best universities in America offer arguably the best undergraduate education, and at least for job prospects (particularly in North America), a U.S. degree will get you farther. I know it's not popular to say these kinds of things (I feel like I need to say that I am not remotely near a MAGA head), but I feel like it warrants mention.

Do you have stats to back that up? At. Andrew’s rivals good US universities.

What gives you the impression that St. Andrews rivals "good US universities"? It would be lucky to be placed in the top 75 or so if it were plopped in the States.

The Guardian ranks it #2 in the UK, ahead of Cambridge: https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2020/sep/05/the-best-uk-universities-2021-league-table

No one, and certainly not Brits, would rank St Andrews above Cambridge.

+1. St. Andrews isn't even in the top 10

Exactly. And if a uni in Britain isn't even in the top 10 in its own country, what makes people think it would rival the top universities in America?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm always a little concerned when I see parents thinking of sending their children to universities abroad. It is a long-term commitment. The best universities in America offer arguably the best undergraduate education, and at least for job prospects (particularly in North America), a U.S. degree will get you farther. I know it's not popular to say these kinds of things (I feel like I need to say that I am not remotely near a MAGA head), but I feel like it warrants mention.

Do you have stats to back that up? At. Andrew’s rivals good US universities.

What gives you the impression that St. Andrews rivals "good US universities"? It would be lucky to be placed in the top 75 or so if it were plopped in the States.

The Guardian ranks it #2 in the UK, ahead of Cambridge: https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2020/sep/05/the-best-uk-universities-2021-league-table

No one, and certainly not Brits, would rank St Andrews above Cambridge.

+1. St. Andrews isn't even in the top 10

Exactly. And if a uni in Britain isn't even in the top 10 in its own country, what makes people think it would rival the top universities in America?

Number 3 in this other (UK) ranking: https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings
And no one mentioned “the top” US universities, only “good” ones...

[Anonymous]

My childhood best friend did a semester abroad there and ended up transferring to stay for good. I do t know much detail but she was obviously super happy there.

[Anonymous]

My husband went there for 2 years undergrad and said it was a joke academically but otherwise great fun, especially if you appreciate the culture and international experience. He considered it kind of like a finishing school, right of passage school for upper class Brits.

[Anonymous]

Check out university of Glasgow as well. Good university in a fun city. I would only recommend these if your kid is interested in working in Europe which is not a bad idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Check out university of Glasgow as well. Good university in a fun city. I would only recommend these if your kid is interested in working in Europe which is not a bad idea.

This. Parents should only be serious about considering DC to a university abroad if they're committed to the idea of them working and staying abroad for the long term.

[Anonymous]

W&M has a joint program there. Neighbor did that and LOVED it.

[Anonymous]

If your child is interested in studying Terrorism and Political Violence then St. Andrews is a top pick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did my masters there in International Relations. Great program and close knit student body. It is a small town and the university community is even smaller so that works for some but not for others. Good number of Americans there and other international students— I left with good friends all over the world. As an American you can fit in anywhere (ie the class divide there between the British students is quite real, which was very different for me, but Americans can slot in anywhere). I enjoyed the more in depth study of material versus the more broad American system. Would definitely recommend visiting to get a feel given the small size of the town.

To add on to my post above, social life is very different than US universities— ie dinner parties, bars, and charity balls versus house parties with kegs. One is not better than the other— just different.

I was going to comment. There's lots of drinking in the UK, and the drinking age is lower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check out university of Glasgow as well. Good university in a fun city. I would only recommend these if your kid is interested in working in Europe which is not a bad idea.

This. Parents should only be serious about considering DC to a university abroad if they're committed to the idea of them working and staying abroad for the long term.

Our kid is studying abroad, and we have considered this. However, we (his parents) come from two different (non-US) countries and not the one where he is studying, so we both already did this to our parents. But you need to consider that if you send your kid to California or Arizona, they could also choose to live there after graduation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a friend that went, and ended up transferring out after the first year because she under-estimated how much the short days during most of the school year would affect her. She just found it very dark and depressing. She transferred into a school in New England, which is still cold, but just found the longer days really helpful.

So maybe send them with one of those lights for SAD and a bottle of Vitamin D pills? I think this had just not at all occurred to my friend, and she was unprepared for the physical effects of changing latitude that way.

There are a lot of kids who struggle to adapt to US colleges too, and transfer or drop out. There could be many reasons she had problems besides the daylight hours - change of culture, living alone, homesickness, academic issues, depression, loneliness....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm always a little concerned when I see parents thinking of sending their children to universities abroad. It is a long-term commitment. The best universities in America offer arguably the best undergraduate education, and at least for job prospects (particularly in North America), a U.S. degree will get you farther. I know it's not popular to say these kinds of things (I feel like I need to say that I am not remotely near a MAGA head), but I feel like it warrants mention.

So having worked in academia and studied in both UK and US institutions, I couldn't disagree more. I think the rigor of UK institutions, particularly the better ones (in which I would include St. Andrews, though it is certainly not at the level of Cambridge for most subjects), is much higher at the undergraduate level. Grade inflation, money, and the importance of student evaluations of teachers have really undermined quality control in the US. For graduate degrees, it is a different story and more nuanced. You will emerge from a top UK University with more intellectual discipline.

As for job prospects, that is a very complicated question. You do lose the advantage of the large network a US university can offer. But for many internationally-focused jobs a foreign degree is not a problem. And for many professions nowadays, especially in the DC area, you will need a graduate qualification in any case, and a UK undergrad is no disadvantage in getting in, and a huge advantage in handling the requirements, of a US graduate school.

Yes, there is a risk that they will stay in Europe. But then there is a risk that if they study in the US they will move to the West Coast, which is not much closer than the UK.