Tell me about St Andrews in Scotland

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC graduated from W&M and St Andrews joint degree program recently. Both schools were great educational experiences but vastly different. No multiple choice exams at St Andrews. You need to know your subject and be able to clearly articulate your knowledge or solve problems depending on major. DC was readily employable at a multinational firm.

St Andrews provides a great experience and yes rankings are subjective but Stoxbridge will become part of the lexicon.

???

[Anonymous]

LMAOOOO Stoxbridge!!! These StA boosters are genuinely delusional

[Anonymous]

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.

College is half about personal growth. Going to school abroad gets kids out of their comfort zone and exposes them to so much more.

I don't think you need to be "a little concerned" about people "sending" their 18/19 year old child who has chosen to apply and go to a country with relatively little gun violence and where they can get a very good education.

Really, that is what you are "concerned" about??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC graduated from W&M and St Andrews joint degree program recently. Both schools were great educational experiences but vastly different. No multiple choice exams at St Andrews. You need to know your subject and be able to clearly articulate your knowledge or solve problems depending on major. DC was readily employable at a multinational firm.

How was it socially to only be at each school for 2 years?

[Anonymous]

St Andrews is the third best university in Scotland after Edinburgh and Glasgow. They have a very clever marketing strategy that targets gullible Americans and tries to convince them, successfully by the sounds of it, that St Andrews is in the same league as Cambridge and Oxford. The reality is, they are in a similar league to University of York and Bristol…ie 10-15 in the Uk.

[Anonymous]

DC made a great group of friends at both W&M & St Andrews. A core group of about 25 traveled together so, some built in friends on the journey make it easier. Students start at home school and can do ABBA or ABAB. St Andrews requires a senior thesis so most that start at W&M choose to finish at W&M.

[Anonymous]

Stoxbridge - https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/sep/24/stoxbridge-st-andrews-overtakes-oxford-cambridge-guardian-university-guide

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stoxbridge - https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/sep/24/stoxbridge-st-andrews-overtakes-oxford-cambridge-guardian-university-guide

That's from the Guardian which means it doesn't count as a real story

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:St Andrews is the third best university in Scotland after Edinburgh and Glasgow. They have a very clever marketing strategy that targets gullible Americans and tries to convince them, successfully by the sounds of it, that St Andrews is in the same league as Cambridge and Oxford. The reality is, they are in a similar league to University of York and Bristol…ie 10-15 in the Uk.

AND WHY DO YOU CARE??? People on this thread are so awful! The OP wants to know about the school but it gets derailed into a pissing match about rankings. If you think a ranking booster is off, why does it bother you so? These rankings mean nothing at all...no bearing on any future experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:St Andrews is the third best university in Scotland after Edinburgh and Glasgow. They have a very clever marketing strategy that targets gullible Americans and tries to convince them, successfully by the sounds of it, that St Andrews is in the same league as Cambridge and Oxford. The reality is, they are in a similar league to University of York and Bristol…ie 10-15 in the Uk.

AND WHY DO YOU CARE??? People on this thread are so awful! The OP wants to know about the school but it gets derailed into a pissing match about rankings. If you think a ranking booster is off, why does it bother you so? These rankings mean nothing at all...no bearing on any future experience.

DP. Chill dude. OP asked the question in 2021 and their child is likely a junior by now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC graduated from W&M and St Andrews joint degree program recently. Both schools were great educational experiences but vastly different. No multiple choice exams at St Andrews. You need to know your subject and be able to clearly articulate your knowledge or solve problems depending on major. DC was readily employable at a multinational firm.

How was it socially to only be at each school for 2 years?

The only kid I know who did that ended up withdrawing and is now only getting back on the college track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi My DC is OBSESSED with St Andrew's in Scotland, based on pictures online, the website and anecdotal info. He is a junior so we have a little time. Hopefully, maybe we can visit it things calm down with Covid.

Can you tell me the good, the bad, the ugly, the unexpected etc. THANKS!

Great school, awesome experience. He can just do a semester or two, instead of four years there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:St Andrews is the third best university in Scotland after Edinburgh and Glasgow. They have a very clever marketing strategy that targets gullible Americans and tries to convince them, successfully by the sounds of it, that St Andrews is in the same league as Cambridge and Oxford. The reality is, they are in a similar league to University of York and Bristol…ie 10-15 in the Uk.

Please, look at any, literally any, national level ranking and st andrews is ranked in place 1, 2, or 3.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/uk-university-rankings-revealed-the-times-league-table-dbxtwgm70

On global rankings, which are reflect the quantity of research output, St Andrews is ranked near brown and dartmouth, as St Andrews is a primarily undergraduate focused institution. So it's not going to perform well on international university rankings.

Maybe 20 years ago you'd be right, but as we know, rankings change. Universities progress and decline. St Andrews has expanded massively and has raised tons of money in recent years. It's had really good leadership who have increased the quality, standards, and reputations of the institution, hence the rankings.

The former St Andrews president, Louise Richardson, went from St Andrews directly to become president of Oxford as she did such a good job at St A. Then St A got the number 2 at Oxford as their current president. It's good marketing, but also great leadership, great quality, and an amazing experience at St Andrews. The top students in Scotland and England are banging down the door to get into St Andrews. That's why it has the highest entry standards, alongside Oxford and Cambridge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:St Andrews is the third best university in Scotland after Edinburgh and Glasgow. They have a very clever marketing strategy that targets gullible Americans and tries to convince them, successfully by the sounds of it, that St Andrews is in the same league as Cambridge and Oxford. The reality is, they are in a similar league to University of York and Bristol…ie 10-15 in the Uk.

+1.

And top 10-15 in the UK is equivalent to about top 50 in the US.

[Anonymous]

It's weird how some people really hate other people's children attending a school they don't love. And are really passionate about other family's choices.

I don't get yucking someone else's yum, but it's better than spending a lot of time tearing someone's else's yum down on a message board as often as possible, in all caps, over several years.