Tell me about St Andrews in Scotland

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid attends and loves it. They fit the profile of a unhooked kid. Our great grades and tests but not a stellar sport or EC) aka very high stats who did not get into Ivy League but did get into second tier Wesleyan/Emory/Georgetown and chose St Andrews. There are tons of super smart kids from the UK because it is indeed very difficult to get in from the UK. Much easier for Americans bc they want our money, but becoming harder every year.

So let the haters hate, I'm not sure what axe they have to grind other than it's possibly people who went to school in the UK decades ago and are relying on info from back then and are upset about the school William went to becoming better.

Here is some more recent info:

The University of St Andrews is the top university in the UK, moving ahead of Oxford and Cambridge, in the Guardian University Guide 2023 published Saturday 24 September.

It is the second time in two years that Scotland’s oldest university has come ahead of its larger Oxbridge rivals to top a leading university league table. In 2021 St Andrews was ranked number one in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, the first time in the 30-year history of league tables that any university other than Oxford or Cambridge has come first.

The Guardian places St Andrews top in its ranking of the UK’s 130 universities for the first time. St Andrews first broke the Oxbridge duopoly in 2019, unseating Oxford to take second place, and holding that position in the Guide the following year.

+1

[Anonymous]

In a word “Stoxbridge”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From a proud alum, but pretty accurately captures the St Andrews experience https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGcNswofnOU

Great video. Thanks so much for posting.

[Anonymous]

Becoming a popular destination for kids coming out of the mid-Atlantic states. Great price point vs comparable US schools. Can apply via common app.

[Anonymous]

What's the average SAT or middle 50% there? I googled and can't find that data. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Unlike US schools they don’t really publish SAT state range or have common data sets. If your your scores are mid 1400 or above and have As in a number of AP courses you will be fine for most majors. IR is pretty competitive. Minimum qualifications are here https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/entry/usa/. They have a fairly large US student contingent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From a proud alum, but pretty accurately captures the St Andrews experience https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGcNswofnOU

Pompous and dull?

[Anonymous]

I found it to be quite good

[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.

+1.

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

So, it’s a great alternative to schools like Indiana University or the University of Maryland for a student who wants a different experience, or for whom, for whatever reason, St. Andrews would be cheaper or easier to get into.

[Anonymous]

The town of St Andrews is by the North Sea and at a higher latitude than most of the US. In winter, days are noticeably shorter. In summer, days are noticeably longer. Winters often are cold, windy, and wet.

Students need to plan their wardrobes accordingly. Wool jumpers (sweaters), wool socks, and all-season footwear are helpful in winter. LL Bean gumshoes/boots are pretty common in my experience, at least among the Americans. (Clothing suitable for winters in Maine also is suitable for winters in Scotland.) As the old joke goes, there is no bad weather only inappropriate clothing.

British culture varies from American in various ways. An open mind helps, but one might want to read a library book on British social customs before going. The "Central" is likely the most frequented pub in StA, but some of the academic departments (eg., CS) go more to the Whey Pat.

For parental visits, several B&Bs are in the middle of town. Hotels near/in StA are priced for rich golfers, not for parents or students. Go for the B&Bs.

Private accommodation in StA is both limited and expensive, so students should grab the university housing if at all possible.

Oddly, StA no longer has a railway station (Thanks to Beeching). The nearest railway station is "Leuchars" and one can take a 99 bus from there to StA and back again.

Edinburgh is the nearest largish airport, albeit smaller than DCA. There is now a bus which runs the short distance between EDI airport and the nearest railway station. United Airlines has 2 daily flights between EWR and EDI most of the year. In my experience, these have mostly been 2-cabin 757s with flat beds in front. Prudent travellers book the early flight each direction, just in case of flight delays or cancellations. The other option is to fly from IAD to LHR and then connect on to EDI (or take an onward train feom Kings Cross to Leuchars).

[Anonymous]

PP poster provides some great information. Have spoken with parents who have kids either at St. Andrews for all 4 years or for 2 as part of the W&M joint degree program. It is becoming a popular choice for a number of students from the DMV area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From a proud alum, but pretty accurately captures the St Andrews experience https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGcNswofnOU

Pompous and dull?

NO, creative and moving

[Anonymous]

The LNER train between Leuchars and Kings Cross (London) is lower hassle and can be similar end-to-end travel time to taking train to near EDInand then flying EDI-LHR (or the reverse). Train has no security checks/delays, less waiting at the airport on either end, and larger seats,

[Anonymous]

Went there in late 80s…glad to see option for certain students. It was perfect for me to grow as a student and as a person

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:how is that a problem for anyone? 50% admissions rate for top students seems like a pretty solid bet to me. And for a lot of UMC, 50k a year is a financial fit when 90k isn't.

finding a safety you love - and can afford - is such a wonderful way to walk through the admissions season, not that I'd know.

Does anyone know if there an official acceptance rate? I've seen anything from 8% to 52% on various websites, but I can't find an official source.