Anonymous
Post 03/13/2023 19:40     Subject: Re:University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
Anonymous wrote:We had student-led tours at both St Andrews and Edinburgh. We spent the day in St Andrews mapping out the halls and the buildings where my child would have most of their courses (psychology major), walked to the sports center, poked around the shops, had lunch in a pub and people-watched in a coffee shop for a while. It's very easy to get a sense of student life in St Andrews. In Edinburgh, we had a longer tour, and were able to see the library and some other university buildings. We ate lunch near the student union, and walked to some of the catered halls to see how far they were from George square (most were about 20 min away, but easy to take the bus). After our visit, my child was interested in St Andrews but Edinburgh was definitely the first choice - it's a great school in a lovely and lively city, lots to do, cool vibe. The more she thought about it, however, the more she liked St Andrews because she thought in a smaller, more geographically compact school it would be easier to make friends, easier to find support, easier to navigate. And Edinburgh is only a train ride away. She was accepted to both but decided on St Andrews, and it was definitely the right decision for her during Covid lockdowns and restrictions. Now that it's back to normal, she says that the town doesn't feel small at all and there is tons to do. She didn't consider Glasgow, but both Edinburgh and St Andrews are great choices.



How often does she fly back home?
Anonymous
Post 03/13/2023 08:29     Subject: Re:University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
We had student-led tours at both St Andrews and Edinburgh. We spent the day in St Andrews mapping out the halls and the buildings where my child would have most of their courses (psychology major), walked to the sports center, poked around the shops, had lunch in a pub and people-watched in a coffee shop for a while. It's very easy to get a sense of student life in St Andrews. In Edinburgh, we had a longer tour, and were able to see the library and some other university buildings. We ate lunch near the student union, and walked to some of the catered halls to see how far they were from George square (most were about 20 min away, but easy to take the bus). After our visit, my child was interested in St Andrews but Edinburgh was definitely the first choice - it's a great school in a lovely and lively city, lots to do, cool vibe. The more she thought about it, however, the more she liked St Andrews because she thought in a smaller, more geographically compact school it would be easier to make friends, easier to find support, easier to navigate. And Edinburgh is only a train ride away. She was accepted to both but decided on St Andrews, and it was definitely the right decision for her during Covid lockdowns and restrictions. Now that it's back to normal, she says that the town doesn't feel small at all and there is tons to do. She didn't consider Glasgow, but both Edinburgh and St Andrews are great choices.
Anonymous
Post 03/13/2023 01:11     Subject: University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why are there so many Brits and Brit wannabes on this sub? The only schools worth a penny in that country are Oxbridge (top of tops), LSE and UCL. People acting as if St Andrews is actually some enviable institution? LOL. Maybe if you're one of those weirdo royal sycophants that love all things Will and Kate, sure.

Example one ^^ of how not to behave in the UK - people do not like loud, obnoxious Americans who sound like they know everything


People also don’t like obnoxious Brits who believe they’re just inherently superior in every regard to those uncivilized Americans across the pond. Arrogant, condescending, patronizing, elitist.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2023 23:35     Subject: University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
Anonymous wrote:Why are there so many Brits and Brit wannabes on this sub? The only schools worth a penny in that country are Oxbridge (top of tops), LSE and UCL. People acting as if St Andrews is actually some enviable institution? LOL. Maybe if you're one of those weirdo royal sycophants that love all things Will and Kate, sure.

Example one ^^ of how not to behave in the UK - people do not like loud, obnoxious Americans who sound like they know everything
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2023 22:14     Subject: University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
Why are there so many Brits and Brit wannabes on this sub? The only schools worth a penny in that country are Oxbridge (top of tops), LSE and UCL. People acting as if St Andrews is actually some enviable institution? LOL. Maybe if you're one of those weirdo royal sycophants that love all things Will and Kate, sure.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2023 22:07     Subject: University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
Lampsplus wrote:Interesting breakdown of St. Andrew’s offers by state. Plus 1287 unconditional offers for 2589 applications. Thought their acceptance rate was in single digits.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/unconditional_vs_conditional_off#incoming-2168894

Yeah, that Harvard-Westlake PDF also showed that all 21 HW kids who applied to St. Andrew's over the past 3 years were accepted (and only 4 of those kids were in the top HW grades tier). St. Andrew's is "faux selective," at least for U.S. applicants.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2023 21:24     Subject: Re:University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous[b wrote:]The weather in Scotland is not great. It is cold and damp all the time.
And does he really want to hang out at the pub every day?
And I mean every single afternoon.
[/b]



My Oxbridge kid said the same (yes bitterly damp - overcast all the time and he's south). But as to drinking, he says it is much more prevalent and accepted in the UK universities. It's also easier to get on campus as a freebie. The drinking starts earlier in the when the lectures finish and the sherry caddy rolls out. Beer or wine at lunch. Port after. The afternoon pub drinking starts with Ale, then vodka martinis, Pimms (during summer), Gin & tonics. He says you can get very drunk, very cheap and get very fat very quick.



This exactly. The drinking culture in the UK is out of control.
And the damp and cold will seep into your bones.
And the food is not great either.

I think Americans do college best. K-12 is weak in the US (public schools in general) but the US knows how to do college better than anywhere else
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2023 20:03     Subject: Re:University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
Anonymous[b wrote:]The weather in Scotland is not great. It is cold and damp all the time.
And does he really want to hang out at the pub every day?
And I mean every single afternoon.
[/b]



My Oxbridge kid said the same (yes bitterly damp - overcast all the time and he's south). But as to drinking, he says it is much more prevalent and accepted in the UK universities. It's also easier to get on campus as a freebie. The drinking starts earlier in the when the lectures finish and the sherry caddy rolls out. Beer or wine at lunch. Port after. The afternoon pub drinking starts with Ale, then vodka martinis, Pimms (during summer), Gin & tonics. He says you can get very drunk, very cheap and get very fat very quick.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2023 20:02     Subject: Re:University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
Anonymous[b wrote:]The weather in Scotland is not great. It is cold and damp all the time.
And does he really want to hang out at the pub every day?
And I mean every single afternoon.
[/b]



My Oxbridge kid said the same (yes bitterly damp - overcast all the time and he's south). But as to drinking, he says it is much more prevalent and accepted in the UK universities. It's also easier to get on campus as a freebie. The drinking starts earlier in the when the lectures finish and the sherry caddy rolls out. Beer or wine at lunch. Port after. The afternoon pub drinking starts with Ale, then vodka martinis, Pimms (during summer), Gin & tonics. He says you can get very drunk, very cheap and get very fat very quick.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2023 19:45     Subject: Re:University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
A feature of a smaller uni, such as StA is that students are a name not a number. At any large uni, some students likely will get overlooked. Lots of US people at StA; many are Presbyterian clergy studying for a graduate degree. An annoying thing about StA is that it no longer (since Beeching) has its own railway station. So take the train to Leuchars, then the 99 bus to StA. Workable but annoying. Similarly, small towns often are safer than big cities, in any country. While gun safety is not a big UK issue, knife crime at night in big cities is definitely an issue.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2023 19:38     Subject: Re:University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
All three are good universities. St Andrews is a fairly small college town with a famous golf club on the north side. The other 2 are large cities. I would not want to live in Glasgow, too industrial for my taste, but YMMV. Look at -several- Uk newspaper rankings and descriptions both for the uni as a whole and for their specific degree (e.g., physics, history, english lit, etc.). Scottish system is a 4-year undergrad, unlike England/Wales which have 3-year undergrad degrees. In StA at least, market housing is limited and often pricey, so university accommodation is best. All 3 have good programs in pure and applied sciences.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2023 19:11     Subject: Re:University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
Anonymous wrote:You will fit in better if you are wealthy or at least UMC.
I would not recommend for middle class or below as the society there is even more class stratified than here

Student body in Scotland is very diverse, scots pay very little for the Uni, so all stratas are represented. My God, who are you people commenting…
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2023 18:54     Subject: Re:University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
Anonymous wrote:You will fit in better if you are wealthy or at least UMC.
I would not recommend for middle class or below as the society there is even more class stratified than here


Somehow I doubt people with no money are committing to the airfare but thx for the warning.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2023 18:52     Subject: Re:University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
You will fit in better if you are wealthy or at least UMC.
I would not recommend for middle class or below as the society there is even more class stratified than here
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2023 18:35     Subject: University of Edinburgh, Glasgow or St. Andrews
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:For undergrad? I don’t understand why you’d elect to study in Scotland of all places if you’re trying to get a job in the states afterward.


Did I say he was trying to get a job in the states afterward? Though DH and I are here, I would be thrilled if he decided to live in UK or EU. He has citizenship in both.


Job prospects in the UK are super hot right now.