Past Review
By Samantha J (Environmental, Soil and Water Science, University of Arkansas - Fayetteville) for
Scottish Agricultural College: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Very worthwhile. I love living in Edinburgh. It's not too big, but has culture and history all throughout the city. I learned so much about many environmental, social and economic issues in the UK and especially Scotland, which is interesting to compare back to those in the US. I also learned so much about other cultures; there is generally a higher awareness here of different cultures not only in Europe, but in Asia and Africa as well, which helped me to learn about them.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
| The term and year this program took place: | Full-Year 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The college is not the most organised institution, but some of the teachers are very good lecturers and were frequently available with any questions I had. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The college is very small, which was good for getting questions answered. The faculty was usually available for questions and answers, which was nice. However, there were some issues with availability of some classes. Before I left for Scotland, I had received a class list from administration, which I thought were all available to take. I had them approved by my home institution for credit transfers. However, when I arrived in Scotland a lot of the classes I had chosen were not actually offered, and had not been offered for several years. When sending out the class lists to exchange students, it should be ensured that the list is up to date, so that students are not misled. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It was absolutely wonderful; in the city centre and close to the free shuttle bus-stop that went to my college. <br /><br /> Absolutely perfect location and the right size for the two of us. |
| * Food: |
Food is a bit more pricey than in the States, but I was able to eat on the cheap for the most part. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Excellent. I have great friends here, and I love the pub-culture here. It's nice to meet friends in the pub, have either dinner, lunch or a few drinks and have a good time. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Government health programs are fabulous here. I was able to visit the women's clinic and received all the help that I needed...free! It was wonderful. Edinburgh is a very safe city. I have not felt threatened at anytime. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Phone bills can add up, if you're paying as you go. Food prices are higher than in the States, but instead of going to Tesco all the time, I go to LIDL, which is a cheaper alternative. It was very helpful in keeping food costs down |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Prepare for a very different style of lectures and course-work in comparison to that in the States. The lectures are once a week per class and last about 3 hours long, which is kind of difficult for paying attention. The course work involves one or two big essays and maybe a presentation. Always. The exams are essay-style, so you must know the course material to do well on the exams. |
