"Brace! Brace!" Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

A sense of "academic rigor" is different for everyone, so I'll just say that I think my classes at UoE required less of me than any Wellesley classes I've taken.

On-site administration of your program

I didn't have a specific "program," but the International Student Center at the University of Edinburgh was a great help and a big presence while I was there. ISC is staffed by great people and put on great programs/trips/etc. I would urge anyone going to UoE to keep in touch with ISC or even volunteer there.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in 11 New Arthur Place, in a 5 person flat. My only complaint was that my wi-fi didn't reach my room, but that didn't really matter, because I could hook-up my laptop with an ethernet cable (provided by the university) and I didn't really have any devices for which I really needed wi-fi. Otherwise, I loved the experience. The cleaning service was a great help, the maintenance staff was prompt and efficient, and room/flat inspections kept the place running great. The entire complex felt very safe - there was a gate that sealed it off from the street, and the door to your specific building could only be opened by someone who lived there. The whole thing looks like one giant building, but separate places (3,5,7,9, and 11 New Arthur Place) all had different entryways with different locks. No elevators or anything, but there aren't that many floors and the walk up isn't bad. I was in self-catered accommodations, which all seem to be closer to the University than the catered dorms (which are about a 20 minute walk from NAP, away from the city center), and NAP is right next to the Sports Center and only a little ways down from Tesco, which comes up halfway through the 8 minute walk to Uni (I walk slowly).

I lived in self-catered accommodations, so I won't rate my own meals, but the availability/accessibility of food if you live in NAP. The Tesco isn't far at all, and I went by there nearly every day (and often, multiple times a day). It's the quickest way to find food, and the cheapest, though not always the freshest. My only gripe about Tesco is that any bread you buy there will usually only last you about 5 days, max, and since I'm only an occasional toast-eater, it was a little annoying. Otherwise, they really cater to students, and have a "Meal Deal" system that's cheap and good in a pinch. A place to get so-called "real" food would probably be Marks & Spencer, but that's a pretty lengthy walk down Princes Street (maybe half an hour?), so probably not recommended for a big shop.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I'm not a mingler by nature, but I felt very much a part of the city, like everyone else. I never felt like a tourist (requisite picture-taking and geeking out aside), and that had more to do with the activities of my day-to-day life than any huge effort on my part to do everything I could in the city. On the whole, Edinburgh was a welcoming city and the University serves as a great facilitator, so it was very easy to find a home there.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Can't really rate, because this wasn't entirely applicable to me. I did get quite sick at one point, but I handled it myself, and didn't see a doctor, so I have no idea how the system compares to ours (in MA). I did not seek out any assistance, but the welcome packet I received from the International Student Center did include the numbers for many practices in the area accepting new patients that are great for students, so in that regard, ISC was helpful. I chose not to register with a physician while abroad, although I wish I had, because I could probably have handled my illness a bit better.

I had no safety issues myself, and see no reason future students should worry too much. Edinburgh is a city, just like any other, and common sense goes a long way. My advice is to just take precautions you would anywhere - don't go anywhere alone late at night, lock the gate to your building complex, if you have one (the doors to NAP and individual flats locked automatically, but the gate was sometimes left open). There was an incident reported late at night, and the school sent out a reminder to all students to stay safe, and to avoid the area where the incident occurred, so in that regard, I felt the University did all it could to keep students safe and aware.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

This is a tough questions for many reasons. First, everyone's habits are different. I'm general frugal to begin with, so I found it very easy to live within my budget, but my budget doesn't include very much. On the other hand, I did a fair bit of traveling (both in Scotland and outside of it), and I did live in a place with a currency stronger than the US dollar, so I was also very aware of my finances at all times. It helped that rent could be paid monthly and wasn't required all at once, and that it was my only real expense besides food and my own recreation. That said, it's very expensive to go out on the town (again, my habits and opinions), but I think it would be easy enough to manage as long as you stay aware of that.

Select all that apply

• Dorm
• Apartment

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• Local Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• International Student Center
• Living with UK students (2 from Scotland, 2 from England)
• Friendliness of the city

• Little things, like the system they use for classes. Makes FirstClass and Sakai look like godsends.
• Libraries are not as...efficient?...as the Wellesley libraries. It was really hard to find a place to just sit in work - it wasn't the best environment.
• The classroom experience was a bit lacking - not as engaging as Wellesley, but that's not something easily fixed or changed, and I'm pretty set in my ways.