Everything but Sun in Scotland Past Review

By A student (Philosophy., Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/12/2014 to 05/25/2014 with

University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

Scotland is full of warm people, and the international atmosphere of Edinburgh makes for vibrant culture. I learned the need to self-motivate integration into the social scene, and (relatedly) to spend time with myself in a busy city setting. It was very, very worthwhile!

Review Photos

University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	If you like anonymity and independence, you will thrive in the lower-level classes, and even the higher-level courses have minimal participation requirements.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Study Abroad Office was friendly and helpful.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Dorms were very nice, clean and quiet, but dining hall (JMCC) was a bit of a let-down.
* Food:	Repetitive menus, and endless potatoes. However, good fruit/vegetable selection, and excellent salad bar.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	It's up to you to make this happen!
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	Had no health issues
* Safety:	Edinburgh feels safe and friendly; just apply standard caution and you shouldn't have any problems.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* 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)	Other than lunch, there were no mandatory expenses that occurred regularly. Food is relatively cheap.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$75
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Drink Tennant's Supers.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

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

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	People Culture Environment
* What could be improved?	Food American/Scottish integration
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	The best way to meet new people is to join extra-curricular clubs/teams

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.	The Academic or Linguist You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Philosophy of David Hume
Course Department:	Philosophy
Instructor:	Andrew Mason
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Dr.Mason was extremely knowledgeable and invested in the subject matter. He spent almost all of our class time lecturing, but was always open to questions/comments. The only grading criteria were a midterm essay and a final essay.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Scottish Literature 2
Course Department:	English Literature
Instructor:	(Several)
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	There were many, many books assigned in this course, but it was never clear whether we were supposed to read them all (which would have been borderline impossible), or only read the selections for discussion sections. This class was neither the most interesting nor the most challenging of courses, but if you are looking for an overview of English/Scottish lit (as well as associated literary movements/theories/etc), it fits the bill.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Knowledge and Reality
Course Department:	Philosophy
Instructor:	(Several)
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Really great introduction to epistemology and metaphysics. The syllabus was issue-based, with each week(ish) focusing on a particular debate in epistemology or metaphysics. Lecturers are some of the top philosophers in their fields, and they were overall very effective and engaging teachers.
Credit Transfer Issues: