If you're ready to have the time of your life - Come to St. Andrews Past Review
By Victoria E (English Literature (British and Commonwealth)., Berea College) for
University of St. Andrews: St. Andrews - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Looking back, I should have spent more time paging through books or hitting the stacks. Although I didn’t make the dean’s list or honor roll, I would say that studying abroad is the best place I’ve ever taken my academic career, but largely for extracurricular reasons. The freest schedule that I’ve ever had coupled with the most freedom I’ve ever had largely contributed to my active extracurricular lifestyle. My days were flexible and I was able to form solid friendships, participate in some amazing events, see many diverse areas of Scotland, and travel to other parts of Europe. I believe my strongest journal pieces come from these fantastic explorations. Life, in all its beautiful intricacy, was truly the most priceless experience. My greatest lesson learned was grasping the fact that our lives, each and every day of them, are an adventure. Though I think everyone should grab a passport and travel, with the right perspective, every new place whether around the world or around the corner, is ripe with opportunities.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was intense and my own attitude towards work could have been more intense as well. As I said before, the differences were massive in terms of what was expected of students in the classroom. British universities are far more independent and students are expected to take over the reins of their education. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everything seemed to be well taken care of. I didn't need to use many of the program's administration resources but, when I did, everything was handled very efficiently. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in a Residence Hall on campus. The social environment was very different from my conservative, small college but I managed just fine! <br /><br /> New Hall was very "new" and, of course, I would have preferred a Scottish baronial-style building :0). Really, the friends I made through New Hall, and my other "host flat" are priceless and I greatly enjoyed the opportunities for meeting people. |
| * Food: |
New Hall tried very hard to make their meals healthy and exciting. However, like most college dining hall food, it's never quite as you would expect. Portion sizes were small, as in most of Europe compared to the States, but I never went hungry or anything. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I really enjoyed attending a ceildh hosted by the Christian Union and in all my travels I was able to see the proud cultural and historic heritage of Scotland very clearly. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I used the National Health Service once and was very pleased with my treatment, no problems or hassle. However, I cannot comment for more extreme cases or emergencies. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent about $40 US dollars a week, more when I traveled. The UK is very expensive and, in particular, the lives of students at a university like St. Andrews are even more costly. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I would recommend making a budget and sticking to your guns. Don't be pressured to spend or do more than you can afford. The world is a huge place and there are ways for people on all budgets to enjoy themselves. Spend wisely and protect your money! |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Fluent |
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?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you're ready to live in one of the most beautiful and magical towns of Scotland, if you're ready to challenge yourself academically, if you're ready to branch out and meet British students, and if you're ready to have the time of your life - Come to St. Andrews. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Scottish Fiction |
| Course Department: | EN 3209 |
| Instructor: | Dr. Christopher MacLachlan |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The course was challenging but very exciting as it directly related to my study abroad experience, what I was seeing for myself in Scotland. My professor was Scottish and incredibly knowledgeable and insightful as to the subject. I feel like my class participation was equal to that at home. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | None have occurred thus far. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Development of the Novel to 1840 |
| Course Department: | EN 3161 |
| Instructor: | Dr. Christopher MacLachlan |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This course was more challenging than my other module, no doubt because 18th century texts were new materials for me to handle. I have to say I felt a bit more lost in this class than my other course. Plenty of help and aid was available, if I only chose to use the resources. I made several friends in this class and we studied together, which helped unravel some of the mysteries of the subject. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | None so far. |
