Scotland: A good time Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I only took upper level philosophy courses, so it may be that my experience is different from that of students in other classes. The school system was fairly simple. We had lectures two to three times a week which were optional (this was written explicitly in our syllabi). We also had a smaller session once a week with a few people from a class where we would have discussions with the professor about the material and any problems we had in class that were very helpful. We were graded on one paper (as a midterm) which could be replaced by a second paper if we did not like our grades, anda final exam. The paper content and structure was different there than in the American system. I would recommend asking your professors about what they are looking for in your writing.

On-site administration of your program

The school in itself was good. I am sure that if I was a resident of the U.K. that I would have no problems doing well there. However, I was a foreign student visiting the institution. I found myself to be very much on my own and had to constantly track down people to reluctantly help me with any of the problems I had. The support system for students from abroad is abysmal, especially at the very start of things. It was a nightmare.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had my own room in a flat. All the necessities (bed, pillow, comforter, chair, desk) were provided for me. My only gripe was how poorly the housing application was handled by both universities. There was a point when I was told that there was no more housing for me (after being guaranteed accommodations) and was given a list of b&b's. Needless to say, I was very angry about this. After much hassle I was given an off campus flat to live in. This was ok, other than the fact that I had the additional expense of commuting to the school and that my roommates never seemed to want to warm up to me. Although I was in the city, I did not find it to be a great benefit. The town itself is somewhat small and dull and there is not much to do other than to go clubbing in the immediate vicinity. At least I was close to the local Tesco's, which I will admit, was fantastic.

I only ate at the university once. The quality was on par with any standard university. The food is supplied by Sodexo. There is no meal plan, so expect to cook many meals for yourself. This is what I did, so I can hardly complain.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There was nothing arranged for the students by Clark. It often times seemed as if we were the only school that did this. Every other student that I spoke to had many opportunities planned by their program to take them out to see the country and experience as much of its culture as possible. I did do my best to travel and still remain within my budget. I do have to say this, Scotland is great, but the city of Stirling does not do a good job of reflecting this fact.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The U.K. overall seemed to be a safe place to be. One obviously needs some common sense, but I never felt threatened in any of my travels across the country. Stirling is a town that has a university at its heart. The locals may be angry at the drunken antics of the students, but other than that, there is nothing unsafe about the town.

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

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• Dorm

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• Local Students

• the freedom

• Any sort of organization of activities
• Not making students pay full-tuition
• Preparing students better