St Andrews into 2021 (new thread)

[Newgirls]

Ok can’t think of a catchier title! If anyone can send the other thread over here pls do!

Prospective and existing parents etc all welcome here. Transport, accom, cloaks, choirs, beaches and more to be discussed. Next year will be better surely!

dd didn't manage to get a ticket for the Welly Ball which she's a bit disappointed about. Hopefully there will be another one since she's already bought another dress (apparently you can't wear the same dress twice!!)

Think the next ball is the Christmas one. The tickets for these events seem to go very quickly! My dd is also on the lookout for another dress, at that age can you ever have too many??

Hi all! Less from me now as the problems subside and more normality resumes! DD seems very happy up there and very busy with various clubs, ‘family’ life and activities. A social whirl! What a difference from last year. Also good news that S Mapstone has said the plan is for more face to face. It does seem that it still varies according to course so more fairness can only be a good thing. DD seems to have a lot of work but is on top of it and enthusiastic.

Hi Newgirls. Good to hear your DD is having a happy social whirl. We were in Scotland last week and squeezed in a short visit to St A's.

Lots of happy-looking students wandering around. Lots of rain. Lots of good food. (Cromars for fish and chips, Jannetta's for ice cream).

16yo DD2 had a sleepover at AMH and now seems much more enthusiastic about the prospect of going to uni, which is a result.

Agreed that tickets for fancy events seem to go really quickly, but DD seems happy enough with a mostly society-orientated social life.

That sounds all good Chicken, lovely to hear. Glad your dd is enjoying the societies too. Seems to be plenty to get involved in and maybe balls etc come later when they know more people - might appeal to the 3-4th years more?

So glad your dds are having a much better experience this year, mine is too. The societies are a great way to meet new friends and there seems to be something for everyone which is great. I think my dd is both working hard and enjoying all the socialising. What a difference from last year.
Glad you enjoyed your visit @AChickenCalledDaal St Andrews is a lovely place to visit.

Sorry for crashing this thread - mum of current applicant to St Andrews. DD has applied for IR and is starting to fret that she shouldn’t have dropped from 4 A levels to 3. She’s predicted 3 As and has 8A at GCSE. Ruk applicant but no grounds fora contextual offer. Did any DC get an offer with those kind of stats? She knows she probably won’t hear until Feb. Made the mistake of going on TSR where a few have had offers already apparently but all with 4 A levels. Sorry to crash and for being vicariously anxious!

You are very welcome here Winter!

My student had 3 A levels so don’t think 4 is essential?

I think it’s more about making their application specific to the St Andrews course that will help them stand out.

Thank you @Newgirls -much appreciated! St As is her first choice so she tried very hard with the personal statement to make it fit the bill. She was just panicking a bit - although the one she dropped was another essay subject and as she’s continuing with History, Economics and Politics which are all very content-heavy she thought four just too big a risk. Having seen the workload of DS with same 3 a few years ago and how hard he had to work to meet his Durham offer we agreed. Maybe maths as a fourth but too much otherwise. Thank you!

Those sound like great A levels for IR. the challenge will be that it is very popular with Americans. Not sure when their application process is and that might delay matters for your student. Each dept sends out their own offers. Also my student didn’t apply til Dec I think. They will wait to get all the applications not just the oxbridge ones.

Are the offers on TSR for other subjects? It wouldn't surprise me if less oversubscribed subjects like Classics and Theology might be able to get offers or more quickly. I think IR is one of the most popular courses at the university. 4 A levels should not make a difference, most state schools will only allow 4:A levels if 2 of them are double maths, so giving an advantage to 4 would be discriminatory.

Hello, my DD just received an offer from St Andrew’s. She is over the moon! We live in London and I am wondering if St Andrew’s usually does open days for offer holders and how accommodation works. Do they usually get halls the first year, and then have to fend for themselves? We visited St Andrew’s, it looked charming but potentially expensive. Also, do students sign in with a local GP, or is their a university clinic?
I am a British citizen, but foreign born, so not sure what to expect when it comes to these details.

@Stockpot

Hello, my DD just received an offer from St Andrew’s. She is over the moon! We live in London and I am wondering if St Andrew’s usually does open days for offer holders and how accommodation works. Do they usually get halls the first year, and then have to fend for themselves? We visited St Andrew’s, it looked charming but potentially expensive. Also, do students sign in with a local GP, or is their a university clinic? I am a British citizen, but foreign born, so not sure what to expect when it comes to these details.

www.st-andrews.ac.uk/offer-holders/

Yes. A halls place is offered to all first years. Thereafter students share flats/houses on private rental market, use private halls or re-apply to stay in halls for a second year (which works out for some students). It can be expensive. In first year you can only apply for a type of accommodation and not a specific hall. Catered/Self-catered v ensuite/shared bathroom.
There are 2 GP practices in St Andrews and students are allocated based on their surname: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/advice/health/doctors/

Thanks for sharing info @standys.

Hi @Stockpot - do you mind me asking what subject and when your DC applied pls?

She applied for Geography @Chewbecca

Thanks Stock - not same subject as DS is waiting for!
Congratulations.

Stockpot

Just saw your post apologies for the slow response. My student has found the accom in halls to be very good value. She has a great room, food etc for less than mates in various English cities. Renting private accom is a very different matter.

Social life is very much in societies and accom so there isn’t as much going out for dinner/clubs/gigs as perhaps other students. So that has proved cheaper than expected.

The fact that it’s a 4 year course not 3 is more expensive of course!

There is a great train from Kings Cross that goes through to Leuchars and takes around 5 hours. Lots of Edin trains too of course. At the start of term the uni provides free shuttle buses to the town from train stations and airport. Plenty of Londoners there although on whole it’s very international and American.

Thanks @Newgirls! Yes, the halls sound great, but it would seem they don’t have enough capacity for all the students. It’s what to do after the first year that worries me. But obviously everyone else manages!

It’s a funny place in that the town is practically all university so there is loads of uni-owned accom. It’s a very rich uni. They even own most of the rental houses. A few students rent in Dundee and Cupar which are bus rides away. They seem to have capped numbers again to deal with capacity. Last year was problematic for accom but I doubt they will allow that again.

Hello, this thread has woken up!

Congratulations @Stockpot DD, ask away if you have any more questions. DS loves St Andrews in spite of a very curtailed first year experience due to Covid restrictions, hope your DD does too.

@newgirls and @Monkey2001- can I shamelessly pick your brains instead of having the gumption to google the information?

DS has an achievable offer for St A and I think it's going to end up being his firm and his insurance. Only caveat is that he hasn't actually visited yet, but he seems chill about the fact that it's v small - we live in a busy bit of London so his argument is that he can get his city fix at home and he'd rather have a completely different experience than a London-lite.

He's going to visit ASAP, check out the town and take a look at the different accommodation blocks. Is it first come first served? Ie if he firms the offer and applies for accommodation on the 15/3 is he more likely to get what he wants?

Secondly, he'd like catered accommodation. He is being kind of precious about sharing bathrooms but I don't think en-suite should be decider (it's not like he has his own bathroom at home). Which would be the most fun, easiest to meet people, relatively convenient (though he'll probably have a bike)?

Also is there any danger of him being in Dundee or that only very late applicants?

Sorry to use you as unpaid advisers. Any other tips welcome. It's exciting.

How does housing work after the first year?

Are the locals fed up with the students, especially the non-Scottish ones?

With the flexible system, do many students change their course after the first 2 years?

What does social life revolve around?

Can they decide to do a year abroad if they didn’t apply for it initially?

How good is the careers office, or equivalent?

I guess that’s enough questions! Thank you @Monkey2001

@Valleyofthedollymix
If your son chooses single ensuite catered he is very likely to get it. It is the most expensive option. I think standard catered is the most popular option for 1st year and is generally a bit over subscribed. You can't choose your hall in first year you just rank your preferences eg single standard catered, shared catered etc.
My Dd doesn't know anyone who was allocated Dundee accommodation and it may well not be needed this year.
@Stockpot students can choose to remain in halls if they wish but have to apply on a yearly basis. Both my Ds and Dd opted for the bun fight of finding a private rental and both were very lucky. All accommodation is expensive but slightly less so if you are a bit further away from town. No where in St Andrews is that far from the centre even the furthest halls are only about a 20 min walk. Several students use bikes.
My 2 know of a few peers who have happily stayed in halls for their whole time at uni.
The flexible approach means it may be possible to switch final degree choices again my ds knows of a couple who either ended up doing a joint honours or switched completely. This depends though on the modules taken in 1st and second year as honours years often have pre requisits of modules taken in a subject. For example you couldnt switch from chemistry to maths say if you hadn't done enough/ appropriate modules in maths.
My ds was easily able to swap from his original degree in ancient history to general history because he did a mix of both. Infact his honours years contained modules from both schools but his ginal degree came under History.
My 2 have had a great social life there, barring the covid situation.
A lot of socialising happenes via societies and for those in halls, hall events. The union is very active and there are lots of events run there.
There is a lot of flat socialising too so dinner and movie nights or house parties. The locals seem to be used to the students, after all the uni has been there for centuries. Town and gown appear to rub along quite well together.
I can't comment on the year abroad as none of my 2 did this.
My Ds did his own research career wise because of the pandemic and has secured a grad job with one of the big 4. My dd plans to seek their input when the time is right.
My 2 love St Andrews uni as do we. Both of mine have required the use of student services for dyslexia and a more personal matter and both were well supported. Sorry for the essay, I hope this helps. I am sure @Monkey2001 and @Newgirls will be along to offer their experience and views.