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Higher education

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Original poster

St Andrews top tips

83 replies

Eightytwenty · 26/07/2022 17:06

DS will be starting next month and as a Scottish student he has a firm place and halls (Sallies) confirmed.

Anyone have any ‘wish I’d known’ top tips / recommendations for him or us?

OP posts:
Wbeezer · 31/07/2022 16:31

When DS2 was in Sallies 3 years ago you could order packed lunches if you couldn't make it back for lunch, i think it might be the same in all the catered halls.

Wbeezer · 31/07/2022 16:49

İ think it was crisps, a drink, a piece of fruit, a sandwich and a Tunnocks caramel wafer, certainly enough calories to keep you going!

Meowmeowmeowmeowmeow · 31/07/2022 17:06

I graduated st andrews
Worst expierence of my life
Dm me for details

Reusername · 31/07/2022 17:58

So my DS will (hopefully) be going to St As this Sept. Do I really not need to get him a red gown? Being English (half Scottish) we won't know until 18th August and that gives just two weeks to get our backsides in gear.

Wbeezer · 31/07/2022 18:14

You can sometimes get them from charity shops. My DS only wore his twice, for hall photos, its mainly international girls who wear them to go on Sunday pier walks, cos they look cute in photos!

DoggerelBank · 31/07/2022 22:03

Did your DC manage to eat all three meals everyday when they were in AMH?
Yes, but she was a medic so not far to walk. As another poster said, I think they gave the option of a packed lunch.
And finally, (for now 😁) I've seen a video of an AMH room and the girl had an underbed storage drawer that she pulled out from under the bed. Does that come with the bed/room? Or would you just buy one yourself - she intimated that it was part of the bed which would be great.
Yes, underbed storage drawer was already in the room.

The main downside of AMC (may be the same in all residences) was the older students (2nd and 3rd years) were put in the same corridors as the freshers. My DD was unlucky and didn't have anyone on her corridor that wanted to be sociable. Hopefully that won't be the case for your DC, but if it is, the good news is that they'll meet loads of people at meal times, so corridor social life doesn't need to be a big deal.

Enjoy the bargain year at AMC (and start saving now for the outrageous rent you'll be paying if DC goes into a private rental!)

My DD has had an amazing three years there. She's absolutely heartbroken she has to leave. Hope your DC have a similar experience.

DoggerelBank · 31/07/2022 22:04

AMH not AMC of course!!

Lerouge · 01/08/2022 08:35

Thanks doggerel that's really helpful.

I wonder how much the info they had to provide to accommodation is taken into account? DC had to say if they liked early or late nights and what their hobbies are.

fifelife · 01/08/2022 09:42

A gown is certainly not essential,dont rush into buying one,I have one and have worn it a fair few times but lots of people dont have one,likewise Ive never been to a friday night bop and so havent bought fancy dress outfits,youll find your own St Andrews and that will dictate what you need,if you arent planning on going to Balls then you can manage without a dinner suit(I love Balls and have got a lot of use out of my suit,but thats not for everyone..)

DoggerelBank · 01/08/2022 14:35

I don't know how much they take people's personalities and preferences into account. Hopefully they would do A LOT if you're sharing a room. Perhaps they did with my DD, but I'm guessing a 2nd year's lack of interest in 1st years would be stronger than any shared interests or personality traits. Plus the 2nd years and older get to specify friends they want to be with, so they have a ready-made social bubble. I'm not sure whether she was atypical and drew the short straw, or whether the mixed year groups were replicated all around the residence. She wasn't accepted until 2 or 3 days after A level results, so she may have been at the back of the queue. She still had a great time there.

Lerouge · 04/08/2022 09:10

Thanks doggerel interesting to hear. I guess it's luck of the draw really - even friendships that might look good on paper might not work in real life.

Something which might be more of interest to prospective students rather than parents (although I have had a peek) is there's a St Andrews class of 2026 Instagram page which includes profiles of new students - DC and I took a look at this, trying to spot people who are on the same course as my DC.

SandinJuice · 08/08/2022 09:39

Results day tomorrow in Scotland. Not the same nerves as previous years as the St A offer was unconditional so they don't 'matter' in the same way. Of course we're hoping that they get the grades they aspired to.

Our slot is booked for Sat 3rd. Haven't signed up for the parent event on Sunday because it would mean coming back on the Sunday - might be doing that anyway if we haven't fitted everything in the car. Does anyone know whether it's a useful thing to attend or is it just going to be an attempt to get parents to donate money? If it's the latter, we would give it a swerve because we are very far off from being able to do such a thing.

Good luck to all the fellow Scottish students waiting on results tomorrow.

Wbeezer · 08/08/2022 09:54

İ lurk on the Parents of St Andrews Students Facebook page, according to them the parents reception does not provide you any info you can't get elsewhere, i think it's main purpose is to give the parents who are hanging about for several days something to do (and they do ask for money!). I didn't go.

Wbeezer · 08/08/2022 09:55

Darn it, I have lost track of dates, thought results were today, the waiting continues...

SandinJuice · 08/08/2022 14:20

Wbeezer oh no how annoying - an extra day to wait!

Thanks for giving the info about the parents' session. I'm off to look for the parents of St Andrews students Facebook page... 🙂

Wbeezer · 08/08/2022 15:09

@SandinJuice its quite illuminating, it's mostly international parents, usually American, who have to be gently introduced to the "just let them get on with it by themselves" British attitude to students.

ApolloandDaphne · 08/08/2022 15:13

I am a St Andrews graduate and I now live in the town. I'm also a current undergrad at the uni. It's fair to say I love St Andrews and the uni. I can't really say much about halls as I live in my own home obviously but I may be able to help with other questions.

Stockpot · 18/08/2022 11:28

DD made her grades and now we need to scramble to get her set up and ready to head off to St A’s!

I wonder when the Halls info will come through?

Lerouge · 18/08/2022 13:25

Congratulations Stockpot! I think there have been a few posts on the parents Facebook page today asking that question - might be worth a look.

Has anyone got any insight into how much money DC is likely to need when they are in a fully catered hall? Do they still have to buy books for example? Just trying to work out how much DC may need, and whether we will need to top up at all.

Honeyroar · 18/08/2022 13:58

My stepson went to St Andrews and absolutely loved it (is now a good polo player too thanks to his time there!). He wasn’t well matched with his flat mates, but found lots of good friends on his course and lived with them the following years.

If you can afford it do but the gown (there may be some sold second hand?) as the harbour walk thing is amazing for freshers to do. It’s a really quirky, friendly uni, as far as I could tell.

ApolloandDaphne · 18/08/2022 15:05

Lerouge · 18/08/2022 13:25

Congratulations Stockpot! I think there have been a few posts on the parents Facebook page today asking that question - might be worth a look.

Has anyone got any insight into how much money DC is likely to need when they are in a fully catered hall? Do they still have to buy books for example? Just trying to work out how much DC may need, and whether we will need to top up at all.

For books it might depend on what subject your DC is doing but there is a good second hand text book shop in the town and the library is pretty well stocked with key texts. There are also a lot of key texts available as e books as well as access to loads of papers. Individual departments seem to choose what books appear as e books.

Valleyofthedollymix · 19/08/2022 17:28

Hello just keeping this thread high as like stockpot we’ve got two weeks between offer becoming unconditional and moving in. Ds is super chill/infuriating as says ‘I need nothing’. Er bedding?

I’m being super efficient/infuriating but ensuring he gets a st a email and actually looks at it.

He doesn’t check emails. If anyone hears about accommodation please alert me. I foresee him ending up in Dundee…

Stockpot · 19/08/2022 18:34

@Eightytwenty mentioned that module registration is something that they can do. DD hasn’t done it yet.

I believe @Reusername is in the same boat with us. Still waiting for accommodation.

Reusername · 20/08/2022 17:09

Yes, still waiting for accommodation. They can do module registration but DS wants to wait to speak to his adviser which I believe is on 6/7th Sept before committing.

Newgirls · 20/08/2022 17:35

Get the gown! Your student will be able to get one from a St. Andrews charity shop prob or online secondhand sites. And then sell it again so it won’t cost much. Lots of them do the pier walk on Sundays. Worth doing at least once or twice.

drama and music are really good at St. Andrews - the music dept can arrange instrument hire etc

its a great place to spend time - it might seem quiet to outsiders but there seems to be a very active social life in the halls