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Secondary education

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Original poster

Living in southern England - Scottish University?

59 replies

Foyled · 05/04/2011 14:10

Anyone any experience of this, applying, visiting, actually getting a place and the travel once they got there, did the DCS think it was worth it?

OP posts:
pooka · 05/04/2011 21:58

My first student flat had 10 of us. 4 from NI, 3 from England, 2 from Scotland and 1 from Canada.

GibberingGinger · 05/04/2011 22:01

I work at St Andrews Uni. It's a good university with a solid reputation. I would say it's as diverse as any other uni really - maybe more public school educated than some others.

I would definitely recommend going to an open day. St Andrews is odd in the fact it's a tiny city. The biggest shops are an H&M, Woolworths, a Tesco Metro, Pizza Express, WHSmith, Starbucks. There is no Mcdonalds, no M&S, no Gap, no Topshop. Myabe a bit like Durham (though I've never been to durham so I don't know, I've just heard)

There is no nightclub, so students social life tends to be parties at others flats. Some people like this as you bump into the same people all the time, others hate it (for the same reason) No getting away from embarrassing incidents Grin

A lot of Scottish universities allow entry straight into second year for a standard 4 year honours course. So the cost shouldn't be any more than 3 years.

Mellowfruitfulness · 05/04/2011 22:19

If I were you, I would encourage your child to choose a uni that's four hours or less from home by train, and one that is in a lovely city - somewhere nice to live for three or four years. Another important thing is the cost of renting (usually in their second year - first years often live in hall). In Edinburgh, for example, a single room in a shared flat near the universities is likely to cost £300 or more a month. But it is a very safe city with a buzzing student life.

Unless your child is doing something quite special at uni, most courses are roughly comparable imo, but what really makes a difference to their lives and finances, and yours, is them finding somewhere affordable and in a decent area to rent, being able to go home when they want to, and you being able to visit them too. Also the availability of part-time jobs for students might be something to bear in mind.

I hope your child finds the right uni, and loves it!

Original poster
Foyled · 05/04/2011 22:39

I want to go now, never mind her!

To put things in perspective, I am a northerner and DD (who is DD2) would like to go to a Northern University (could be because DD1 has gone even further south, but also I think she appreciates her (partly) northern roots.

OP posts:
LondonMother · 06/04/2011 14:28

Thanks for all info on public transport to St Andrew's! Obviously didn't look hard enough when I looked at this before...

fluffles · 06/04/2011 20:33

to whoever asked - i LOVED my years at st andrews... most st andrews students do... it's a funny place that self-selects people who are attracted by being part of such a relatively small community and largely making your own entertainment but for students who like it, we love it... and it stays with you for life Grin

Original poster
Foyled · 06/04/2011 20:53

Thanks for your help everyone, just need to see how she feels when she's had a look through the prospectuses.

OP posts:
Sinkingfeeling · 06/04/2011 21:03

I loved my time at St Andrews too - another NI student here. Most people on my course seemed to come from the south of England, though there was alaos a high proportion of Scottish people (obviously) and a surprisingly high number from NI. I also spent quite a lot of time in Edinburgh visiting friends - both universities are pretty vibrant and have plenty of international students. Mine was a 4-year course and I do remember my parents complaining about having to fund the extra year at the time, but if it's true that you can go straight into second year in some cases then the cost wouldn't be more than the English universities I guess. I always thought the 4-year courses were so that the first year bridged the gap between Highers and A levels.

fluffles · 06/04/2011 21:10

i wouldn't go into second year - purely for social reasons. most first years stay in halls and form friendship groups which they then move into private flats with in second year.
when i was at st andrews we were pretty much forced to take three subjects in first year which is very useful at broadening the mind... you then narrow down a bit for second year and down to one or two for honours years (third and fourth). i think it's a great system and a very good use of the extra year - it's not wasted.

Sinkingfeeling · 06/04/2011 21:24

Not a wasted year, I agree - but another year of tuition fees. With three dc, I'm not sure that any of them will have the luxury of doing a 4-year university course, even though I did. I realise how lucky I was now.

Original poster
Foyled · 06/04/2011 21:31

A lot to think through it seems...

OP posts:
tallulah · 06/04/2011 22:22

My DS went straight in at second year. The tutor told him afterwards that was the worst thing he could have done. First year is easy and gets you used to being away from home. Second year is really hard. Had we known then what we know now we'd have insisted he start in the first year.

grovel · 07/04/2011 13:09

We live in the South East. DS is at Durham (not quite in Scotland, I know). The only pain in the butt is that the Colleges don't let you leave stuff over the vacation. DS has got a baritone sax (huge), guitar etc. No way he can bring it all home on a train or bus. So that's six 500 mile roundtrips a year for DH and/or me.
Still, he's having a ball at Durham.

LondonMother · 07/04/2011 20:06

My son plays the tuba! It's a while off yet but I have occasionally spared a thought for how much more complicated it will make the travelling to and from university, when the time comes, if he wants to take it with him. It's bigger than I am.

Onlyaphase · 07/04/2011 20:15

I went to St Andrews as well, loved it. On my landing in halls in first year were people from Scotland, Surrey and the USA. Second year I shared with two Scottish people, two from the home counties and a guy from NI. You get the picture.

The bonus of St Andrews is that your child may well meet their spouse there - I did and so did many of my friends. DH was from Surrey and used to drive up and down in a knackered beetle each term time. I used to get driven or get the train to Leuchars.

One of the high points is the availability of skiing in the winter and then fabulous beach parties in the summer....happy days.

sandripples · 13/04/2011 20:22

I went to Edinburgh and enjoyed it. However that was a long time ago and Edinburgh now does try to ensure that local applicants are not squeezed out by applicants from a long way away, especially if at private schools. They are very serious about their mandate to be the university for the area and about their widening access policy - have a careful look at their admission criteria before your DC applies as it might be that an application to another Scottish uni would have more chance of success. This is done for good reasons - ie to help local applicants who don't have anyone in the family who's been to uni, and to help level the playing field but if your DC is wanting to do a very popular course I'd advise reading the propospectus very carefully.

Waswondering · 13/04/2011 20:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Foyled · 14/04/2011 10:23

Open day end of August, is that St Andrews? That would be good because AS results would be out so we'd know if it was viable.

OP posts:
diabolo · 14/04/2011 11:08

My DH lived in Hertford and went to Edinburgh. No problems at all.

Waswondering · 14/04/2011 20:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LadyLapsang · 17/04/2011 18:58

DS & two of his friends all started at different Scottish unis last year and are loving it - we live in London. Journey not too bad or too expensive if you get organised, they can fly or take the East Coast line (with a student rail card it can be just over £20 each way). Fees currrently £1800 for English students (full rate) & I think they are reviewing the situation. One warning, the Scottish students get their Higher results before A Levels so can be a pain trying to get a place in hall if it's your reserve but they all got a nice hall in the end. Certainly his uni has an international feel with students from Finland, Sweden etc. Would agree with the point about not going straight into second year unless you are really strapped for cash - gives them a chance to settle down and take other courses.
Definitely visit on an open day, DS visited all the five that gave him offers and then some!

habbibu · 17/04/2011 19:04

DH teaches at St A - this area is an unbelievably lovely place to live. I'm pretty sure they don't interview, at least not in his subject. he's out atm, but I'll ask him later. St A most assuredly does not discriminate against the English!

I went to Glasgow and loved it - am English, though from the north - had no problems at all, and Glasgow prob has a greater proportion of home students than other Scottish unis.

habbibu · 17/04/2011 19:08

fwiw, I was put off applying to St A years ago by all the guff about it not having a station, but the only difference between it and a university not bang in the centre of a city is that you see fields and the river/sea on your bus journey, not buildings. It takes me about 8-10 mins to drive to St A from Leuchars.

darleneconnor · 18/04/2011 17:09

It wouldnt surprise me if st andrews had a higher proportion of english people than london.

mummytime · 18/04/2011 20:09

St Andrews is much smaller than Durham. I did an MSc at Aberdeen, and there were quite a lot of English students (but it was before the fee issue).