A whole semester can't be summed up in one line. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

resources available were extensive (more so than at Middlebury College), but expectations were quite a bit lower.

On-site administration of your program

Following orientation (which was very helpful!) there was little support for non graduating students. Thankfully I didn't need any help with visas, transcripts, etc urgently, but it was a bit nerve wracking to not even know where I would go for help if I needed it.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in Hector Boece Court, fondly know to students as "The Ghetto". I lived in a flat of 6 girls, and I lived there in the last year before renovations were scheduled. Our flat consisted of 6 bedrooms, a large bathroom with 1 shower and 3 sinks, 2 toilet stalls, and a small kitchen. There was no lounge space. I really liked by flatmates, but if I hadn't it would have been horrible! Hector Boece was generally pretty quiet because no one wanted to party there, but on occasion you'd get a loud flat. Partying can happen any day of the week (and sometime every day of the week) because UA is not a particularly rigorous school and pub culture is really important! However, despite drinking like fish, most students (and people more generally) rarely go out and get wasted. It's a bit looked down upon.

I was in self catered accommodation, so the food I cooked was good, but more generally the food in the UK is pretty boring. It's not bad, but it's not something to rave about like you might in Italy, France, Mexico, etc. Oban, on the west coast, has really great seafood!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I was friends with a fiddler, so he and I would go to folk music club meetings at least once a week where all the musically inclined locals would meet in a pub to drink and play music. They welcome newcomers and listeners. My flatmates were mostly Scottish, so I also hung out with them a lot, as well as some of their families. Scottish culture isn't terribly different from American culture, so it was not difficult to adjust.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Information was given on how to get access to healthcare during orientation, however, I never needed it. Healthcare is free, but scheduling can be difficult (or so I gather).

I never felt unsafe and I did do a bit of walking around the city alone, at night as a woman. However, they do warn you during orientation about a few places you do NOT want to go after dark and those warnings are worth listening to. Public transportation at all times is quite safe and heavily used by all economic classes. My flat was locked automatically, and my room was lockable. There was a lockable drawer in my room, but I never felt the need to use it.

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

Everything costs 1.5 to 2 times as much in the UK as it does in the US. Thankfully my parents were supporting me, but it was difficult to bring costs down much.

Select all that apply

• Dorm
• Apartment

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• very self-directed academically
• local music!
• nearer to the Highlands and Islands than Edinburgh, but not as crazy of a city as Glasgow.

• better support for non-graduating students following orientation
• assistance with figuring out visas both before (at Middlebury) and after (at Aberdeen) traveling would have been very helpful
• Aberdeen should make it easier for new non-graduating students arriving in January to sign up for societies

The Avid Adventurer