The Best of European City Life in Edinburgh Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The professors were wonderful and the students were engaging peers, but time constraints inhibited deeper, more specific discussions of material. The workload was manageable but the amount of reading or scope of the topic was often too large in proportion to the amount of class time. There was little room for close reading of passages and discussion of language in my English literature classes and close inspection of artworks in my history of art class, with a greater focus on larger themes and patterns, which was often limiting. I also never quite adjusted to the grading system and had some difficulty comparing my own assessment of my work with the given mark due to the discrepancy between the American grading system with which I'm familiar and the UK system.

On-site administration of your program

Finalizing my course selection was much more difficult than it should have been because of inaccurate or outdated information on the course website combined with the limited options for visiting students. In that regard, online resources were unreliable and frustrating, leaving much room for improvement. However, the staff member with whom I brought this issue up dismissed it with the reasoning that this was not their problem; I felt that she could have at least said she would address it with people whose domain it is. I was interested in perhaps taking an education course as that is my minor, and though I could accept that differences between the Scottish and American educational systems and the linear education track may prevent me from doing so, that same staff member whom I talked to was rude and seemed too impatient to provide an explanation, only saying, "I don't want to waste time with a list of reasons why." Aside from this frustrating course selection process early on in the semester I had no contact with the Visiting Students Office, but in terms of "strengths," the staff did seem knowledgeable and efficient, though their knowledge and efficiency would have been better received and recognized by me had they been friendlier and more helpful. Other services were helpful and staff were friendly, but I really felt the size of the school when more than once I was directed from one office to another and then yet to another because certain offices/services didn't know about the purpose or even the existence of another because of the number and variety of services and administrative branches within the school.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I opted for self-catered university accommodation. I lived in Robertson's Close, a flat complex in the Old Town about a ten-minute walk from the central campus. The area was relatively safe, though occasional e-mail alerts about fights or attempted muggings were slightly alarming. The location was very convenient, close not only to campus but to many of the landmarks and tourist attractions of Edinburgh, commercial shopping, and local nightlife. The last, however, also means you have to be wary of drunk people in the area at night and live with a lot of outside noise.

The self-catering option gave me the freedom to eat what I wanted on a low budget, and a less hectic schedule than at my home institution allowed time to shop and cook. For eating out, there is plenty of good and relatively cheap food in the area, particularly ethnic food.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Edinburgh is a wonderful city to study abroad in, full of landmarks, museums, clubs, restaurants, cafes, and pubs, and boasting fun traditions and a unique culture. As my friend who was visiting from studying abroad in Germany put it, it was everything that he had had in mind when he imagined studying abroad in Europe. Not far from Edinburgh are green countryside, more impressive castles, and picturesque lochs. I found particularly useful the International Student Centre's convenient weekly trips to places like the Scottish Highlands, Glasgow, and Newcastle, England.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Edinburgh in general is a safe city and I wasn't afraid when walking main streets alone (though walking with at least one other person is recommended). Students should, of course, be aware of their surroundings and be cautious around the loud drunk people stumbling around the streets at night. There were reports of rape and sexual assault on the Meadows at night as early as 7 p.m. so particularly in that area students should not walk alone after dark. Making an appointment at the health centre was easy. I wasn't registered there but patients who are registered have the advantage of going to open hours without an appointment, so in retrospect I would have gone that extra step at the beginning of the semester for the sake of convenience or in more urgent matters.

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

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• Apartment

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• Local Students
• Americans

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• city of Edinburgh
• variety of student societies
• great professors and subjects

• depth of class discussions
• resources/programs for visiting students, particularly Americans