Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Not what I was expecting! Past Review

By (Political Science and Government, Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/06/2015 to 12/18/2015 with

University of St. Andrews: St. Andrews - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I really enjoyed being on my own, and without many other Middlebury students. However, the academic change was not what I was expecting, and thus took a while to get used to.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Very different academically to my home school! Not much work during the semester except a paper or two, but exams are stressful as they're worth 50+% of the grade in the course.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Choosing courses, or potentially switching courses is quite difficult as the courses you received largely depended on what number you were in line to speak with an advisor from that department.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Living in first-year student housing is quite loud, yet the locations and room were nice.

* Food:

As a vegetarian, I had a lot of difficulty finding variation in the food here.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The UK now will not allow study abroad students to register with a health-care provider any longer, and thus if sick (and there is not a 'health center' on campus) you must pay a 95 GBP co-pay in order to see a doctor.

* Safety:

St. Andrews is quite safe; I rarely felt uncomfortable when walking alone at night.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

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

There is no dinner served on the weekends in halls, however all the other meals are served in the dining rooms.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 50 GBP

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The people I met
  • The 2 classes I took
* What could be improved?
  • St. Andrews Study Abroad could do more to have people get to know each other
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? If you are wanting a study abroad experience where you go out and travel frequently, then St. Andrews is not for you. I am not particularly bothered by partying, so the lack of did not make much of a difference for me. But, I wish that I had realized how difficult it is to get to and from St. Andrews (especially to the airport).

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

International Terrorism
Course Department: International Studies
Instructor: Dr. Singh
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very challenging but definitely learned a lot! There were different lecturers every week who all worked in the Terrorism and Political Violence department. Only one essay which was worth 50% of the grade, and the other 50% was the exam.
Credit Transfer Issues: