Why You Shouldn't Choose St Andrews Uni
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- Опубликовано: 30 июл 2024
- Everyone goes on and on about why you should go to St Andrews Uni. But maybe there are reasons you shouldn't...
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I'm Thomas, a 3rd year Astrophysics student studying at the University of St Andrews. This is my channel where I talk about science (specifically physics and astronomy) and make videos on life at university. If you have any questions about uni life please do post them in the comments below!
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The cons of St Andrews don't seem too bad. I'm an introvert anyway so the appeal of going out is nonexistent. And all the pros are reasons I want to accept my offer from them!
i'm an introvert too, but the small community (academic families), to me, sounds good and scary at the same time! a little bit concerns about not fitting in the school!
To some people they're massive cons. To me and a lot of other people here they're not. In some cases they're bonuses. I like the fact that it's small and that we don't have big fast food brands or much in the way of chain pubs. Would recommend!
I was worried about not fitting in as well, but the thing I think I didn't realise until I got here was that everyone is in the same boat. Loads of St Andrews students are the only person from their school to come in their year, and even if they're not then it's rare for it to be someone you're really friendly with. All my school friends went to other unis. But almost everyone is like that and worried about fitting in. It's easier to make friends at uni than you might think!
The flip side is it’s a very small town so there isn’t much to do apart from socializing lol. I went back in the day, was/am an introvert and found my wife there. You’ve gotta do smth! 😅
My grandson is in his final year. He is so glad he went there rather than elsewhere. Plays golf and assisted at The Open last year and a member of the Uni rugby team being captain and man of the match in his final game recently against the touring Yale Uni side. Proud grandfather.
I was a student at St Andrews more years ago than I care to admit, and loved it. It’s been a great foundation for a life and career, and some lifelong friendships. Wishing you all the best for the rest of your St Andrews time and beyond.
Thanks for sharing!
I absolutely adored my time in St Andrews. I am so proud of my degree and I had so much fun. Anyone considering it as a uni prospect should go for it 100% And to those of you entering - good luck with your applications and get ready for the time of your life!
@@samicheaitani5630 I studied International Relations. Definitely apply! And good luck with your application. You won’t regret it. 👍
Hi, my daughter wants to go there to do computer science (or computer engineering). She is 17. Is it a safe place to live? Are locals tolerant to other nationalities asians, muslims, or black? Are there any muslim residents? Are there halal food shops? Thank you.
@@farhodpolat السلام عليكم I'm thinking of going there have you found that information sir
@@farhodpolat I am African and I loved it!! I studied computer science. The town is very safe and the locals are so so lovely.
Hey helloo i am from India I also wants to do the same program like u frm St Andrew's do u think the place is loney since it is a small town and we losse some fun and get depression
I received a UCAS offer from St. Andrews (management) few weeks ago. I really do appreciate the insights of student life (inlcluding pros and cons) you’ve mentioned in your video. Thanks! 🇵🇱🏴
Glad it was helpful!
I have an offer for management too :)
👍 🇵🇱🏴
And I’ve just fulfilled all of the conditions. Can’t waited until September!
Where did u go
Nice to watch this, and I like your enthusiasm and your very positive message about the University. I graduated there in ... um ... 1968, long before the days if university rankings, and enjoyed my four years hugely, but I have to say that what was good then seems to have become even better since, from what you say. I still have a bit of a connection with the place (I'm a member of the Music Centre and am just getting used to the spectacular new building). Anyway, thanks, and best wishes for your continuing studies and involvement in the wider life of the University.
I like your video a lot, and also your decoration style!
My daughters just been offered a place at St Andrew's and all those reasons, like not having a spoon's warms my heart, we knew accommodation was expensive, but because it's a Scottish Uni and we live in Scotland she'll save nearly £10,000 a year on tuition.
I graduated from the University of St Andrews in June 2020, I am so heartbroken that I could not attend a real graduation ceremony, at lease, for my five years spent in this small town. But no matter how now I have left the UK and I am so so so looking forward to coming back to St Andrew's again at least once. So much precious memory out there, every time I think about this I would almost cry out.
I'm really sorry you missed out on your last few months here. Covid really has been brutal for students, especially those graduating this academic year and last
Sent off my application on Monday. Waiting game now but hoping for the best!
This video is awesome! The humor is delivered in a way that makes it actually funny. Good job!
Well, my granddaughter and her Mom just visited schools in the Netherlands, UK and the last was St Andrews. She absolutely fell in love with that school because of how it's integrated into the city (we're in the US). She's a junior in HS and her GPA is 4.8 and wants to study Psychology ( evntually getting a Phd). School is expensive but sure it's worth it.
I would suggest the Netherlands because of the teaching methods and cheap price
Absolutely amazing video. Loved it!
Thank you!
My mother went to St Andrews for her Medical degree years ago and I hope to go there for my medical degree in the future! I just went to st Andrews for another visit the other day and think it is the nicest place I've ever been.
I am sold!!! Definitely fell for the clickbait, but came out actually wanting to come to St Andrews for Med
As a graduate of St Andys I agree with almost all of this, but to any prospectives watching this, THE NIGHTLIFE IS SO GOOD. Yeah we don't have traditional nightclubs, but I had the best social life. It's cultivated entirely by the students which makes it even better because you can basically control the nightlife. It's INSANE, if you want it to be.
I totally agree. My main point was really that there aren't dozens of clubs like you get with city unis. The nightlife is definitely what you make it.
@@ThomasRintoul For sure I got that! I just didn't want people to misinterpret :-)
what does that mean, if you want it to be? It’s cultivated by the students? In what way? What do people do?
Graduated in 1997 - the most amazing experience. Back then was the same - Megabop on a Friday in the union! I lived in Melville for 2 years and lived in Gannochy House in my final year. Absolutely the best years of my life!
Which room in Melville? I spent 4 years in B93!!
@@MrHistorian123 E237
@@mrsc7501 That was a female block in my day, as was D block. My girlfriend lived in E215.
@@MrHistorian123female block in my day too! 😂 Was there 92-93 and 93-94
Thanks that was really helpful. I’m waiting and hoping I get an offer from them :)
Best of luck!
Your accent is really cool! I'm from South Wales
Man, this brings back memories. Great to see nothing has changed in the +15 years since I left the place.
Great video, St Andrews is exactly the type of place I want to live in after years of metropolitan life in Dubai, Hong Kong etc
thank you so much for this vid :D
Glad you enjoyed it
I am looking to apply to this amazing uni this year. I might take a gap year because I want to account as home and I don't want to pay international fees (it's going to be only 2.5 years since I moved to UK at the start of next uni year), but I want to study in Scotland and after that gap year I might just appear there.
Interesting. What I want out of a university is a large library with lots of cubicles/small desks at which to study, affordable housing, decent-ish parking, and affordable places to buy food so I never have to leave campus except to sleep and relax.
Great video!
Thanks!
Are there any parties at all? Such as house parties? Is everyone studying any time or is it more of a work hard play hard environment?
There are a lot of house and flat parties (outside of the pandemic obviously). Just not the night life of a city
I have an offer from St Andrews, UCL, Durham and Lancaster. And still deciding between St Andrews and UCL, this video helps a lot
It really does depend on the subject. But also on who you are as a person. I grew up in a small town and the thought of moving from a small town to a big city scared me a bit when I was choosing a uni. For other people, the idea of going to uni in a fairly small town (still larger than where I grew up) was what turned them off St Andrews because they wanted the city life.
@dachshunds channel I study philosophy and St Andrews has a much higher world ranking in philosophy than UCL but I have always been living in a big city☹️☹️☹️
planning on applying early next year, really hope I can get in fallen in love with it
I know that feeling well. St Andrews was my last offer to come through and I was so relieved when it finally did.
@@ThomasRintoul it has been my final one hahahahah
I went there and it was one of the best times of my life. When I was there, there used to be an all night bakery. I used to find it a bit small though and you're constantly bumping into people which can have its up and downsides.
I was of the same mind that bumping into people all the time could be good or bad. With the pandemic and all the restrictions that brings, if I see someone I know in Morrisons it's really nice! I can't wait for this all to be over and people to be back in St Andrews because as much as I am quite introverted, I miss the energy and the people.
I’m planning to chose St. Andrews as my firm choice and the nightlife thing bummed me out a bit...
During the covid pandemic what are a few things to do to enjoy your time?
During the pandemic, the restrictions have been very strict. There was limited in person teaching last semester and unless you're doing something like a practical lab, there is none now. This has impacted societies with almost all society events being online. In that respect there is loads to do. There are about 6 online events I want to go to this week and because a lot of them clash, I can only make it to 2 of them.
Hopefully by September we'll have more things back to normal. Student societies are always holding events. In the "before times" I was out 4 nights a week at either societies or pubs/the union. With new hobbies and stuff I've picked up that could be 5 or 6 nights a week when things go back to normal.
With the number of societies in St Andrews, you're never short of something to do. And tbh the lack of loads of nightclubs to me at least isn't a massive loss. If you're with the right people, even a mediocre club can be a good night out, and most people meet the right people through their socieites.
I’m in my second year of high school and I really like st.andrews. but the only problem is I don’t know how easy it is to get a job being an undergraduate of st.andrews in economics. considering it’s a small town, maybe there’s few job opportunities. can anyone tell me more about this?
Hey! Thank you for the video... can you please tell us your opinion about safety for international students in the university and in the city in general?
Compared to a lot of cities with universities, St Andrews is very safe. The crime rate is low. It's not perfect but nowhere is. I don't think it's really more dangerous for international students than anyone else but I'm not an international student so can't really comment on that. Can just say that other than having my bike stolen once, I've had nothing but good experiences as far as that sort of thing goes.
Writing as a fresher in April 2021, Raisin Weekend did not happen. October is going to be ✨wild✨
Hi Thomas
Thankyou for such a great video. My question is about the BAME students percentage for medicine. I know you're not a med student but generally speaking what are your thoughts? I do worry about the ethnic minority aspect. Also it would be great to know if it's easy to find halal food and if there's a mosque near the university itself. Many thanks X
Hey Thomas, I really enjoyed the video! It was really informative and has definitely helped solidify my decision to pick St Andrews as my first uni. I do have a question though. I've heard that St Andrews are really big on personal statements, so in your opinion what would you need to include in a personal statement if you wanted to apply for an astrophysics course and get in?
Just big yourself up like a top Geez and say your uncle is Tyson fury 🫶
Actually thinking of making a video on this at some point. I'd say the main thing is to show that you're competent, curious, willing to learn and enthusiastic about the subject. But also that you're a real person. They're not just looking for people who's entire life is their subject. They're looking for people who will be an active part of the community. Perhaps going into academic representation roles or taking on leading roles in societies. They also want to see people with ambition who are applying to do a degree for a reason, not just to access the "uni lifestyle"
This video is so popular...my head just exploded
I have a question, how impossible is it for a Belizean student to go to St. Andrews? I don't know how to find out...
If you have to choose a master degree from Edinburgh or St andrews as an asian (with wife and daughter), which one would you pick?. I don't really care much about the university, I just concerned about the city.
Fabulous video the best recruiting film I have ever seen. Well done take a bow
What kind of food options are there? Specifically, for vegetarians? I heard that the meals in the catered halls have almost no vegetarian options.
I had 2 years in catered halls (University Hall specifically). I'm gluten intolerant and they always had 2 meat options, 1 vegetarian option and 1 vegan option (which also is veggie obviously). At least one of those options was always gluten free (or there wasn't, there was a separate gluten free option). The food is fine. Nothing outstanding but I always loved meals in halls because the community was really good. There are also a good number of self-catered options.
Piyush Pahuja
, looks like you heard wrong, ah? Looks like someone is putting out misinformation, wonder who that could be...Oxford and Cambridge I'm looking at you, lol.
I have an offer for management but I don’t know if I’ll take it. I attended an open day in 2019 and I loved it but I’m not sure about how cold it is, how far away it is (I live in bucks) and how small the town is. Bath is my first choice but they haven’t given me a decision yet so if they don’t offer I will have to pick between St. Andrews and Exeter, and Exeter is offering me a grade lower.
I also like partying and clubbing and McDonald’s but I like the idea of the academic families and the traditions.
They're all great unis. I'm obviously biased towards St Andrews but it isn't for everyone. On the temperature, I don't find it too bad but I'm Scottish. That being said I have a lot of English and American friends who aren't as used to the cold and they still love the town!
As for how far away from home it is, my flatmate is from Bucks as well and loves St Andrews, but the good thing about the town is that everyone is in the same boat. Because there's not a train station and it's a bit hard to get to without a car, everyone is in the same boat when they move here whether they live an hour away or 10. Everyone has moved away from home for the first time and it begins to feel like a second home really fast in my experience.
And St Andrews is small, but personally I quite like that. Like I said in the video, you get to know a much wider range of people really fast because you get exposed to more of the student population than you would if the schools were larger and you could fill your entire friend group with people from your course (which you can but it's rare)
@@ThomasRintoul thanks for the reply! I am just so unsure!
I'm going to subconsciously condition my four year olds into wanting to go to St Andrews when they leave school......I could do with having reasons to visit St andrews several times per year....I just love the place
Just how expensive is the accommodation, I’m thinking of applying and I’m just wondering about the financial side?
It varies. I don't have the most up to date numbers because I've been out of halls for a year and they do change a little (unfortunately normally going up). Most up to date information will be on the uni website, but generally starts at about £4.5k I think. Whether that's too much will of course depend on your financial circumstances and the student loans etc. you can get. Hope that helps!
I know its a really awkward question...
But do the toilets in the dorms or private rooms have jet sprays attached? Or do they prefer wipes?
As far as I know they all use toilet paper like just about every toilet in the UK
Yes if you place more importance on clubbing and exciting nightlife or eat Big Macs then don't apply. It is not cheap that is true but you'll save on your limo and bimbo champaign bar monthly bill. Loved my stay in St Andrews in the 80's long before the English royal turned up....we had what were called 'Yaaaas' stuck up English public school Oxbridge failed students who hung out at the Crossed Key's pub....insufferable bores. It is a wonderful university...thanks for your original presentation...it brings back great memories. After St Andrews I returned to Switzerland and did a law degree then a masters in international relations but my degree in philosophy at St Andrews was the highlight of my academic career. To give you an example the manner in which we were encouraged to do our own research at undergraduate level was superior to my masters in a well known university in Geneva and the tutorial system at St Andrews was wonderful not to mention the scenic setting and history of the town.
Thanks so much! Really appreciate it!
@@ThomasRintoul i revisited your video and felt so much nostalgia....St Andrews was without doubt one of the best time of my life....a privilege to have been accepted.
I'm going to apply for Geography there, but I'm worried about the cost! I'm not well off and would need a job, but are there any available in St Andrews or would I need to commute?
In a normal year there are plenty jobs. If you're over 18 then there are a lot of pubs that hire. The union hires bar staff as does the bar at the David Russell Apartments (one of the halls of residence which is a big complex of flats has a facilities building which has a bar). The Union also hires people as cleaners or working in the cafe. There are loads of cafes and restaurants in St Andrews. The town gets a lot of money from tourism so most of the jobs are hospitality based. There's also Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury's as well. This year there are fewer jobs because the pubs are largely shut but with news of a vaccine coming it will hopefully pick up next year. Hope that helps!
Omg hi! I study geography at St andrews!!
There is only one year left and I will finish my school studies. I would like to study in Britain specifically in this university, and I want to study international relations. I hope that will happen.
Thank you for this video
All the best to you from sulltanat of Oman 🇴🇲🏴🇬🇧
This is my first choice because I REALLY want to go to St Andrews to study Neuroscience. I live in Bournemouth (all the way down in southern England) and everyone things I'm crazy to decide to go to St Andrews haha. I might see you next year if I get in!
I saw the year abroad options. How popular are they and will you be going abroad?
St Andrews is great and I really hope you get in! I know a good number of people from down in your part of the world. The popularity of study abroad varies from subject to subject. I don't know a massive number of people in physics who are doing it (although I think a lot of people in my year who might have, didn't because of the pandemic). I don't know about Neuroscience. I won't be going abroad. I don't speak any foreign language which rather limits me to largely English speaking countries, a lot of whom are either on the other side of the world, or dealing with the pandemic far worse than Scotland. And I really love St Andrews and don't want to leave!
hi! st. andrews neuroscientist here. i think the year abroad options for us are very competitive but worth applying to- canada and usa etc. i’m liking it so far but if you have any questions feel free to ask x
@@tranquilitybasehotelcasino2932 thank you, I have some questions if you don't mind.
1) how popular is neuroscience, how many people take it in your year? (Also what year are you?)
2) for first year, what extra subject did you choose?
3) how are the societies doing with the pandemic? Will they still be up and running in 2021?
@@cluckoothechicken5721 no worries!
1) not very- we’ve got a great department but it’s a small subject which makes for good job prospects. i think there’s 40 students in my year? (1st)
2) i chose physical and biochemistry in term one and two respectively because i’d done chem at a level, the physical was hard and not that relevant to neuroscience but biochemistry is looking good so far
3) they’ve been a bit rubbish tbh, i’m not a fan of zoom calls etc but if you’re joining next september it’ll be much better. don’t let that put you off!
(( i just wanted to note- we haven’t done any neuroscience yet as of first term. the neuroscience modules pick up next year- the psychology and biology has been great but it’s more of a foundation year / recap ))
I’ve got an offer to do neuroscience at St Andrews in Sept v excited to go!!
I'm about to accept an offer for the exact course you are on at St Andrews. Any tips?
I was the first Director of Student Development and Activities at the Students' Association so have given this talk many a time! What I always said was, don't go to St Andrews for ready-made fun: go if you're interested in joining with other students to make your own.
On accommodation, I do find it slightly amusing that in 2020 you should have been talking about getting the university to commit to affordable accommodation, as though that's some sort of revolutionary idea. The truth is, student representatives have been making that case for generations, but there are some hard realities standing in the way: most of all that Fife Council is never going to let the University, or anyone, demolish the mediaeval town centre or concrete over Fife. You wouldn't want to go to St Andrews if it did. St Andrews will never be a cheap option for domestic students. For Americans it's an excellent option, offering a better education than they'll get most places in their own country at a fraction of the cost, but for UK students its towards the upper end of the cost spectrum.
And that's okay. It's allowed to be. That's a segment of the HE market that has a right to exist; other options are available. What always annoyed me most about, not so much St Andrews itself but a minority of the students who went there, was that they felt they had the right to matriculate at a university founded in 1410 and believed, at the ripe old age of 18, that they had the right to demand it be re-made in their personal image. Well, sory, but I'm afraid other people exist.
Hi, hope you see this. I applied with ABB for Economics, it says the minimum is ABB but standard is AAA, will this mean I have a high chance of getting rejected?
If you look at the entry indicator on their website it should tell you if you need to achieve the minimum or standard entry grades
I wouldn't say so. If the minimum is ABB, then it still means you can get in with ABB. Maybe having AAA is better, but other than that, no.
did you get in? :)
I too graduated in Astrophysics way back in 1978. I was offered a place to read Natural Science at Cambridge, but it didn't feel right for me. St Andrews was right. Spent 4 years in Andrew Melville Hall (in fact, I had the same room throughout, and how many students can say that), was in lots of societies, made some lifelong friends and ended up with a very successful career.
And now St Andrews is ranked no 1, above Oxford and Cambridge, in the Times and Guardian rankings. I've been in other universities, but St Andrews is head and shoulders above the others.
I'm planning a return visit next year for my 70th, and I hope to do a pier walk for the last time. St Andrews is such a magical place.
Proud to be a student of St-Andrews University.
It's not for everyone. It is small. It can't give you the big city experience. But it's a truly amazing place. I'd probably recommend it to anyone tbh.
Hi, how about master in data science/business analytics and the placements?
Hi, just trying to get an idea of how strong my chances of getting into a computing degree. I am predicted 5As at higher but I also meet the requirements for widening access and I plan to sit 3 advanced highers next year in which I should get at least 2As and a B. I have tried to get as much experience as possible including work experience, university outreach programs, personal projects and computing challenges. How strong are my chances of being accepted and is there anything I can do to increase my chances? Any help would be much appreciated!
Looks like you've done a lot to put you in a good place. A lot will come down to the personal statement because St Andrews gets far more applications than it can ever give places to. Best of luck!
@@ThomasRintoul thank you!
How is dating is St Andrews? Is it common for people to engage in a relationship while being in university?
It's not unlike anywhere else really. Some people date, some don't. People regularly complain about blowing through the dating apps though since the town is so small
Great video, very informative.
One reason I’ve been put off by St Andrews is that apparently a lot of the students and lecturers are quite ‘preachy’ and ‘stuck up’. Any opinions on this?
Personally I haven't experienced this much. Yes there are some people who will be like that but you'll get that everywhere. There is a reasonable portion of the uni that is privately educated and affluent which can go hand in hand with that sort of behaviour (although that is definitely not to say that everyone who went to private school or is rich is stuck up or preachy!). My experience though is that the vast majority of people are very down to Earth people. As for lecturers, it'll vary from subject to subject. I've never found the physics and maths lecturers particularly stuck up or preachy but can't speak for other subjects.
@@ThomasRintoul oh ok thanks. I’m thinking of going there for psychology, it’s a toss up between St Andrews and Durham. Heard any good things about the psychology department?
I have some friends who really enjoy it and I've heard nothing bad about it really as far as I can remember
@@ThomasRintoul solid thanks
I just got a physics and astronomy gateway offer to St. Andrews and I am struggling to choose between St Andrews and Glasgow. This helps a lot
Glad I could help! Best of luck deciding!
I applied for this year, crossing my fingers!
Good luck!
Is St. Andrews accommodation more expensive than London unis?
Afraid I'm not sure unfortunately. I never looked at London unis when I was applying and I'm not up on their costs. Best idea would be to look up the accommodation costs for the types of room you're looking for on the uni websites. One thing to note is that I think you get more student loan in London from SFE. Not sure if same applies for SAAS (Scottish funding)
Aghh im so confused. I want to apply for the msc in psychology (conversion) - st andrews is the only uni that offers a look into the conceptual and theoretical issuss in psychology and as a philosophy graduate that is so important to me! I am an introvert too so nightlife doesn't bother me, but i do like my food haha (not mcdonalds exactly but i am Muslim so can only eat halal)
السلام عليكم
Wallahi I think this is not the place for Muslim im not sure especially when you don't live with your family.... I doubt they would have alot of حلال food.
Best of luck brother/sister. I have applied but will make my mind later. 100% need a Muslim friend there .
Just got an offer, I’m from Manchester and it seems like St Andrews is a very small town. Also is St Andrews full of stuck up rich kids? I’m not to keen if that’s the case
They exist but they are not the entire student population. The vast majority of people I've met here are far from "stuck up". In fact, some of them are the most down to earth people I've ever met.
I don't want to go to St. Andrews because their masters degree in philosophy would force me to go to Stirling for lectures (via coaches they fund). That, to me, is just ridiculous.
I have got an offer for MSc in computer science. Is it a good university for computer science if we want to make career in research and development as compare to university of leeds, manchaster, Birmingham and Warwick.
I'm confused which I should choose from these universities.
I also want to do part time job for my living expenses , are there any part time job opportunity in st Andrews.
Thanks in advance
Apologies for the slow response. As far as I know the CS department here is very good. I would presume they're good for going into R&D as well since they have a lot of big tech and finance companies that come and do a lot of recruitment here. I can't comment on the other unis since I didn't look at anything outside Scotland, and none for Comp Sci.
When things return to normal a bit, there will be a lot of part time work as St Andrews has a lot of cafes, pubs and restaurants that hire students.
Hope you joined st.Andrews . Howz your experience so far ?
I’ve applied for physics too!
If you have questions about physics at St Andrews I'm planning to make a video soon answering as many as I can
@@ThomasRintoul Loved the video and hope to study astrophysics at St Andrews this year. How important is the personal statement in the application process?
Hi, my daughter wants to go there to do computer science (or computer engineering). She is 17. Is it a safe place to live? Are locals tolerant to other nationalities or religions such as asians, muslims, or black? Are there any muslim residents? Are there halal food shops? Thank you.
Compared to many university towns and cities (and really in general), St Andrews is very safe. Crime isn't non-existant but that's true of all places. I'd say that on the whole people are very welcoming of people from across the world. Like everywhere else, there are people who have some fairly backwards views but I don't think they're the majority. I am however, speaking from a positions of being a white, Scottish male at a Scottish university so please don't just assume I'm correct on this. There may be issues I'm unaware of. As for muslim residents, there is a Muslim/Islamic Student Society affilliated with the Students Union although I don't know how active they are. I don't know about halal food shops unfortunately. There may be one or it might be possible to order from the nearby city of Dundee. The university itself might know more. Hope that's helpful!
I’ve got an offer for astrophysics and since I have got a college that I didn’t even select for at Durham I’m now trying to pick between those two and bath. How do you find the astrophysics course?
I loved my time at St Andrews - it's certainly a very academic uni, rather than a more vocational one, but given your other options are Durham and Bath, that is probably not a problem. The course was really well structured and covered a lot (though not everything, there wasn't that much on galaxies and a lot more on star formation). There was a good amount of coding which has worked really well for me. The staff are great and they really do respond to student feedback. Highly recommend, but I also can't compare it to the other unis since I didn't go there.
@@ThomasRintoul thanks 🙏
wew at the start I had no plans whatsoever and afterwards I was scrambling to think which of my options I should remove for st andrews.
Does it really have ghosts ?
Hi I’m considering applying to St Andrews and I just wanted to ask a few questions sorry if there is quite a lot oops-
How difficult is it to get into a physics program as a student living in England?
How many students are part of the physics program per year that are English?
What are the typical grades that these students get and is there much competition to get in?
I’m thinking of applying to oxbridge, Durham, St. Andrews, UCL, bath, Lancaster please can anyone give me some insight Into any of these universities particularly for physics that would be amazing :)))
Hi Isabel! Obviously I'm biased but I would highly recomment physics at St Andrews. Getting in as an English applicant isn't too difficult compared to anyone else. I don't have exact figures for England but my best estimate is that the Physics cohort that enter in first year is around 25% Scottish, 40% rUK (England Wales NI) and the rest are international students. Those may be off by a bit or a lot, but sufficed to say you'd be far from the only English person here.
The standard is AAA at A-Level, two of which must be maths and physics, but I expect that most students have an A* or multiple as it is a competitive course to get into. I think there were something like 13 applications for every place taken up in my first year? That being said, there are ways to give yourself a massive advantage. All students applying here are highly capable, it's the personal statement and showing you'll be not just a great physicist but a great member of the community here that makes the difference.
As for the other unis you mentioned, I can't really comment on them as I've never been, but I understand they're all good universities, can't comment on their physics courses though. All I can say is that the Physics course here is amazing!! Best of luck!!
I am going to apply for statistical ecology.
Wish me a good luck
Best of luck to you!
I am considering St Andrews as first choice for Masters degree just because they don't offer it anywhere else in Europe (Marine Mammal Science).
This was part of why I applied to St Andrews as well, one of only 3 in Scotland to offer an Astrophysics MPhys
I went to St. Andrews about week ago... that was my 1st time there. It is a nice town but for me not a place to study... 'too quiet' :-) lol
I will say it's not always as quiet as it probably was when you visited because so much of university life is currently remote due to the pandemic, but it is a quiet place compared to cities with universities. It's something I love but it's not for everyone
Research is actually great at St. Andrews. We just don't have all the subjects. No engineering whatsoever. If you study meds you need to go for other uni for practice later. Psychology does not have a clinic route. Just not very interested in the applied subjects.
I know this video is for undergrad but I’m looking into doing a year for post grad and I’m between here and London and I’m stuck.
I know the feeling about being stuck between 2 places. I was stuck between Glasgow and St Andrews for a while. What did it for me was to make sure I visited both places. The vibes you get from a place are something that can't be faked. I did the same for postgrad - I made sure to visit places I was applying to or considering applying to and it made all the difference.
Hi Thomas, I am considering applying for Ph.D. at St Andrew's and I wonder how much is the accommodation? I was living down in Durham and it was roughly 500/month.
Accommodation is a bit of a mess at the minute because there are too many undergrads. But there are some places which only rent to PGs, I think you'll probably be looking around the same or slightly more for rent in St Andrews
@@ThomasRintoul that's great. What about food? is it pricey?
If you mean in shops, not more so than anywhere else I've been. There's the sugar tax up here and minimum pricing on alcohol which increases things a little but otherwise it's not any different really
@@ThomasRintoul fab mate!
I did my masters (finance related) at st.andrews and can definitely say it was a wrong choice. Extremely theory oriented with a huge lack of practical skills taught that are relevant to the industry. Highly uncompetitive to other universities in the UK in terms of recruitment preferences
Thank you for feedback
I’ve received an offer for psychology and now I need to choose between Durham and St. Andrews :(
me too, but for languages. I don't know how to choose between them 😭
@@olivial653 I’m literally comparing them with everything and I still can’t decide
@@komalvaghela266 im in the same predicament!
@@anezkamarwa8378 Are u watching RUclips vids to help decide cos that’s what I’m doing 😅
@@komalvaghela266 me too haha!
hey! I live in India and I am planning to study Astrophysics at St Andrews. Can u please tell me what is the cost of living there? and what is the monthly rent for decent accommodation?
The cost of living is pretty high compared to a lot of places in Scotland but some things do offset it. Most people live in the town so travel costs are basically non existent. That being said, accommodation the uni provides is mostly around £7k for the year (with most food and all bills) and private rents are typically £500 and above per month.
Ive really enjoyed doing Astrophysics here though! If you get an offer and can afford to come here I'd really recommend it!
@@ThomasRintoul okay thank you so much
@@ThomasRintoul hi, do you know if there's any Christian societies there?
Hey Thomas, I really liked the video! Anyway, I've applied to St. Andrews this year for Astrophysics (integrated masters). I just wanted to know like how tough is the course in general, because I've heard that integrated courses tend to be much more stressful especially when you're starting off in undergrad.
Hi Nick! Glad you liked the video. Best of luck in your application. I can't speak as to how tough the final (masters) year is because I'm not there, but I wouldn't say that the undergrad years are any harder than doing the BSc. You have to do well to be able to progress to the MPhys year but you'd have to do well to get a good degree classification anyway. On the whole I've found it manageable. First year isn't much more work than Advanced Highers and it sort of gently ramps up from there with a bit of a jump at the transition from 2nd year (subhonours year 2) to 3rd year (junior honours).
Hi! I know this isn't as relevant but I finished an MPhys in physics at Exeter last year. I find that how nice of a time you'll have is directly correlated to the modules you choose. Since you'll be specialising in astrophysics, I don't know that you'll get much choice but, aside from courses in general relativity, astrophysics courses are quite nice compared to the other branches of physics and at Exeter people would perform very well in them compared to other modules (again, aside from any general relativity course which is very maths intensive). Your 1st to 3rd years generally don't differ much from a BSc but 4th year obviously will. In my experience, I definitely had less time in my 4th year because the physics was a lot harder but I didn't necessarily have a harder time than I did in my 2nd and 3rd years because the more physics you do, the better you get at it. 1st year was the easiest, especially for the people that took further maths at school but no worries if you didn't. Best of luck with your application!
@@ThomasRintoul I think first year here in Scotland is much easier than England because they only have 3 year degrees and 4 year masters
applied for integrated MPhys (astrophysics) for this year and desperately hoping for an offer, esp bc i’ve got offers from glasgow, durham and edinburgh, but i really want to go to st As lol
Good luck! It's a great course. And don't worry if an offer hasn't come through yet. St Andrews was the last one I got through after offers from the rest.
@@ThomasRintoul thank you! and that's good to know, I'll stop checking my email obsessively for a bit lol
You're not alone in doing that. I did exactly the same back in 2018 (that feels like a really long time ago...)
really stuck between choosing between st. andrews and imperial as my first choice, desperately need help deciding 😂
I'd recommend having a look at some of my Q&A videos. I talk quite a bit about St Andrews in them!
I’m starting my masters there in the fall! Do you have any recommendations regarding accommodations (I still haven’t solved that ahh!) or making friends as a person from outside of the UK?
Loved the vid!
Me too! I start in the fall, coming from the US!
The university does have some accommodation available though I'm not sure what the deadline is. There is a guide called "How to Rent" on the student union's website (yourunion.net) which includes information about renting in St Andrews including how things work in the Scottish system. They also have a list of the letting agents!
so..... the strip club in Dundee, the private eyes club, is it any good??
Am I the only St Andrews graduate who did not enjoy Raisin Monday?
Before I went up the only information I was given about the ritual came from the official university prospectus and Praeco (does that exist any more?) which portrayed it as a quaint little exercise of parading to the Quad in fancy dress and singing the Gaudie. No mention whatsoever of a shaving foam fight. It wasn't until I attended a pep talk by the senior students in pre-sesh week that the foam fight was mentioned, but even then it was described as "fun" so I was absolutely unprepared for how aggressive it was. It didn't help that it coincided with a freak early snowfall, and I was unarmed. For some reason I thought it the academic mother was supposed to supply the shaving foam, but she didn't - well not to me at any rate. Then again, I had only met her the previous weekend, which might also explain why she had no qualms about leaving me behind in the Quad when the rest of her children (all from a different hall to me - I was only there to make up numbers) decided they'd had enough. When I eventually realised the others had gone I staggered out into North Street, whereupon someone threw a bucket of cold water over me from an upstairs window and laughed at me. So my abiding memory of Raisin Monday is walking home alone and confused, freezing cold, soaked to the skin, eyes watering from the shaving foam and wondering, "If this is a joke, why aren't I laughing?"
Years later I gave a similar account to the then Head of Student Services who told me that Raisin Monday was "not compulsory". Sheesh. Now they tell me!
I'm supposed to go to St Andrews next September as a part of my Applied Linguistics degree's compulsory 3 month Erasmus. I am really hoping the COVID situation allows me to go, because it seems like an amazing place and the subjects look super interesting 🥺
You and me both. Really looking forward to my jag!
I'm already in St Andrews... And I need a Wetherspoons :(
Fuck a weatherspoons the herb is better 💨💨💨😂
I was about to POP OFF 😂😂 'bout to defend Standies to the death 😅😂
Wouldn't blame you. I love it!
I graduated in 1994 from St A magical days ;)
Yes no clubs. But that makes those overnight trips to the bright lights of Edinburgh, Glasgow and - above all - dUnDeE all the more magical. :-D
my maths teacher has an astrophysics degree from st andrews and it really makes me think what went wrong. like she is way over qualified to be teaching us since s2
Any teacher is required to have a degree in their subject area (or adjacent to it - i.e. maths teachers can have physics/engineering degrees). As much as universities have different levels of prestige, the qualifications are similar. I wouldn't say they're overqualified. Especially considering the amount of research done in St Andrews into Physics Education - it's a huge research area with dedicated members of staff and students who do final year projects researching education techniques
If you’re struggling to find anywhere suitable or accepted. St Andrew’s is a fair last choice option. Avoid if possible though.
This is making me laugh 😂😂
-I went to st Andrews as a mature student with a disability. They treated me awfully when I was extremely unwell. Disability support were worse than useless.
-I had a whole semester where my tutor didn't turn up for lectures - no idea why. -The cost of living is absolutely crippling.
I actually wouldn't send my worst enemy to at Andrews but I'm glad that hasn't been the experience for everyone.
what course did you do? did you manage to finish the degree?
@@ranyadizayee I completed my psychology degree, despite the department rather than with their help.
hey i'm really sorry to hear about your experience! would you be willing to talk about this further for a news article?
… so one reason why not to go to St &rews would be the rain? (as long as you’re not a certain person from the Wizard of Oz, who’s got a water issue)?
Nonsense - one of the driest places in the country. It can get a bit windy
I didn’t apply because I didn’t think it was much of a place and golf is not my favourite hobby! 😂
ARE PEOPLE IN GENERAL FRIENDLY IN SCOTLAND❓❓❓❓
Generally yes. Like everywhere you'll meet some who aren't but in general people are nice. I wouldn't worry about making friends here. None of my school friends came to St Andrews with me and I made so many new friends within the first semester here. And I've made many more since
@@ThomasRintoul I was reading about st. Andrews university and was a bit curious to know about its architecture, students , atmosphere and traditions . You must be quite lucky to study in such beautiful university . Thank you for answering my question.
@@ThomasRintoul Are you Scottish or moved to Scotland for studying
I am Scottish. I've lived here my whole life
@@ThomasRintoul oh that's cool I have known quite a little about Scotland recently and it seems to be a beautiful place especially the Scottish Highlands , you are lucky to be there!
My time at St. Andrews was so good that it ruined the rest of my life 🥴😹😹 Aye them were ye grande olde days. Rents were £8 a week for shared house in town. Hamilton Hall was student residence. Pint of lager was 13p. Guess the year 🤔🤐
1826?
What is diversity like in St Andrews?
I wanna know too :/
@@supreethadevarakonda7480 same because I heard the uni and the town in general isn’t diverse :/. St Andrews is an amazing uni to apply to but diversity is a big factor for me.
I'll level with you. It's not amazing. As a white person it's hard to talk about this and do it sensitively but I'll do my best. Scotland as a country is very white (~97%). There are places in Scotland that are less white, such as Glasgow, but Fife is not one of these places. The University also suffers from this to some extent too. Compared to some universities in Scotland (who generally have fewer international students), St Andrews is more diverse but compared to the likes of Glasgow uni or many unis down south, it's not that diverse at all.
Part of the problem, I think, is that there is a stereotype of St Andrews being very elitist and full of entitled, privately educated, rich white people. I'm trying to dispell this myth but it's going to take a while.
Don't get me wrong, there are people at St Andrews of other ethnicities but there should be more if the university wants to be truly representative of the range of countries that students apply to St Andrews from (and at present there's an issue with comparing the uni to Scottish unis because a lot of them aren't very international in their applicant pool). There are also a lot of students actively working to improve this situation by pushing the uni to change its outreach practices to recruit students from non-white backgrounds as currently the stereotype is not particularly positive for the uni in terms of diversity.
I understand it is a concern and I know I have no experience of this, but I would encourage you not just to judge the whole uni based on the latest diversity statistics. I hope this helps (and that I've not put my foot in it with this response)