[leemkule]

(Original post by ch0llima)
The pastoral care was truly awful. I was passed from pillar to post to bollard and back again, fed four different interpretations of academic regulations, fed four sets of poor advice and was eventually thrown to the dogs as the academic staff washed their hands of me. Everything was too much trouble for them, no attempt was made to actually provide any kind of advice or guidance and they genuinely didn't care and made no attempt to hide it. The only people that were of any help whatsoever were Student Support, who actually allowed me to explain my situation and discuss my options instead of merely messing me around. Cutting a very long story short, I was able to either a) resit the same nails second year to get into Honours with zero guarantee of success or b) stick out another year and graduate with a BSc General Science degree, which is so pointless, useless and embarrassing to the point where you'd probably retain more pride and dignity by dropping out entirely.

I appreciate that me failing the course was my own responsibility and it was due to me struggling rather than extenuating circumstances, but I tried hard to get the help I needed and I worked very hard but was still kicked to the kerb as described above. The stress and uncertainty of this actually changed my personality and my friends started to desert me, as I was quite frankly turning into a truly horrible person to be around and I can't blame them. The whole experience left me with few people I felt I could trust, and I really felt like I couldn't hack the town or the people any longer. At this point, I went back to UCAS and transferred my 120 credits from first year and got direct entry to second year of my preferred course at Dundee.

I have just graduated from Dundee University, and I have zero regrets. Dundee is a great city (well, the centre and West End are nice bits - the rest, not so much but every city has its nasty areas), Dundee University has a near identical quality of teaching to St Andrews (although I will admit the courses are slightly easier, but not by much) but the facilities are second to none. We've got a whole new library for £20m which is absolutely top notch (I hear St Andrews were supposed to have £46m but now can't afford it), we have the best student union in Scotland (five floors, better than the tiny St Andrews union where I remember having to peel my feet off the floors as I walked around), excellent and affordable accommodation (my cousin tells me DRA is still absolutely deserted because nobody can afford it - the Dundee accommodation is essentially identical for a fraction of the price and a better set of locations) and we've got the best student gym in the UK. Also, contrary to popular belief, the students are normal everyday people from all walks of life and not a bunch of total brain dead chavs as some would have you believe, along with plenty of international students. I have personally lived with a Nigerian, a Frenchman, an Italian, an Irishman, Greek, Hong Kong and even a Kazakh (I lived in halls all the way through, you meet a load of different people on foreign exchange programmes)

I have absolutely no regrets about the move, and it really is the embodiment of that old adage "the grass is greener on the other side". Truth is, I had no idea how well things would work out before I moved and I seriously think the OP should consider a transfer - she quite clearly isn't happy and it'll probably make her feel a lot more positive if she moves into a better environment. Mind you, it's the summer holidays and she seems to be heading into third year which likely makes it too late.

I had some very sour grapes at the time I left St Andrews and felt angry, alone, confused and emotionally shattered, but I NEVER had an ingrained and undiluted hatred like the OP has. Yes, pubs shut early and there wasn't a proper nightclub (and The Bop at the Union was hopeless unless you're too drunk to stand) but you're a pretty shallow person if this is all that's important to you, likewise with the shopping. You're there to study and everything else has to play second fiddle, it's a simple fact of life. I study in Dundee, but do I spend all day every day in the Overgate Centre and all night every night in Fat Sam's or Liquid? Nope. Get your priorities in line and your life will improve accordingly. If you ask me, it appears the OP is blaming all of her faults on other people and the town itself - something I never did. At least I take full responsibility for what went wrong, despite the obstacles I encountered along the way, and it's really served as a reality check and I've definitely learned volumes from the experience.

Great post. Just kinda wanted to echo what you were saying here. I have one friend that was almost in an identical situation to you and it was an uphill struggle for her to get any support or help, she was barely even told what would happen. Added to this I'm friends with a few people who have had really tough times in first year and their academic performance has suffered cause of it. The staff acted like they cared for them and wanted to help, but from what I heard it was little more than a 5 minute motivational and somewhat patronising meeting with absolutely no follow up.

EDIT: Oh and just to add, DRA was pretty much full last year.

[Sambo2]

(Original post by leemkule)
Great post. Just kinda wanted to echo what you were saying here. I have one friend that was almost in an identical situation to you and it was an uphill struggle for her to get any support or help, she was barely even told what would happen. Added to this I'm friends with a few people who have had really tough times in first year and their academic performance has suffered cause of it. The staff acted like they cared for them and wanted to help, but from what I heard it was little more than a 5 minute motivational and somewhat patronising meeting with absolutely no follow up.

EDIT: Oh and just to add, DRA was pretty much full last year.

to give a different perspective.. I'm friends with a few failing medics who have had fantastic support at all stages - so I'm not sure it's fair to give the impression that academic support is poor - you know as well as I do that (certainly within medicine) there are plenty of excellent people who would be and are very keen to support and help us however they can.

[terpineol]

(Original post by leemkule)
Great post. Just kinda wanted to echo what you were saying here. I have one friend that was almost in an identical situation to you and it was an uphill struggle for her to get any support or help, she was barely even told what would happen. Added to this I'm friends with a few people who have had really tough times in first year and their academic performance has suffered cause of it. The staff acted like they cared for them and wanted to help, but from what I heard it was little more than a 5 minute motivational and somewhat patronising meeting with absolutely no follow up.

EDIT: Oh and just to add, DRA was pretty much full last year.

Its been full for at least the last three years... (last year the university overflowed the halls and had to stick some people in Dundee...)

[leemkule]

(Original post by Sambo2)
to give a different perspective.. I'm friends with a few failing medics who have had fantastic support at all stages - so I'm not sure it's fair to give the impression that academic support is poor - you know as well as I do that (certainly within medicine) there are plenty of excellent people who would be and are very keen to support and help us however they can.

Well this is exactly what I'm saying. Two different people have said the exact same thing to me - they claimed the support was much more superficial than it is made out to be, maybe they're exaggerating, I don't know. I haven't had any experience with it - just going on word of mouth.

I did miss 3 weeks of class due to illness and they were really helpful. That's not really the same thing though.

[leemkule]

(Original post by terpineol)
Its been full for at least the last three years... (last year the university overflowed the halls and had to stick some people in Dundee...)

Ouch, having to commute from Dundee must have sucked.

[Sambo2]

(Original post by leemkule)
Well this is exactly what I'm saying. Two different people have said the exact same thing to me - they claimed the support was much more superficial than it is made out to be, maybe they're exaggerating, I don't know. I haven't had any experience with it - just going on word of mouth.

I did miss 3 weeks of class due to illness and they were really helpful. That's not really the same thing though.

I think possibly they are quite ruthless if you don't make the grades but come on the support which you could get if you wanted is top notch imo, you'd only have to email module controllers/pro-dean/your tutor etc.. ultimatly their is only so much you they can do, eventually you have to knuckle down and do some work.

[leemkule]

(Original post by Sambo2)
I think possibly they are quite ruthless if you don't make the grades but come on the support which you could get if you wanted is top notch imo, you'd only have to email module controllers/pro-dean/your tutor etc.. ultimatly their is only so much you they can do, eventually you have to knuckle down and do some work.

How can you say the support is top notch just because it appears to be? By the sounds of it you've never needed it. Neither have I, and like you - I am going on word of mouth. They tried to get help and felt that it wasn't good. How can you disagree with that? It's a matter of opinion.

[Sambo2]

(Original post by leemkule)
How can you say the support is top notch just because it appears to be? By the sounds of it you've never needed it. Neither have I, and like you - I am going on word of mouth. They tried to get help and felt that it wasn't good. How can you disagree with that? It's a matter of opinion.

yeh I guess so

[I want 2 be a clever girl]

Do you not think though that when you applied to St Andrews you should have expected a small uni/old school surrounding etc, not the nightlife that you would have gotten in say, Glasgow?

[Planar]

Thanks, I'll reconsider. One of the main attractions for me in university is to experience somewhere different, and St. Andrews appears to be little different from this **** hole I presently find myself in.

[gusiukas]

guys,help!
I'm planning to study psychology at St.Andrews.Everything is ok,but my parents won't have money to send for me.So are there any possibilities to find a part-time job?
I'm not from the UK.
thanks for answering.

[M_E_X]

(Original post by gusiukas)
guys,help!
I'm planning to study psychology at St.Andrews.Everything is ok,but my parents won't have money to send for me.So are there any possibilities to find a part-time job?
I'm not from the UK.
thanks for answering.

Part-time work is available, but not guaranteed. You'd be much better getting something and home and saving up before you come, in case you can't find anything when you're here.

[doctorinthemaking]

in my eyes, st andrews is the best university in the world. no other university has a town to itself, next to three tranquil beaches. Its simply amazing. The lecturers are pretty good. Also, its the top uni in scotland and 4th in UK. i certainly have zero regrets coming here.

[dragon500uk]

This is an ooolllldddd thread.... Can we stop regurgitating it?

[xoxAngel_Kxox]

I think it's good that people can write the bad points about the actual location of the uni rather than just the academic side, which people put waay too much weighting on.
For example, I love my uni and the campus is gorgeous, but I wish someone had told me how much of a pain it is to get to any clubs at all at night- and how much it would cost in a taxi to get there!

[Lyonstt]

Quite eye-opening, interesting to hear of it like this. I am applying but will seriously bear this post in mind. Thanks

[Paul92]

Working class folk beware, you may often feel alienated. For the first two weeks after Freshers I just felt completely like ****, people in my halls were going shooting with their academic parents, folk coming in from polo matches etc. and then the whole hunter welly and tweed epidemic, I was just convinced that this wasn't the place for me. The fact I come from a big party town, (Blackpool, biggest nightclub in the UK ) also made it difficult for me to adapt to St Andrews. After a couple of months though I'm really starting to feel at home there, I don't think I'll ever embrace the whole St Andrews image, the bubble etc. and the first thought which pops into my head when seeing a guy in wellies walking down a paved road will always be '****', but I'm home for reading just now and have to admit to missing the place a bit, I'd definitely say it's a nice enough place to study.
I'm quite lucky in that I'm in Glasgow at least every other week, and also have friends in Dundee I can go for a drink with if I wanted to see the real world (which you should be aware St Andrews, whether good or bad, most certainly is not), so I'm in no danger of being consumed by 'the bubble'.
If anybody has any reservations on this basis, ie, not fitting in or hating the demographics of the town, feel free to fire me a PM

[xCHiiBiEverlastingx]

(Original post by Paul92)
Working class folk beware, you may often feel alienated. For the first two weeks after Freshers I just felt completely like ****, people in my halls were going shooting with their academic parents, folk coming in from polo matches etc. and then the whole hunter welly and tweed epidemic, I was just convinced that this wasn't the place for me. The fact I come from a big party town, (Blackpool, biggest nightclub in the UK ) also made it difficult for me to adapt to St Andrews. After a couple of months though I'm really starting to feel at home there, I don't think I'll ever embrace the whole St Andrews image, the bubble etc. and the first thought which pops into my head when seeing a guy in wellies walking down a paved road will always be '****', but I'm home for reading just now and have to admit to missing the place a bit, I'd definitely say it's a nice enough place to study.
I'm quite lucky in that I'm in Glasgow at least every other week, and also have friends in Dundee I can go for a drink with if I wanted to see the real world (which you should be aware St Andrews, whether good or bad, most certainly is not), so I'm in no danger of being consumed by 'the bubble'.
If anybody has any reservations on this basis, ie, not fitting in or hating the demographics of the town, feel free to fire me a PM

Is the proportion of 'rahs' to common folk really that bad? I'm just an ordinary Kent girl and don't mind hanging out with posh people unless we would literally have nothing to say to each other A few people have mentioned about cliques too, and rude locals: what's your take on this?

I am glad for this thread, it's useful to cover all the bases. I am doubting whether I should have applied for StAs but then again I actually feel the same way for all my choices (it all just seems so 'final'!!) But based on all I've heard so far, I think I'd really like it, and the course flexibility is my idea of perfect.... Only con is that it is so very far away, and since I haven't yet visited, the full impact of that hasn't quite sunk in yet. Really really hope they give me an offer so I can have the luxury of making that decision

[Ecosse_14]

Get to the cheap accommodation and you'll be surrounded by the normal working class people like me Also meaning the best parties, best banter, etcetcetc.

[TheHyacinthGirl]

(Original post by Paul92)
Working class folk beware, you may often feel alienated. For the first two weeks after Freshers I just felt completely like ****, people in my halls were going shooting with their academic parents, folk coming in from polo matches etc. and then the whole hunter welly and tweed epidemic, I was just convinced that this wasn't the place for me. The fact I come from a big party town, (Blackpool, biggest nightclub in the UK ) also made it difficult for me to adapt to St Andrews. After a couple of months though I'm really starting to feel at home there, I don't think I'll ever embrace the whole St Andrews image, the bubble etc. and the first thought which pops into my head when seeing a guy in wellies walking down a paved road will always be '****', but I'm home for reading just now and have to admit to missing the place a bit, I'd definitely say it's a nice enough place to study.
I'm quite lucky in that I'm in Glasgow at least every other week, and also have friends in Dundee I can go for a drink with if I wanted to see the real world (which you should be aware St Andrews, whether good or bad, most certainly is not), so I'm in no danger of being consumed by 'the bubble'.
If anybody has any reservations on this basis, ie, not fitting in or hating the demographics of the town, feel free to fire me a PM

I can empathise with this. I come from a roughish area outside of Durham, and I really wanted to run away to somewhere brilliant for university. St. Andrews is a very beautiful and special place, but, like you, I don't feel like I fit with the St. Andrews stereotype. I end up feeling as though I don't fit into my home town or my university town, which isn't the best feeling. That said, the beach is brilliant for a feeling of escapism.