University of Aberdeen
What's Aberdeen University like?
Hi everyone 
So right now I'm getting extremely worried about my IB grades, so even though my firm is Edinburgh (34 points) and Aberdeen's my insurance (30 points), with the way my studies are going I may just miss Edinburgh's offer. I hadn't really given my insurance choice too much thought, but now I'm trying to face the possibility that I may end up going there.
So... any current students willing to share what the place is like? I've never been, so I don't know anything.
Things I'd like to know in detail about: Weather, accommodation, city, people, and of course, the teaching, especially for English, Philosophy, and Classics.
Any answers are much appreciated!
So right now I'm getting extremely worried about my IB grades, so even though my firm is Edinburgh (34 points) and Aberdeen's my insurance (30 points), with the way my studies are going I may just miss Edinburgh's offer. I hadn't really given my insurance choice too much thought, but now I'm trying to face the possibility that I may end up going there.
So... any current students willing to share what the place is like? I've never been, so I don't know anything.
Things I'd like to know in detail about: Weather, accommodation, city, people, and of course, the teaching, especially for English, Philosophy, and Classics.
Any answers are much appreciated!
Scroll to see replies
Well I've studied at Edinburgh for a while~ its an average city I guess. You have to be prepared for grey days most of the time. Warm and sunny days are pretty rare. But most accommodation were around a few minutes to 30min away from main campus. And the main campus being right next to Nicholson Street means the cheapest grocery stores are right at your doorsteps! Tescos, lidl, sainsbury and pound land~ Very very cheap night clubs! 
But dont worry Edinburgh was lenient with me with my IB grades! I didnt meet one of their requirements but they still allowed me in. But fair warning; their teaching especially in history and classics was horrible...! Seemed like edinburgh U makes it their goal to employ the most incompetent ppl in scotland!
Aberdeen was the same when I visited there in November. Cold, grey and wet. Friendly people though! But an expensive city!!
But dont worry Edinburgh was lenient with me with my IB grades! I didnt meet one of their requirements but they still allowed me in. But fair warning; their teaching especially in history and classics was horrible...! Seemed like edinburgh U makes it their goal to employ the most incompetent ppl in scotland! Aberdeen was the same when I visited there in November. Cold, grey and wet. Friendly people though! But an expensive city!!
University of Aberdeen
The campus for the university is really pretty actually. Well, some parts. Don't know about the English bit but I was around the chemistry department last week for a practical thing (not at uni yet, this was for my Advanced Higher) and my class all agreed it was really pretty. Even the guys. 
Weather....eugh. Don't start. Grey, grey, wet and grey. We do get nice weather occasionally, 'tis true, but the majority of the time it's grey and overcast. Lovely weather today though. We get the odd day in summer, sometimes spring or early autumn where it's blazing hot and sunny and it's really nice, but you won't get nice weather for most of the year. Cold as well. The rain isn't too bad I suppose, it's not really heavy, drench-you-in-ten-seconds rain, but it's that dull, constant drizzle. Even the rain can't be assed doing stuff properly.
People: Same as anywhere, you get your nice people, you get your class A idiots, but they're not that different to anywhere else.
City: As I said on another thread about Aberdeen. IT'S ALL GREY Because a lot of the buildings are granite and the sky is nearly always overcast, it can seem like Aberdeen doesn't know what colour is, sometimes. Union Street has a few nice buildings but it's kind of dying now that Union Square has opened up, that has all your normal high street brands, there are far, far more quirky individual stores in Edinburgh. Old Aberdeen is lovely in parts, which is where you'd mostly be since that where the university is. As far as stuff to do goes, we get pretty good music and comedy, theatre's not bad either, not as good as Edinburgh, and you have to go to Glasgow for some bands that don't come to Aberdeen. But overall the music scene is pretty decent. A few clubs, don't know much about that though cos I'm not really a clubbing kinda girl.
As for the course and the accomodation, can't advise you on any of that, not at uni yet. But I've lived here for...wow, almost 12 years now. I prefer Edinburgh, I like the architecture there better, and it has more of the things I like. But anyway, that's all I can tell you about Aberdeen, I think.
Weather....eugh. Don't start. Grey, grey, wet and grey. We do get nice weather occasionally, 'tis true, but the majority of the time it's grey and overcast. Lovely weather today though. We get the odd day in summer, sometimes spring or early autumn where it's blazing hot and sunny and it's really nice, but you won't get nice weather for most of the year. Cold as well. The rain isn't too bad I suppose, it's not really heavy, drench-you-in-ten-seconds rain, but it's that dull, constant drizzle. Even the rain can't be assed doing stuff properly.
People: Same as anywhere, you get your nice people, you get your class A idiots, but they're not that different to anywhere else.
City: As I said on another thread about Aberdeen. IT'S ALL GREY Because a lot of the buildings are granite and the sky is nearly always overcast, it can seem like Aberdeen doesn't know what colour is, sometimes. Union Street has a few nice buildings but it's kind of dying now that Union Square has opened up, that has all your normal high street brands, there are far, far more quirky individual stores in Edinburgh. Old Aberdeen is lovely in parts, which is where you'd mostly be since that where the university is. As far as stuff to do goes, we get pretty good music and comedy, theatre's not bad either, not as good as Edinburgh, and you have to go to Glasgow for some bands that don't come to Aberdeen. But overall the music scene is pretty decent. A few clubs, don't know much about that though cos I'm not really a clubbing kinda girl.
As for the course and the accomodation, can't advise you on any of that, not at uni yet. But I've lived here for...wow, almost 12 years now.
I prefer Edinburgh, I like the architecture there better, and it has more of the things I like. But anyway, that's all I can tell you about Aberdeen, I think.Original post by Radioactive_Banana
Well I've studied at Edinburgh for a while~ its an average city I guess. You have to be prepared for grey days most of the time. Warm and sunny days are pretty rare. But most accommodation were around a few minutes to 30min away from main campus. And the main campus being right next to Nicholson Street means the cheapest grocery stores are right at your doorsteps! Tescos, lidl, sainsbury and pound land~ Very very cheap night clubs! But dont worry Edinburgh was lenient with me with my IB grades! I didnt meet one of their requirements but they still allowed me in. But fair warning; their teaching especially in history and classics was horrible...! Seemed like edinburgh U makes it their goal to employ the most incompetent ppl in scotland!
Aberdeen was the same when I visited there in November. Cold, grey and wet. Friendly people though! But an expensive city!!
But dont worry Edinburgh was lenient with me with my IB grades! I didnt meet one of their requirements but they still allowed me in. But fair warning; their teaching especially in history and classics was horrible...! Seemed like edinburgh U makes it their goal to employ the most incompetent ppl in scotland! Aberdeen was the same when I visited there in November. Cold, grey and wet. Friendly people though! But an expensive city!!
You don't know how much hope that just gave me!! What was your offer, and how much did you get? Mine is 34 with 555 at HL and when I got it, seemed very do-able, but now I'm stressing out!
Accomodation - good. Ranges from the very cheap (and dingy) to the very expensive (and posh). Some are typical halls - rooms along a corridor with shared bathroom between twenty, shared kitchen between twenty; some are like wee houses with a bathroom between 4-6 people. All halls are single sex floors or flats. Private accomodation is very expensive.
Weather - good. When it's cold it's freezing but when it's warm it's gorgeous. Aberdeen is fantastic as it's between the mountains and the beach, so you're never stuck for things to do whatever the weather, skiing and snowboarding expeditions are pretty common
City - as has been said, it's very gray. There are lovely bits, there are awful bits. Certainly plenty to do though - although there are a few things that you could only do in Edinburgh/Glasgow. However - neither Edinburgh nor Glasgow are far on the train Worth your while getting out and about - Aberdeenshire and Royal Deeside are lovely.
People - in general, other students are lovely so shouldn't be a problem there The only thing I can foresee might be a difficulty is the thick accent we have up here, but you do pick up on it quite quickly and it's less used at university anyway due to the huge amount of international students
Teaching - two friends have studied Philosophy and in general enjoyed it, English dept are unorganised but on the whole good, the courses are good - good choice of books and the lecturers know what they're talking about
Weather - good. When it's cold it's freezing but when it's warm it's gorgeous. Aberdeen is fantastic as it's between the mountains and the beach, so you're never stuck for things to do whatever the weather, skiing and snowboarding expeditions are pretty common
City - as has been said, it's very gray. There are lovely bits, there are awful bits. Certainly plenty to do though - although there are a few things that you could only do in Edinburgh/Glasgow. However - neither Edinburgh nor Glasgow are far on the train
Worth your while getting out and about - Aberdeenshire and Royal Deeside are lovely.People - in general, other students are lovely so shouldn't be a problem there
The only thing I can foresee might be a difficulty is the thick accent we have up here, but you do pick up on it quite quickly and it's less used at university anyway due to the huge amount of international studentsTeaching - two friends have studied Philosophy and in general enjoyed it, English dept are unorganised but on the whole good, the courses are good - good choice of books and the lecturers know what they're talking about
Original post by aspirinpharmacist
The campus for the university is really pretty actually. Well, some parts. Don't know about the English bit but I was around the chemistry department last week for a practical thing (not at uni yet, this was for my Advanced Higher) and my class all agreed it was really pretty. Even the guys.
Weather....eugh. Don't start. Grey, grey, wet and grey. We do get nice weather occasionally, 'tis true, but the majority of the time it's grey and overcast. Lovely weather today though. We get the odd day in summer, sometimes spring or early autumn where it's blazing hot and sunny and it's really nice, but you won't get nice weather for most of the year. Cold as well. The rain isn't too bad I suppose, it's not really heavy, drench-you-in-ten-seconds rain, but it's that dull, constant drizzle. Even the rain can't be assed doing stuff properly.
People: Same as anywhere, you get your nice people, you get your class A idiots, but they're not that different to anywhere else.
City: As I said on another thread about Aberdeen. IT'S ALL GREY Because a lot of the buildings are granite and the sky is nearly always overcast, it can seem like Aberdeen doesn't know what colour is, sometimes. Union Street has a few nice buildings but it's kind of dying now that Union Square has opened up, that has all your normal high street brands, there are far, far more quirky individual stores in Edinburgh. Old Aberdeen is lovely in parts, which is where you'd mostly be since that where the university is. As far as stuff to do goes, we get pretty good music and comedy, theatre's not bad either, not as good as Edinburgh, and you have to go to Glasgow for some bands that don't come to Aberdeen. But overall the music scene is pretty decent. A few clubs, don't know much about that though cos I'm not really a clubbing kinda girl.
As for the course and the accomodation, can't advise you on any of that, not at uni yet. But I've lived here for...wow, almost 12 years now. I prefer Edinburgh, I like the architecture there better, and it has more of the things I like. But anyway, that's all I can tell you about Aberdeen, I think.
Weather....eugh. Don't start. Grey, grey, wet and grey. We do get nice weather occasionally, 'tis true, but the majority of the time it's grey and overcast. Lovely weather today though. We get the odd day in summer, sometimes spring or early autumn where it's blazing hot and sunny and it's really nice, but you won't get nice weather for most of the year. Cold as well. The rain isn't too bad I suppose, it's not really heavy, drench-you-in-ten-seconds rain, but it's that dull, constant drizzle. Even the rain can't be assed doing stuff properly.
People: Same as anywhere, you get your nice people, you get your class A idiots, but they're not that different to anywhere else.
City: As I said on another thread about Aberdeen. IT'S ALL GREY Because a lot of the buildings are granite and the sky is nearly always overcast, it can seem like Aberdeen doesn't know what colour is, sometimes. Union Street has a few nice buildings but it's kind of dying now that Union Square has opened up, that has all your normal high street brands, there are far, far more quirky individual stores in Edinburgh. Old Aberdeen is lovely in parts, which is where you'd mostly be since that where the university is. As far as stuff to do goes, we get pretty good music and comedy, theatre's not bad either, not as good as Edinburgh, and you have to go to Glasgow for some bands that don't come to Aberdeen. But overall the music scene is pretty decent. A few clubs, don't know much about that though cos I'm not really a clubbing kinda girl.
As for the course and the accomodation, can't advise you on any of that, not at uni yet. But I've lived here for...wow, almost 12 years now.
I prefer Edinburgh, I like the architecture there better, and it has more of the things I like. But anyway, that's all I can tell you about Aberdeen, I think.Thank you!
The greyness sounds a bit depressing. Yeah, not really the clubbing type either, but on the other hand somewhere like St. Andrews would get boring...
I think I prefer Edinburgh too, good thing it's my firm- but on the whole Aberdeen's a good safe.
Original post by saachi
Thank you! The greyness sounds a bit depressing.
Yeah, not really the clubbing type either, but on the other hand somewhere like St. Andrews would get boring...
I think I prefer Edinburgh too, good thing it's my firm- but on the whole Aberdeen's a good safe.
The greyness sounds a bit depressing. Yeah, not really the clubbing type either, but on the other hand somewhere like St. Andrews would get boring...
I think I prefer Edinburgh too, good thing it's my firm- but on the whole Aberdeen's a good safe.
It is. If you don't get out to somewhere that actually has colour every now and then you'll just walk into the sea and try and swim somewhere sunnier. I've seen it happen. They failed and had to walk all the way up Union Street with soaking wet jeans, and then get on the bus home.
Yeah, it probably would. But like I said, there's plenty of concerts. Snow Patrol were here on Monday. And the comedy's pretty decent, lots of people come here. Except Michael McIntyre. Why won't he come to Aberdeen?
I wouldn't say it's the best place in the world, but it's not too bad on the grand scale of things.(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by saachi
You don't know how much hope that just gave me!! What was your offer, and how much did you get? Mine is 34 with 555 at HL and when I got it, seemed very do-able, but now I'm stressing out!
My offer was same as yours, 34 with 5,5,5 in HL. I got the overall IB points but I didnt manage getting 5,5,5 in HL. I got 4,5,7 in HL. Mind you the subject I got the 7 had no relation to the course I applied for!
But I've heard of other international students who got just 1 point under their offer~~ Don't worry too much! All UK universities want international students over locals because of the $$$ we give them~ And one more thing, you are aware you're going to be there for 4 years just for a degree yea? They call it MA but its a just a fancier degree~ not in any shape a masters~
Original post by Radioactive_Banana
My offer was same as yours, 34 with 5,5,5 in HL. I got the overall IB points but I didnt manage getting 5,5,5 in HL. I got 4,5,7 in HL. Mind you the subject I got the 7 had no relation to the course I applied for! But I've heard of other international students who got just 1 point under their offer~~
Don't worry too much! All UK universities want international students over locals because of the $$$ we give them~ And one more thing, you are aware you're going to be there for 4 years just for a degree yea? They call it MA but its a just a fancier degree~ not in any shape a masters~
But I've heard of other international students who got just 1 point under their offer~~ Don't worry too much! All UK universities want international students over locals because of the $$$ we give them~ And one more thing, you are aware you're going to be there for 4 years just for a degree yea? They call it MA but its a just a fancier degree~ not in any shape a masters~
Yeah, I know it's the equivalent of a BA. I'm pretty confident I can meet (even exceed) my HL requirements, it's the overall score I was worried about because I'm very bad at 2 of my SLs (math and french).
So good to know that they will probably let me in if I get 32/33! Thanks!
It's pretty good. I can speak for the teaching in English and overall, it's very good.
Weather: gets cold on occasion but nowhere near as bad as everyone says.
Accommodation: Yeah, it's all pretty dire. Livable, but nothing special. Not until you move out of student accommodation anyway.
City: It's a small city, so very easy to get around. Nightlife is nothing special, but at least it has nightlife. Decent amount of shops and like four shopping centres. Morrisons for shopping or ASDA/TESCO if you like a trek.
People: Yeah, it's mainly students you'll see and most of the locals are friendly apart from the bitter ones who cannot even spell university.
Weather: gets cold on occasion but nowhere near as bad as everyone says.
Accommodation: Yeah, it's all pretty dire. Livable, but nothing special. Not until you move out of student accommodation anyway.
City: It's a small city, so very easy to get around. Nightlife is nothing special, but at least it has nightlife. Decent amount of shops and like four shopping centres. Morrisons for shopping or ASDA/TESCO if you like a trek.
People: Yeah, it's mainly students you'll see and most of the locals are friendly apart from the bitter ones who cannot even spell university.
All of the above, as well as being of the home of Aberdeen FC, best team in Scotland. Hurr durr. It's a lovely city, I really love it here, and I'm from the south of Switzerland, which spoiled me for beauty.
Original post by FrigidSymphony
All of the above, as well as being of the home of Aberdeen FC, best team in Scotland. Hurr durr. It's a lovely city, I really love it here, and I'm from the south of Switzerland, which spoiled me for beauty.
i laughed when i read this, does celtic 9 aberdeen 0 ring any bells? before you ask i perfer rugby to football but if people ask i support huddersfield town then liverpool. (in that order)
Original post by jhuntley93
i laughed when i read this, does celtic 9 aberdeen 0 ring any bells? before you ask i perfer rugby to football but if people ask i support huddersfield town then liverpool. (in that order)
I really don't care. We have our ups and downs, but we've performed better in Europe than any Old Firm team and **** everyone.
Original post by aspirinpharmacist
The campus for the university is really pretty actually. Well, some parts. Don't know about the English bit but I was around the chemistry department last week for a practical thing (not at uni yet, this was for my Advanced Higher) and my class all agreed it was really pretty. Even the guys.
Weather....eugh. Don't start. Grey, grey, wet and grey. We do get nice weather occasionally, 'tis true, but the majority of the time it's grey and overcast. Lovely weather today though. We get the odd day in summer, sometimes spring or early autumn where it's blazing hot and sunny and it's really nice, but you won't get nice weather for most of the year. Cold as well. The rain isn't too bad I suppose, it's not really heavy, drench-you-in-ten-seconds rain, but it's that dull, constant drizzle. Even the rain can't be assed doing stuff properly.
People: Same as anywhere, you get your nice people, you get your class A idiots, but they're not that different to anywhere else.
City: As I said on another thread about Aberdeen. IT'S ALL GREY Because a lot of the buildings are granite and the sky is nearly always overcast, it can seem like Aberdeen doesn't know what colour is, sometimes. Union Street has a few nice buildings but it's kind of dying now that Union Square has opened up, that has all your normal high street brands, there are far, far more quirky individual stores in Edinburgh. Old Aberdeen is lovely in parts, which is where you'd mostly be since that where the university is. As far as stuff to do goes, we get pretty good music and comedy, theatre's not bad either, not as good as Edinburgh, and you have to go to Glasgow for some bands that don't come to Aberdeen. But overall the music scene is pretty decent. A few clubs, don't know much about that though cos I'm not really a clubbing kinda girl.
As for the course and the accomodation, can't advise you on any of that, not at uni yet. But I've lived here for...wow, almost 12 years now. I prefer Edinburgh, I like the architecture there better, and it has more of the things I like. But anyway, that's all I can tell you about Aberdeen, I think.
Weather....eugh. Don't start. Grey, grey, wet and grey. We do get nice weather occasionally, 'tis true, but the majority of the time it's grey and overcast. Lovely weather today though. We get the odd day in summer, sometimes spring or early autumn where it's blazing hot and sunny and it's really nice, but you won't get nice weather for most of the year. Cold as well. The rain isn't too bad I suppose, it's not really heavy, drench-you-in-ten-seconds rain, but it's that dull, constant drizzle. Even the rain can't be assed doing stuff properly.
People: Same as anywhere, you get your nice people, you get your class A idiots, but they're not that different to anywhere else.
City: As I said on another thread about Aberdeen. IT'S ALL GREY Because a lot of the buildings are granite and the sky is nearly always overcast, it can seem like Aberdeen doesn't know what colour is, sometimes. Union Street has a few nice buildings but it's kind of dying now that Union Square has opened up, that has all your normal high street brands, there are far, far more quirky individual stores in Edinburgh. Old Aberdeen is lovely in parts, which is where you'd mostly be since that where the university is. As far as stuff to do goes, we get pretty good music and comedy, theatre's not bad either, not as good as Edinburgh, and you have to go to Glasgow for some bands that don't come to Aberdeen. But overall the music scene is pretty decent. A few clubs, don't know much about that though cos I'm not really a clubbing kinda girl.
As for the course and the accomodation, can't advise you on any of that, not at uni yet. But I've lived here for...wow, almost 12 years now.
I prefer Edinburgh, I like the architecture there better, and it has more of the things I like. But anyway, that's all I can tell you about Aberdeen, I think.the only pretty thing on union street is the tramps
oh and union square is full of scene kids 
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by FrigidSymphony
All of the above, as well as being of the home of Aberdeen FC, best team in Scotland. Hurr durr. It's a lovely city, I really love it here, and I'm from the south of Switzerland, which spoiled me for beauty.
WHAT lovely city :O u dizzy?
Original post by FrigidSymphony
All of the above, as well as being of the home of Aberdeen FC, best team in Scotland. Hurr durr. It's a lovely city, I really love it here, and I'm from the south of Switzerland, which spoiled me for beauty.
this may not be the best time to say this but im going to go for it anyways ... rangers all the way!
What attractions are there? And also do people when travelling either to or from London go via rail or air?
Original post by kirsti
this may not be the best time to say this but im going to go for it anyways ... rangers all the way!
Or at least until HM Customs and Revenue.
Original post by FrigidSymphony
Or at least until HM Customs and Revenue.
ack funny oneeee!! we're still the most successful team in scotland no matter what our financial circumstances
Original post by kirsti
ack funny oneeee!! we're still the most successful team in scotland no matter what our financial circumstances
5 conjured stars does not a true badge make.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- What uni should I pick!?
- Aberdeen computing MA or Heriot-watt Computer Systems
- Law at Aberdeen vs Edinburgh reputation
- Law School Dundee vs Aberdeen
- Aberdeen or Edinburgh Napier for law llb?
- Ranking Scottish unis from best to worst (to prove a point)
- MSc in Medical Physics , which uni to apply ?
- On-campus or Unite Students accommodation?
- U Edinburgh LLb vs U Aberdeen LLb
- On-campus or Unite Students accommodation?
- Life at Aberdeen!
- Official University of Aberdeen freshers 2023 chat
- Economics at Aberdeen
- University choices - glasgow caledonian vs Aberdeen
- Would you rather attend...?
- Film and visual culture Aberdeen University
- Kent or Aberdeen?
- Better universities to choose from
- Living cost in Scotland and Manchester
- I’ve been accepted to Aberdeen Uni, Im 17, will the social life be ok?
Latest
Trending
Last reply 1 week ago
Official University of Aberdeen Applicant Thread for 2024Posted 4 months ago
student Roost tenancy takeover, Mealmarket Exchange, AberdeenTrending
Last reply 1 week ago
Official University of Aberdeen Applicant Thread for 2024Posted 4 months ago
student Roost tenancy takeover, Mealmarket Exchange, Aberdeen
