Full of posh people

OP

Original post by Origami Bullets

Seeing as neither alow nor Old_Simon have ever attended St Andrews, you might like to take their responses with a pinch of salt :wink:

Its good to hear peoples views but i have heard many good things about st andrews and would really like to firm it but with such conflicting experiences and viewe of the place its proving pretty tough at the minute.

Reply 22

Origami Bullets

Original post by Pcm1734

Its good to hear peoples views but i have heard many good things about st andrews and would really like to firm it but with such conflicting experiences and viewe of the place its proving pretty tough at the minute.

Of course - though I'm not at St Andrews so I shall refrain from giving my view of the place.

However, most people from backgrounds similar to yourself who go to other universities with similar reputations (e.g. Oxbridge) often worry immensely that they won't fit in, and invariably find that they do - both because there are people from backgrounds that are similar to their own, and because people from different backgrounds can get on, and I'm pretty sure that you'd find the same thing at St Andrews.

Of course, you always get the odd bit of banter - my best friend calls me posh, so I call him pleb; he makes jokes about me having learned Latin at school, so I joke that at least I got a good education :wink:

However, it has, in my non-St Andrews non-Oxbridge Russell Group uni experience, always always always been the people from state schools who make jokes about private schools first (most of the ones from private schools wouldn't be so crass in the first place...)

Reply 23

OP

Original post by Origami Bullets

Of course - though I'm not at St Andrews so I shall refrain from giving my view of the place.

However, most people from backgrounds similar to yourself who go to other universities with similar reputations (e.g. Oxbridge) often worry immensely that they won't fit in, and invariably find that they do - both because there are people from backgrounds that are similar to their own, and because people from different backgrounds can get on, and I'm pretty sure that you'd find the same thing at St Andrews.

Of course, you always get the odd bit of banter - my best friend calls me posh, so I call him pleb; he makes jokes about me having learned Latin at school, so I joke that at least I got a good education :wink:

However, it has, in my non-St Andrews non-Oxbridge Russell Group uni experience, always always always been the people from state schools who make jokes about private schools first (most of the ones from private schools wouldn't be so crass in the first place...)

Thanks very reasuring :smile:

ofcourse people from different backgrounds can get on and im sure the banter is brilliant😜 there will always be the people who think they are better than everyone else but they will ( hopefully) be in the minority. Think i shall firm today, you never know untill you try eh😄

Reply 24

Origami Bullets

Original post by Pcm1734

Thanks very reasuring :smile:

ofcourse people from different backgrounds can get on and im sure the banter is brilliant there will always be the people who think they are better than everyone else but they will ( hopefully) be in the minority. Think i shall firm today, you never know untill you try eh

Well indeed, but don't forget that you have until early May to make a decision, so there's no need to make a decision quite yet. I'll quote in a couple of St Andrews students for you so that they can give their opinion if they get a chance :smile:

Ecosse_14

TattyBoJangles

Reply 25

Ecosse_14

Original post by la_banane_verte

Dear me, I'm not sure where alow and OldSimon are getting their information from, or whether they're just joking, but please don't take them seriously.

Yes, there are people who you would categorise as "yahs" here, but you find that at almost any "good" university. But the thing is, they're not all knobs who only talk to "people like them", they're just people who happened to have rich families.

Apart from the fact that I have a northern English accent and not Scottish, I come from a similar background to you, and I have had no problems finding friends, and never felt like I was being discriminated against by anyone.

If you haven't visited St Andrews, I suggest you do, as it's the best way to judge whether or not you will like the place enough to stay here for 4 years.

So much this :ditto:

OP - I come from the east end of Glasgow, in a not very nice place and went to a state school, so I'm far from posh. I've been at St Andrews 4 years now and have never had a problem with "posh" people. Yes, there are a few of your typical posh people there, and yes, there are many privately educated people there. However, there are also plenty of state educated people there and in my experience, whether you were privately educated or not, or whether or not your considered "posh" does not make a difference. You'll definitely find like-minded people at St Andrews. I thought the same as you before I visited St Andrews till I realised I was completely wrong, and went on to have the most amazing 4 years. :h:

Reply 26

TattyBoJangles

Original post by Ecosse_14

So much this :ditto:

OP - I come from the east end of Glasgow, in a not very nice place and went to a state school, so I'm far from posh. I've been at St Andrews 4 years now and have never had a problem with "posh" people. Yes, there are a few of your typical posh people there, and yes, there are many privately educated people there. However, there are also plenty of state educated people there and in my experience, whether you were privately educated or not, or whether or not your considered "posh" does not make a difference. You'll definitely find like-minded people at St Andrews. I thought the same as you before I visited St Andrews till I realised I was completely wrong, and went on to have the most amazing 4 years. :h:

Agreed, with you and the person you quoted.

OP - I'm from a perfectly 'normal' background. As in, middle of the road, state-educated, blah blah blah. Never had an issue at all.
I am from Cambridge, so have a Southern accent despite not being posh, and funnily enough the only comments I've had are from people who assume I'm 'posh' because of the way I speak (it's all in good humour, though)!

There are people from all sorts of backgrounds in St Andrews, from all sorts of nationalities etc. I do not ask people's educational history or 'social status', and actually have no clue as to whether my friends were privately educated or otherwise - it just doesn't come into conversation. Why would it?

You get the occasional tit, but you get them everywhere :tongue:

Reply 27

SebCross

14

Original post by Pcm1734

Okay so i am very close to firming St. andrews but i need to know a few things before i do and please be honest!
is St.. Andrews full of yahs and posh people who don't associate with anyone rather than their own kind? Would a working class girl with a normal Scottish accent fit in here? Would i be looked down upon because of my class? Please be honest.

Any very strong university will have lots of these 'posh' kinds of students, and more than a little snobbery in the way of social attitudes. However, this doesn't mean that there isn't still a good social mix at a university like St Andrews, with a diverse range of students from all sorts of different backgrounds. I think, if you're fond of the atmosphere of the place and like the look of the course itself, firm it!

Reply 28

returnmigrant

21

Most 'top' Unis (RG and similar) will have a high percentage of those who went to public schools. Some of these people do come over as over-privileged okay-yahs. This can get irritating, especially if you don't come from that sort of background and havn't got a clue what they mean by "Where did you prep?".

However, you will always find some folk you like/get on with/feel comfortable with at ANY University. Just be open about your own attitudes (just because they talk like that doesn't mean they mean to be offensive.... they have just come from a very narrow social background) and think about what you have got in common (that Uni, feeling homesick, your course, St Andrews weather etc) rather than them having rather odd speech patterns. You'll be fine.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 29

megscot95

I very rarely hear conversations that only revolve around sports, cheese and wine. And although you may often meet people you know on the street, everyone will not know everything about you. Although St. Andrews has a higher than average intake of 'posh' students, that doesn't mean they are in any way a majority. There is the same mix of people you would expect to find at any university. Also, just because a person went to a private school, it does not mean they are posh and refuse to mix with state school kids at all. I find that, for the vast majority of people, it doesn't matter what school you went to before hand, because we all go to the same school now :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 30

JTR__

16

Original post by Pcm1734

Well that sucks as i was hoping to come here, although i could always ignore those people.

I am not a student (yet), but I do go to the state school in the town. While it may have a higher proportion of 'yahs' than many universities, it's only obvious as it is quite a small place. I have met many normal people around the town! If you're looking for your avergae Scot though, I would recommend going into self-catered, especially Albany, as most 'yahs' (if you really don't want to associate with them) would never consider cooking for themselves.

But definitely don't be put off by the fact that there are some posh people! I've been along to two open days, and it is such a big mix of people, and all the people I talked to are so nice! All the best, and I will hopefully see you in September! xx

(This is just from experience, I don't really know)

Reply 31

OP

Original post by JTR__

I am not a student (yet), but I do go to the state school in the town. While it may have a higher proportion of 'yahs' than many universities, it's only obvious as it is quite a small place. I have met many normal people around the town! If you're looking for your avergae Scot though, I would recommend going into self-catered, especially Albany, as most 'yahs' (if you really don't want to associate with them) would never consider cooking for themselves.

But definitely don't be put off by the fact that there are some posh people! I've been along to two open days, and it is such a big mix of people, and all the people I talked to are so nice! All the best, and I will hopefully see you in September! xx

(This is just from experience, I don't really know)

Thanks for your reply everyone has been really helpful :smile:

yup im def going self catered as i love cooking ! :smile:

hope to see u in september :smile:

xxx

Reply 32

username1114381

12

Original post by SebCross

Any very strong university will have lots of these 'posh' kinds of students, and more than a little snobbery in the way of social attitudes.

In my experience, this is true.

Whatever you do, don't apply for the most expensive catered halls. I can guarantee those places are always 'yah' hives. I was the only state educated person in mine and I found the difference in social class to be a huge barrier. The social atmosphere can be a bit strange if you're from a working/lower middle-class background. Even the few who actually are state schooled will be horribly middle-class. Basically every topic of conversation you'll have with these sorts of people will be impenetrable and hideously academic, especially if you're 18 or 19. Of course, you'll find some really nice people (privately educated people tend to be either really nice or really horrible), but they're usually ostracised by the tossers too - and sometimes one tosser in a flat is too many, so the risk of having a crap time is high.

I'm not saying that all privately educated people are jerks, just that jerks who are privately educated are some of the worst, most detestable creatures on the planet. Hopefully in the future, once the world becomes a more socially level place, these abhorrent and very real privileged stereotypes will be put on public display for the rest of the world to take the piss out of, just like the racists and the homophobes of previous historical eras. But in the meantime, AVOID!

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 33

Suzi.Letham

11

Original post by Pcm1734

Okay so i am very close to firming St. andrews but i need to know a few things before i do and please be honest!
is St.. Andrews full of yahs and posh people who don't associate with anyone rather than their own kind? Would a working class girl with a normal Scottish accent fit in here? Would i be looked down upon because of my class? Please be honest.

Hey so, I understand your having a pretty hard time deciding on St Andrews because of social class, which I think is pretty understandable to be honest.
But just to let you know- I go to a state school which has some 'not so nice' catchment areas and isnt really recognised as a great school in any way shape or form. Overall, it has bad exam grades and stuff. As you can guess, I therefore live in a not so nice area. Its not horrible, but there are nicer parts of Scotland yknow xD So it kind of follows that im not from a family of millionares. I have a normal scotish accent and I use quite a lot of slang associated with the area I live in because of school and stuff. I guess im your average Scots teen in a lot of ways xD
However, I have just firmed my unconditional offer for St Andrews. So- what im saying is, there will definately be at least one person like you at St Andrews. I bet there are a lot more of us too though.
Just relax and try not to stress about that too much- there will be people you can relate too there. Definitely.

Reply 34

OP

Original post by Suzi.Letham

Hey so, I understand your having a pretty hard time deciding on St Andrews because of social class, which I think is pretty understandable to be honest.
But just to let you know- I go to a state school which has some 'not so nice' catchment areas and isnt really recognised as a great school in any way shape or form. Overall, it has bad exam grades and stuff. As you can guess, I therefore live in a not so nice area. Its not horrible, but there are nicer parts of Scotland yknow xD So it kind of follows that im not from a family of millionares. I have a normal scotish accent and I use quite a lot of slang associated with the area I live in because of school and stuff. I guess im your average Scots teen in a lot of ways xD
However, I have just firmed my unconditional offer for St Andrews. So- what im saying is, there will definately be at least one person like you at St Andrews. I bet there are a lot more of us too though.
Just relax and try not to stress about that too much- there will be people you can relate too there. Definitely.

This is exactly how i would describe myself aswell :smile:

i think my mind had been put at ease a lot with everyones replies! I just hope all of us can find each other😋 xx

Reply 35

Suzi.Letham

11

Original post by Pcm1734

This is exactly how i would describe myself aswell :smile:

i think my mind had been put at ease a lot with everyones replies! I just hope all of us can find each other xx

Haha Im sure we will be fine! What is it you have applied to do?

Reply 36

OP

Original post by Suzi.Letham

Haha Im sure we will be fine! What is it you have applied to do?

IR

how about u?

Reply 37

Suzi.Letham

11

Original post by Pcm1734

IR

how about u?

Aw cool- cell biology. :smile:

Im hoping to stay in self catered ensuite accommodation, but I need to talk money with the parents. Chances are we will see each other around.

Reply 38

OP