Any St. Andrews students willing to answer a few questions?

I also study Medicine at St A and would agree with everything you've said. The facilities here are top of the range and lecture echo is a life saver.

However, sadly, I would also agree with the point I've quoted you on. Not necessarily isolated to the med school, it's a uni-wide thing. That, plus the prohibitively expensive cost of accommodation, means I now live in Dundee. My rent is ~1/3 of the price and it's nice to not be in the cliquey St A bubble.

Also, lots of exams. I would say too many. I'm in third year so about to leave, but I've been on the verge of burning out more than once.

Reading this about it being cliquey is a bit concerning now I've firmed St And (without going to an open day too, though I've visited). In what way is it, and is it thought of as a big problem by most people? I am concerned about fitting in/making friends here, like most people are when they go to uni I know... reading this hasn't helped though.

I've found making friends is no issue at all. The clique thing is hard to explain, it's more the general atmosphere than anything specific, if that makes sense? Probably not. But there is quite a small town mentality.

Have I enjoyed my three years here? Yes, very much so. But am I ready to move on? Definitely. Will I miss St A? I'll look back on my time here with fondness, but will probably have no desire to return.

Hmm okay. I'm not entirely sure what you mean but I suppose it might become clear when (if) I get there. Small town mentality in that things that are a bit different to the norm are seen in a bad way?

Thanks for your honest reply.

It's more that the student population is so small and crammed into a tiny town, so everyone seems to know everyone else's business. If I were to choose any one random student from the university, I can almost guarantee we would at least have a mutual friend.

That doesn't bother some, and my friends love St Andrews. It does bother me, however, and I am looking forward to moving to London in the summer where I'll be just another anonymous face. It's all about preference.

(That makes me sound really antisocial.. I'm not really..)

It's more that the student population is so small and crammed into a tiny town, so everyone seems to know everyone else's business. If I were to choose any one random student from the university, I can almost guarantee we would at least have a mutual friend.

Small town mentality in that things that are a bit different to the norm are seen in a bad way?

Do people go to Dundee or Edinburgh often?

So, so true. I don't mind that you often see people you recognise in the street, it can be nice to bump into people you know at events and in tescos, but it can be disconcerting to meet someone who it turns out already knows your name and 'facts' about you (the rumour mill here is rife and often malicious).



To a certain extent among some people, yes, there does seem to be an undercurrent of discrimination here which is rarely acknowledged.

Not often, even among those who have the time, the Bubble sort of sucks you in and becomes the whole world; this can be nice in some ways as you can feel like it's a home away from home and you get to know people quite well. Unfortunately it also means you cannot escape people if they turn out to be, shall we say, a less than good friend.It is good to get out and back to reality at least a couple of times a semester though, otherwise you really start to believe that the bizarre atmosphere and social structure here is actually normal (it wouldn't last two mins out in the real world).

You seem to have a fairly negative view of the social/environment aspect of the uni. I just want to find nice, accepting people that I'll get on with so the rumours/discrimination thing worries me, though I thought it might happen. What made you choose the uni in the first place? And would you again, if you had the choice? Sorry for the questions. I suppose I just want to speak to students there as I haven't been able to on an open day.