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Reply 1840
I've been looking into folkehøgskoles, and contrary to my first impression they seem absolutely amazing! :biggrin: I'm genuinely considering going to one next year. They seem ridiculously cheap as well, and if I get a job and some money put together now, I'm there!
University College London, University of London
University College London
London
That's awesome! I'm not sure I would call them ridiculously cheap, but they're certainly good deal for what you get. There used to be a scholarship but it was stopped after 30 years just as I wanted to apply. :colonhash:

Apparently some of them offer partial scholarships in return for you working one day a week for them, so if I can't raise all of the money needed I will do that.
Reply 1842
Original post by Samual
That's awesome! I'm not sure I would call them ridiculously cheap, but they're certainly good deal for what you get. There used to be a scholarship but it was stopped after 30 years just as I wanted to apply. :colonhash:

Apparently some of them offer partial scholarships in return for you working one day a week for them, so if I can't raise all of the money needed I will do that.


I don't know; I think it was about £6000 for one place? Or maybe I'm wrong...but it seemed really cheap, especially because it covered the entire costs for a year and it was Norway, not exactly the cheapest country in the world :biggrin:

I think I'd need a partial scholarship. Even if I raised the money my family aren't rich in the slightest. But for the entire cost, I thought it seemed very good value for money.
Original post by Skaði
I don't know; I think it was about £6000 for one place? Or maybe I'm wrong...but it seemed really cheap, especially because it covered the entire costs for a year and it was Norway, not exactly the cheapest country in the world :biggrin:

I think I'd need a partial scholarship. Even if I raised the money my family aren't rich in the slightest. But for the entire cost, I thought it seemed very good value for money.


The prices vary quite a bit depending on where you go and what course you do. I think you will probably need around £8,000 if you want to take advantage of the trips they offer (some go to America, Africa and even Antarctica)! But as I say, there are funding opportunities available at some schools, you just need to get in contact and ask them what help they can offer.

Have you seen any folkehøgskoles that you're particularly interested in?
Reply 1844
Original post by Samual
The prices vary quite a bit depending on where you go and what course you do. I think you will probably need around £8,000 if you want to take advantage of the trips they offer (some go to America, Africa and even Antarctica)! But as I say, there are funding opportunities available at some schools, you just need to get in contact and ask them what help they can offer.

Have you seen any folkehøgskoles that you're particularly interested in?


Well, I liked the one you mentioned in Pasvik because of the Russian proximity and how far north it is :biggrin: But I also liked the one in Stavanger, too, and the one in Søgne. There seems to be quite a few, which is brilliant: we're spoilt for choice!
Hello! I haven't been on this website for many a month, but for some reason I find myself back here this evening. I just completed the "and history" programme, so I can answer questions on that.

I note that you guys are discussing year abroad options and the current lack of Bergen as an option for Norway. I would say that a lot can change in 2/3 years (after all, your years in Norden are a way off yet), exchange agreements do sometimes end, whilst new ones also come about. For instance, from what I've been told, sometimes they lapse simply because nobody has used them for a few years - but if you ask nicely and make a good case for why want to go to X instead of the available Ys, the department might just be willing to investigate setting up a new agreement. I know at least in the Swedish case that a couple of new agreements were recently formed due to "popular demand". Apparently it was surprisingly easy to do this. I guess UCL has such a good reputation these days (doing well on all the global rankings etc) and is in a city that many Scandinavians love, most universities in the region jump at the chance of forming an agreement. And of course, some feel a certain responsibility to cooperate with one of the few centres teaching the Nordic languages at university level outside of the region. What my long winded ramble is trying to say is, it -might- (emphasis on the might) just be possible to go to Bergen after all - but it's certainly nothing to bank on.
Original post by Mumintroll
Hello! I haven't been on this website for many a month, but for some reason I find myself back here this evening. I just completed the "and history" programme, so I can answer questions on that.

I note that you guys are discussing year abroad options and the current lack of Bergen as an option for Norway. I would say that a lot can change in 2/3 years (after all, your years in Norden are a way off yet), exchange agreements do sometimes end, whilst new ones also come about. For instance, from what I've been told, sometimes they lapse simply because nobody has used them for a few years - but if you ask nicely and make a good case for why want to go to X instead of the available Ys, the department might just be willing to investigate setting up a new agreement. I know at least in the Swedish case that a couple of new agreements were recently formed due to "popular demand". Apparently it was surprisingly easy to do this. I guess UCL has such a good reputation these days (doing well on all the global rankings etc) and is in a city that many Scandinavians love, most universities in the region jump at the chance of forming an agreement. And of course, some feel a certain responsibility to cooperate with one of the few centres teaching the Nordic languages at university level outside of the region. What my long winded ramble is trying to say is, it -might- (emphasis on the might) just be possible to go to Bergen after all - but it's certainly nothing to bank on.


Ah that's good to know. I don't have any good reasons for wanting to go to Bergen, except that it's prettier, more provincial and seems more cultural than Oslo.

I'm glad you've resurfaced Mumintroll! I wanted to ask you about the size of the lectures/seminars at SSEES history? You've told me before that the dept is relatively small, but how small is that? I hate the idea of sitting in big lecture theatre surrounded by people. Are you looking forward to life outside of uni?

Bleh I'm a little disappointed that most of the people in this thread will have left by the time I get to uni. :frown:
Reply 1847
Original post by Mumintroll
Hello!


Congratulations on finishing, man. :hugs:
Original post by Samual
Ah that's good to know. I don't have any good reasons for wanting to go to Bergen, except that it's prettier, more provincial and seems more cultural than Oslo.

I'm glad you've resurfaced Mumintroll! I wanted to ask you about the size of the lectures/seminars at SSEES history? You've told me before that the dept is relatively small, but how small is that? I hate the idea of sitting in big lecture theatre surrounded by people. Are you looking forward to life outside of uni?

Bleh I'm a little disappointed that most of the people in this thread will have left by the time I get to uni. :frown:


But perhaps you can come up with a convincing reason if you learn that they teach courses there that are really relevant to your UCL course choices/dissertation etc.

SSEES history lectures/seminars vary in size quite a bit. SSEES as a whole is reasonably small, I couldn't put a number on it though. I would guess they admit around 60 on their BA history programme each year. And then there are people who study Scandinavian Studies and History and German and History (although only a handful of each), I think there are a few other joint combinations that include history as well. But it's only really in the first year that you will have lectures of that size, and only in one course unit. Otherwise, most courses are much smaller. They're still larger than most Scandinavian department courses, naturally, but you're look at a maximum of maybe 20-25. Some courses are taught through lectures and seminars, in which case the seminar is usually around 12 people. Others are taught through a more integrated format, i.e. they are more like classes, a sort of mix of lecture and seminar. But it really varies from course to course. But there isn't that much sitting around in big lecture theatres, only really for one hour a week in the first year (and even then it's nothing to rival the mega-departments such as economics etc). And at least in my experience, the lecture theatres are usually very spacious as they're designed to take many more students than the biggest SSEES class ever offers. It's actually sometimes the smaller seminar rooms that can be a bit pokey.

Original post by Hylean
Congratulations on finishing, man. :hugs:


Thanks! :biggrin: It's a bit of a strange feeling.
Eeeek! I've got to make a decision pretty soon. Do I begin an access course in September and apply to UCL/Edinburgh for the 2013 entry, or do I defer it for a year and go to live with my grandparents in France.

I feel like I'm wasting time but in my heart I know I need to take this time to get better, after all there's no point rushing off to uni when you're not very well. An extra year won't matter in the grand scheme of things, right? And I might be able to squeeze in a French AS level whilst I'm there! :pierre:
Original post by Samual
Eeeek! I've got to make a decision pretty soon. Do I begin an access course in September and apply to UCL/Edinburgh for the 2013 entry, or do I defer it for a year and go to live with my grandparents in France.

I feel like I'm wasting time but in my heart I know I need to take this time to get better, after all there's no point rushing off to uni when you're not very well. An extra year won't matter in the grand scheme of things, right? And I might be able to squeeze in a French AS level whilst I'm there! :pierre:


In a similar situation - Don't wanna rush off to uni when Im not well but want to go as soon as possible haha. Although I don't have to worry about the access course hopefully so I can defer after Ive applied if needs be - Don't envy you at all, having to make a decision this soon!
Original post by Squaresquirrel
In a similar situation - Don't wanna rush off to uni when Im not well but want to go as soon as possible haha. Although I don't have to worry about the access course hopefully so I can defer after Ive applied if needs be - Don't envy you at all, having to make a decision this soon!


Yah it's a difficult situation to be in. :frown:

I could probably do the access course this year and apply, but I'd be afraid that the added stress of doing it now would trigger a (for want of a better word) relapse. I still want to take a gap year at a folkehøgskole even if I do defer the access course. All these years are beginning to add up, at this rate I will be 28 by the time I graduate - and that is terrifying!

Original post by Mumintroll
snip


Weird question, but how do you feel about being an older graduate? Do employers treat you differently?
Original post by Samual
Yah it's a difficult situation to be in. :frown:

I could probably do the access course this year and apply, but I'd be afraid that the added stress of doing it now would trigger a (for want of a better word) relapse. I still want to take a gap year at a folkehøgskole even if I do defer the access course. All these years are beginning to add up, at this rate I will be 28 by the time I graduate - and that is terrifying!



Weird question, but how do you feel about being an older graduate? Do employers treat you differently?


Ahh ye, I think I will be pretty old when I graduate and then I want to do a second BA ahaha, IM gunna be a student forever :biggrin:
Arne Kruse just told me that you can go to a folkehøgskole for your year abroad at Edinburgh!! :eek3: :ahee: :adore:
Went to Edinburgh open day yesterday. The staff I talked to were so friendly and seemed really passionate about the programme - had like an half hour conversation with them :smile: The admissions staff who decide if you get in though sucked. Some women said she wanted to see that I had visited the country which when I replied I hadn't been abroad for many years because we're too poor was met with a shrug of the shoulders...

Taking wealth into account like that really isn't fair.
Original post by placebo24
Went to Edinburgh open day yesterday. The staff I talked to were so friendly and seemed really passionate about the programme - had like an half hour conversation with them :smile: The admissions staff who decide if you get in though sucked. Some women said she wanted to see that I had visited the country which when I replied I hadn't been abroad for many years because we're too poor was met with a shrug of the shoulders...

Taking wealth into account like that really isn't fair.


:eek: I'm jealous! I only had a 15 min phone call with Dr Kruse, but he seemed very nice indeed. Did they mention the course structure at all? That's the one thing I don't like about Edinburgh... but apparently the first two years don't count towards your degree, so that's one advantage I suppose. :ahee:

I hope that lady isn't in charge of admissions - I've never been to Scandinavia! :s-smilie:
Original post by Samual
:eek: I'm jealous! I only had a 15 min phone call with Dr Kruse, but he seemed very nice indeed. Did they mention the course structure at all? That's the one thing I don't like about Edinburgh... but apparently the first two years don't count towards your degree, so that's one advantage I suppose. :ahee:

I hope that lady isn't in charge of admissions - I've never been to Scandinavia! :s-smilie:


She is. She was having a go at me for doing an A-level early and for not having a language. May have to do intensive French next year. *sigh* If it means I can learn Norwegian though then it's worth it.

And yeah, that's who I chatted to (and a Danish professor). He gave me an in depth talk on the structure, aha, but this was joint honours with History. First two years don't seem too awesome there as it's all about "hammering in the language". Like it literally seems all language, minus some literature in year two. Year three seems to be whatever your year abroad university offers along with language classes then in year two you finally get to pick some interesting courses (but only two, apparently). He said I can take Old Norse as one and Viking Studies as another :love:

It does seem a lot more restrictive and lacking all the awesome non knowledge modules that UCL offers though, at least on the with History programme.

The city and History department were awesome too, so sounds quite good for me!
Original post by placebo24
Went to Edinburgh open day yesterday. The staff I talked to were so friendly and seemed really passionate about the programme - had like an half hour conversation with them :smile: The admissions staff who decide if you get in though sucked. Some women said she wanted to see that I had visited the country which when I replied I hadn't been abroad for many years because we're too poor was met with a shrug of the shoulders...

Taking wealth into account like that really isn't fair.


I'm glad you found my colleagues to be helpful, they really do try their best to sell the degree and department as a whole. Admissions have a bit of a rep for being idiots, so I would ignore a lot of what they say. They're not really taking wealth into consideration - and it's a genuine question to ask. You can fly to Oslo cheap with Norwegian and Ryanair from Manchester at the moment - you might want to consider a short trip. Not because of admissions (although it won't do you any harm to say you've been in the eyes of UCL or Edinburgh), but because I genuinely think it's worth checking that you think Norway's ok.


Original post by Samual
:eek: I'm jealous! I only had a 15 min phone call with Dr Kruse, but he seemed very nice indeed. Did they mention the course structure at all? That's the one thing I don't like about Edinburgh... but apparently the first two years don't count towards your degree, so that's one advantage I suppose. :ahee:

I hope that lady isn't in charge of admissions - I've never been to Scandinavia! :s-smilie:


The first two years at UCL won't count towards your degree either. If you genuinely think you're incapable of studying a variety of courses then you shouldn't apply to Edinburgh. That said, it offers a far stronger path of interdisciplinary development than you might get with courses offered in one department.

Again, I guess there's no necessity to go, but Scandinavia's not far away. Go for a trip.

Original post by placebo24
She is. She was having a go at me for doing an A-level early and for not having a language. May have to do intensive French next year. *sigh* If it means I can learn Norwegian though then it's worth it.


In fairness, without an A Level in a language (or equivalent), it's going to be very difficult for any university to feel confident that you have a track record in language learning.

Original post by placebo24
And yeah, that's who I chatted to (and a Danish professor). He gave me an in depth talk on the structure, aha, but this was joint honours with History. First two years don't seem too awesome there as it's all about "hammering in the language". Like it literally seems all language, minus some literature in year two. Year three seems to be whatever your year abroad university offers along with language classes then in year two you finally get to pick some interesting courses (but only two, apparently). He said I can take Old Norse as one and Viking Studies as another :love:

It does seem a lot more restrictive and lacking all the awesome non knowledge modules that UCL offers though, at least on the with History programme.


There are two (possibly a third to be introduced) optional courses on offer in second year through Scandinavian Studies, as well as a literature course in second year and full language tuition. Given your interest in joint honours with History, there's not time for much else! The same goes for your honours year in Edinburgh - taking "only two" courses in Scandinavian Studies (which is actually 4 when you take into account compulsory courses - and don't forget the long essay) will keep you plenty busy, given you have to take the equivalent in History too. If you want to do more Scandinavian Studies then unfortunately you'll have to do single honours.
Original post by nearlyheadlessian
If you genuinely think you're incapable of studying a variety of courses then you shouldn't apply to Edinburgh. That said, it offers a far stronger path of interdisciplinary development than you might get with courses offered in one department.

Again, I guess there's no necessity to go, but Scandinavia's not far away. Go for a trip.


Incapable isn't really the right word. I would love to be able to combine SS with History and Celtic at Edinburgh. The problem is I don't think I would be comfortable in multiple classes, or in huge history lectures. I have a real problem with large groups of people. That probably sounds like a silly reason to discount Edinburgh. I duno. Maybe I will feel differently about it closer to the time.
Original post by nearlyheadlessian
I'm glad you found my colleagues to be helpful, they really do try their best to sell the degree and department as a whole. Admissions have a bit of a rep for being idiots, so I would ignore a lot of what they say. They're not really taking wealth into consideration - and it's a genuine question to ask. You can fly to Oslo cheap with Norwegian and Ryanair from Manchester at the moment - you might want to consider a short trip. Not because of admissions (although it won't do you any harm to say you've been in the eyes of UCL or Edinburgh), but because I genuinely think it's worth checking that you think Norway's ok.

I did look at that actually but, although I can just about afford a £40 flight, with accommodation it looks a little harder.

In fairness, without an A Level in a language (or equivalent), it's going to be very difficult for any university to feel confident that you have a track record in language learning.


Looks like an intensive A-level in French then :tongue:

Thanks for the help :')

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