[HoVis]

Hello all,

Sorry if this is in the wrong place! I thought there was a forum specifically for questions like this but can't find it, so I was probably mistaken...!

Right. I've just got my final offer for History from Edinburgh, having had offers from St Andrew's, Oxford, Newcastle and King's College London (I can't quite believe it all, actually ). Oxford is definitely going to be my firm with AAA, meaning I can't use King's (which is also AAA) as my insurance. Therefore I'm left to choose between St A's, Edinburgh or Newcastle. Newcastle doesn't really appeal to me, but then again I've never visited it! However I don't think it would really be the right environment for me which leaves me to choose between St Andrew's and Edinburgh... tough decision!

Now, I haven't visited either of the uni's yet but plan to fix this. However, St Andrew's does look simply gorgeous, and the History course looks amazingly broad. On the other hand, it's quite remote and another 'step' of travelling away from easy access back down south (I live in East Anglia). On the other hand, Edinburgh's history course is slightly less broad I think, but they offer Chinese, which I would definitely take in my first year and maybe even switch to joint honours. At St Andrew's I worry that the extra year would frustrate me since I wouldn't necessarily want to be distracted from History (unless it was by Chinese!) and would thus find the need to do one / two other subjects quite... well, frustrating! I would I think choose Arabic at St A's to do with History but have already got a grounding in Chinese and love it, so...!

Well, this is all a bit academic since, all fingers and toes crossed, I will hopefully be going to Oxford, but I want to be sure that if I don't get the grades I need on results day I will be just as happy with where I am spending the next few years.

Any thoughts? The offer from Edinburgh is lower (BBB rather than AAB from St Andrew's) which obviously makes it a preferable insurance choice, but which do people think is the better uni, or what are the good and bad points of each of them?

[nearlyheadlessian]

Originally Posted by HoVis

Any thoughts? The offer from Edinburgh is lower (BBB rather than AAB from St Andrew's) which obviously makes it a preferable insurance choice, but which do people think is the better uni, or what are the good and bad points of each of them?

In truth you've just about justified Edinburgh as the place you'd like as your insurance. Edinburgh's History options aren't that limited: take a look at your options here. With the added bonus that you can do your Chinese. If you already live rurally then there's no need to go to St. Andrews, which is a lovely place but is essentially a pokey little town in Fife with not much in it. Edinburgh will be at worst inoffensive and at best a place which suits you down to the ground. Given it's your insurance option you needn't give too much thought to it, but Edinburgh sounds like your ticket.

[HoVis]

Cool. Thanks for the advice, and ta especially for the link.

The thing is that I would imagine St A's and Edinburgh to be hugely different in terms of atmosphere... I'm not a huge one for partying / clubbing and thus am not too worried about the size of St Andrews... also I'm very keen on mountaineering and rock climbing and St A's seems slightly more outdoorsy... I don't know!

Any St A's students with any reflections on the uni? Is St A's - in spite of being smaller - still good fun, and do you find getting up there and back a problem or is public transport fairly good?!

I know I do seem to be obsessing a bit over my insurance choice, but I really want to ensure that I am not too gutted if I don't get into the Big O in the summer!

[terpineol]

Originally Posted by HoVis

Cool. Thanks for the advice, and ta especially for the link.

The thing is that I would imagine St A's and Edinburgh to be hugely different in terms of atmosphere... I'm not a huge one for partying / clubbing and thus am not too worried about the size of St Andrews... also I'm very keen on mountaineering and rock climbing and St A's seems slightly more outdoorsy... I don't know!

Any St A's students with any reflections on the uni? Is St A's - in spite of being smaller - still good fun, and do you find getting up there and back a problem or is public transport fairly good?!

I know I do seem to be obsessing a bit over my insurance choice, but I really want to ensure that I am not too gutted if I don't get into the Big O in the summer!

I love it, and no transport isn't a problem.

Personally I would take it over Edinburgh every time, but then I hate the place so I'm biased.

[nearlyheadlessian]

Originally Posted by terpineol

I love it, and no transport isn't a problem.

Personally I would take it over Edinburgh every time, but then I hate the place so I'm biased.

Transport isn't a problem to be honest. The grades are; AAB is all good and well if you miss the AAA by just a little, but the point of insurance is to be picking something that'll see you through even on a very off day. Edinburgh's offer is much better suited to being your insurance.

Originally Posted by hovis

I'm not a huge one for partying / clubbing and thus am not too worried about the size of St Andrews... also I'm very keen on mountaineering and rock climbing and St A's seems slightly more outdoorsy

Well I'm not a member, but I gather the Edinburgh mountaineering club is one of the best in the UK. Take a look at their site here. If you want outdoors, then it's on your doorstep here just as much as it is in St. Andrews. How many places can you live where you're 2 minutes walk from a mountain but in the middle of a city? While you say you're not a party person, do bear in mind that other than studying and partying, there's not a great deal to do there. Edinburgh will offer you much more choice (even if you do turn it down). I love St. Andrews, it's great to go to for the day and have ice cream at Janetta's, but it really is small. The best way to gauge what you think of Edinburgh and St. Andrews is to visit though.