Question about What It's Like (General Lifestyle, Computer Science + Economics)

I just found out today that I'm accepted into Computer Science and Economics at St. Andrews, and I'm really excited–but also full of questions. Here they are, in no particular order. I appreciate any help you can give me:

1. Is it stiflingly tiny? I've lived in a lot of different environments growing up, from cities to way-out suburbs (almost all in America), but never anywhere as small as St. Andrews. When I visited the bus-ride there from the airport was really painful, but getting to Edinburgh wasn't so bad. The town is so gorgeous, and I really love it, but I'm just wondering whether I'll get sick of it after four years when I run out of things to do and constantly run into the same people over and over again. Also, I don't drink (not for moral reasons, there are just too many alcoholics in my family tree to risk it). I hear there are clubs to join; would that be enough, or would I constantly feel left out and bored?

2. Any idea what the church situation is like? I don't really have much of a preference about the denomination, but I've often found that I make some of my best friends in a new town by going to church or attending a church program. I just wonder whether all the churches would be slightly strange Protestant ones (since St. As was the place where the Protestant Reformation started).

3. I've only heard amazing things about Computer Science at St. Andrews. Are there any downsides?

4. I haven't really heard ANYTHING about Economics at St. Andrews. How is it? Is it well-known outside of the university? Would it carry much weight in America, and is it well-taught?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!

I can really only answer 1 and 3.

1. It's really what you make of it, there are plenty of opportunities to make new friends. The societies and sports clubs scene is really big and diverse. I also didn't really like it when I first got there, coming from a big city myself. But after 4 years being there I can safely say that I really do miss the place! Being a non-drinker is also not a problem, from what I've heard. There are many Scottish students are are not even 18 yet so cannot drink legally.

3. Being a Comp Sci grad myself I can really say that it is a fantastic course! Very practical and will definitely set you up very well for industry. There is also a healthy social scene around the department with lots of talks run by the Comp Sci. society which is very active. The only downside is that the course is slightly more practical in nature as opposed to theoretical (i.e. Mathematics is kept to a minimum for a majority of modules). This is something that perhaps I would have liked to have more of. But ultimately, it didn't really make any difference for myself in terms of job hunting.

Thanks, Oxy! The closer I look at St. Andrews the more perfect it looks. I like math, but a lot of the American universities I applied to make you take a lot of physics classes when you learn computer science. The more practical focus of the St. Andrews program sounds great!

Oxy- what outside courses do Comp Sci students typically take? Is maths popular, and if so, which modules are typical?


Posted from TSR Mobile

Depending on how the timetable fits, you might be able to pick up a couple of maths modules in first/second year if you want to!

There are quite a few churches in town, and there are two student societies - the Catholic Society and the Christian Union. I don't know an awful lot about the different denominations, but you can find a list of all the churches in/near St Andrews here: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/chaplaincy/chaplaincyandfaiths/localchurches/ .