US student
New SAT: 1500
AP US Govt: 5
AP Eng Lang: 5
Future tests:
Another SAT
SAT Subject Tests: World History and Literature
APs: Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Environmental Science, World History
What are my chances for getting into the Arabic and Persian program at University of Edinburgh? What about the Modern Languages (Arabic and Persian) and Middle Eastern Studies at University of St. Andrews? Is it safe to say that these could be my safeties?
Thanks!
You are applying to a foreign language program with no foreign language testing?
Yes, but on my transcript I have good grades in Italian. Would you recommend taking foreign language testing? If so, what tests in Italian do you know of (if any)?
I would say you have an excellent chance although I would question the wisdom of learning 2 new languages from scratch at the university level.
Edinburgh asks for a foreign language and a math/science AP results for this degree. You need to contact US admissions counsellors and ask if your qualifications for this course are acceptable. You have great scores, just not for this particular course. Moreover, I agree with elguapo1 about the difficulty of learning 2 languages from scratch. Edi’s language courses are very intense. Your second year you will join other students who took AP/A level language and an advanced year-long course the first year. It will be very tough.
Thank you all for the advice. I will also register for the SAT subject test in Italian.
I also have taken some amount of Arabic in the past, so I know the alphabet and can maintain a basic conversation. Would you still say that learning two new languages is over the top?
Nobody can say that for sure. We do not know your aptitude for languages. I would advise to take one language as part of a joint degree. What is the goal of having two languages on your resume? Working as an interpreter get old really fast. Also, keep in mind that you will need to pass exams after the second year with at least 50 for both languages, and 50 is not easily achievable. There will be no resits or retakes. You do not pass, you are out.
Thank you very much, I will keep all of this in mind as I consider my options.
@jupiter98 Hey, saw your post on this thread. Can you explain what you mean about getting a 50 on a language exam after the 2nd yr, what is that? My DD would be a French & History Major. Thank you!
Each school has different requirements to progress to third year honors. An average of 50 out of a 100 for all exams second year is often required, and a 50 is often required for certain courses. 70 is an A. You can look up specific requirements for your dd’s course on the uni’s website.
@jupiter98 Ok thanks, wasn’t aware of the testing, sooooo much to learn. I have been on the website fairly obsessively, lol, but don’t always understand the jargon.
The joint honours history/language program at Edinburgh is really super: you spend year 3 living in the country of your target language (ie, France for your daughter), and year 4 is taught entirely in that language- you come out truly fluent, able to read, speak and write at a very high level. You can see what each year is like (and what the choices are) here: http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/17-18/dpt/utfrenhmah.htm
The grade thing is a jolt: a 70/100 is a 1st class honour, and it is hard-earned! Most students come out with a 2.1 (average of 60-69).
@collegemom3717 thank you, great info! We have been trying to make sense of it but the jargon is so different. I looked at the link and it says MA and Honors, I don’t really know what that means. trying to make sense of the grades, well, of everything really, lol! Do you know if the year abroad is more $ or if its the same tuition? So much to figure out and I am not great at understanding their website. Thank you!
In Scotland undergraduate degrees in the humanities are typically “Masters of Arts” (MA Hons), and what you are used to thinking of as as Masters degree is a Masters of Literature (MLitt). Science degrees are either BSc (4 years) or MSc (5 years), which is a full Masters in the way that you are used to.
Costs for the year abroad depend in part on what course (which affects what you are doing and where), but it used to be that you paid 75% (?) of the tuition fees. Living costs are on you, same as when you are in Edinburgh.
It’s worth noting that to progress from year 2 to year 3 you do have to pass your exams with at least a 50. Also, this is not organized the way it would be in the US: the university does not do organize the placements for the students. They do provide a list of contacts and programs, but it is up to the students to research, find and secure their own placement, including all of the logistics. It is very much up to the student to make it happen - and then make it work.
Which leads me to…I hope that your daughter is doing a lot of this homework for herself. These are muscles she seriously needs to develop right now if she is going to make it work. Being taken on a trip to Edinburgh is one thing, but if she lands there she will need to do it on her own. If she really, really wants this and is ready to take it on she should be kind of pushing back on you doing all this work for her. All of us who have had our collegekids head overseas to study completely get the urge to do the homework- as much for ourselves as anything!- but truly, she needs to be stepping up. Have her to go research through the student room, a UK version of CC, that is more student oriented: parents are not a big presence (and not really welcome), and the kids help each other, which is the UK way.
@collegemom3717 Thanks! I have been talking to someone about this masters thing & I THINK the joint degree program at Edinburgh is a Masters in the way I am used to thinking about it. I think he said it was, anyway and I am still looking into it. I also found out there are scholarships to help with the study abroad in that program as it is required and they will apply if it is more than the usual Edinburgh tuition.
He was telling me about these tests and I have been reading about them but am confused. What do you mean by placement?
Oh, this digging is just for me. She is doing it on her own, googling, watching videos about writing the PS, going to the school websites and has already looked up course choices for the 4 yrs and even called the school. She even looked up financial stuff for me. I am just trying to understand the process for myself along with the finances and safety of living in an apt in a big city. For me I am someone who needs to understand the process, not to tell her but because I just need to know a few things about my DD possibly going to school in another country. She has been going on Student Room. I do understand they don’t hand hold like US schools which is part of why I am researching for me, that is something I need to know.
The MA(Hons) in History and French at Edinburgh is an undergraduate degree.
Sorry for the confusion on ‘placement’. If it is not clear what level of language the student already has, there may be a placement test (at Edi I think that there are only 2 level options for French) but that isn’t the placement I was talking about. There are also end of year exams to move forward from one level to the next, which is where the 50%+ comes in.
The placement I meant was the study abroad placement. There are many options, in many places, and each student is responsible for identifying the ones that are interesting to them, applying (many are competitive), and once they have secured one, doing the logistics of getting registered, sorting out the accommodation, getting there, and of course being in charge of themselves once there. There may or may not be other Edi students on the same placement, though there are typically other ‘study abroad’ students (who may be from the UK- or another EU country, esp on the Erasmus* programs).
Glad to hear that she is taking the lead! and completely understand your wanting to get your head around it 
Erasmus is basically an intra-EU study abroad scheme: all EU universities have coordinated at least some of their courses (usually most or all) so that the credits are recognized and accepted across the EU. Erasmus scheme courses are guaranteed not to cost more than the home institution, and there are a number of EU sponsored websites to help students find accommodation. B/c your daughter is not an EU citizen I don’t think that she will be eligible for the grants that can help cover higher cost of living, but most of the rest will be available to her. Some of the Erasmus locations are *very popular, and there is a cap on places, which is where the competitive element comes in. There are other schemes and ways to go abroad as well, and students are given info with suggestions.
@collegemom3717 Oh ok, I understand now what you mean about placement. And as far as study abroad, she has already picked the one she wants in Paris grin the Edinburgh list. It seems they have it as a choice each year, too. I wonder why it’s so competitive if it’s required as part of her language program? She would be in the Language/History Degree & her language is French so I assume they would understand that she only wants to go to France.
I hear there are the International dorms at Edinburgh for 3 or 4 yrs guaranteed housing but need to look into it more as it sounds like most kids get apts. Personally, I think while in school it’s easier to have no other responsibilities than school. She has her whole life to live in an apartment & deal with public transportation, grocery stores, paying rent, utilities, possibly messy or inconsiderate roommates, sharing a small bathroom - all that adult crap. Not being able to walk to the library to study at night or just having a walk to the dining hall or dorm after class, seems a real time issue that will all take away from focusing on education. Also, she doesn’t make friends easily & the chance of her making enough friends by the Jan of her 1st yr in order to secure an apt for the next yr, is pretty slim. I love the set up at Durham but it’s not a city & I don’t think she could get in at all.
“Personally, I think while in school it’s easier to have no other responsibilities than school.”
Then uni in the UK may not be right for her. . . or any college away from home.
“She has her whole life to live in an apartment & deal with public transportation, grocery stores, paying rent, utilities, possibly messy or inconsiderate roommates, sharing a small bathroom - all that adult crap.”
When do you expect your kid to start becoming an adult if not the college years?
I mean, two generations ago in the culture I come from, most people your D’s current age were already married with kids and the guys had to work hard enough to make sure their wife and babies didn’t starve while the women had to run a household with little tykes (in a time and place where everything like washing clothing, making clothing, and cooking food was labor intensive).
@PurpleTitan yeah, I knew someone would say that. That is not what I meant, believe me, I know UK schools pride themselves on not hand holding, or coddling like they think US schools do and how think think thats silly - all that, I understand she is on her own there, being proactive, all that. She can certainly do that better if she doesn’t have to deal with roommate crap. I don’t mean for 4 yrs but I would llke her to have the dorm experience for a couple first, Also it’s good for her to have a shared room & live on the hall with a bunch of other girls. She is ultra responsible and at UR there are no or very little tests or work along the way until the final exam. She stayed in touch w/ her teachers on her own, came away with a B+ and the rest A’s. She is a self starter, loves to organize and will be fine. She’s not afraid to seek out help and is great at pacing herself. All that can still exist if she is in a dorm. One can still be responsible in a dorm. One can still be an adult and live in a dorm. do you think the kids art Oxford who stay in a dorm for 4 yrs aren’t learning how to be an adult? Thats a false equivalency.
Almost no (UK) kids at Oxford get to stay in a college for all (typically 3) years of (English) undergrad. They’re guaranteed a college residence first year, usually have to find a place outside second year, and may get to live back in their college third year.
At Edinburgh, first-years surely are guaranteed a dorm room (and a single should not be difficult to get), but I can’t say about transfers.