<p>I’m very interested in applying to the International Relations program at the University of St. Andrews next year but so far I have only taken the ACT and was hoping to only have to take the ACT. Does St. Andrews accept the ACT without the SAT or are they a school that likes the SAT more?</p>
<p>If you know anything else about University of St. Andrews (particulary if you have attended or are attending) it would be great to hear from you about student life, academics, housing, etc.</p>
<p>For ACT/SAT information, the primary source is always best:</p>
<p>[Entry</a> requirements | University of St Andrews](<a href=“http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/admissions/ug/Entryrequirements/]Entry”>http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/admissions/ug/Entryrequirements/)</p>
<p>It’s in the middle of nowhere. Just so you know.</p>
<p>I just went with my son to the Feb. open day at St. Andrews. It is a golf tourist town with 3 main roads going through the town. The population is 11k + 7K student population. About half of the town borders the ocean. The castle, pier and abby were very historically beautiful. The campus is integrated in with the town. My son loved the setting, enjoyed the tour, liked the university and the IR talk he went to and the campus housing seemed very similar to the US. The American population at St Andrews is about 27% so you won’t be alone as an American. I thought they had a high quality program and I left feeling like my son would be very safe in that setting. The students who gave the tour were very insightful and it seems like a fun place to learn. Most of the socializing is done through the student union and at the local coffee shops etc. My son firmed with the university the week after he returned from the visit. Hope that helps.</p>
<p>To succeed you must be able to function with a hangover.</p>
<p>I will be attending st. andrews next year. One of my friends is currently attending the school. Another friend recently graduated. </p>
<p>You do not need to take the SAT to get into St. Andrews. The ACT will suffice. You do need a 28+ ACT and a B+ average GPA at least. Most importantly, you need to attend a strong high school. St. Andrews is a competitive university. While they let in u.s. students with slightly lower standards than the u.k. students, they want to make sure you can handle the curriculum. </p>
<p>Drinking is a big part of student life at st. andrews (I hear). I also witnessed this when I visited in the winter. I am not completely new to drinking - although I know people who drink way more. But, Europeans can and will drink WAY more than Americans. I mean…obscene amounts of alcohol. They also drink a lot less beer and a lot more hard alcohol than we do. Do not let them egg you on or you will end up throwing up all night. I don’t mean to sound like a parent but its also really dangerous. Just beware because there is peer pressure there to drink and youre legal at 18. I hear its easy to get carried away - especially during freshers week when you’re trying to make friends. </p>
<p>Besides drinking there are a wide variety of student clubs and organizations or “societies” as the they call it. I think the club selection is way better than most schools of St. A’s size. But, you should check it out. Google “university of st. andrews societies” or something. The website is a little confusing, but it’s on there somewhere. </p>
<p>When I visited I thought everyone was very friendly and welcoming. I expected more anti-American sentiment. There was not too much of that. The campus is absolutely gorgeous. The town is small, but there is a lot packed into it. In the U.S., our small towns are typically smaller and filled with useless antique shops. St. Andrews actually has restaurants and stores with essentials like groceries, appliances, drugs, computers, toiletries. However, I am told that you need to go to Dundee for clothes (a 15 min bus ride). St. Andrews is fairly close to Glasgow, Dundee, and Edinburg (bus/train ride), so don’t worry too much about its location. A lot of u.k. students complain about its size and location. It has 7,000-8,000 students and a 15 minute bus ride from Dundee. That’s a mid-sized school with a moderately rural location by our standards. Have they heard of schools like Grinnell or Kenyon or Colgate or Bucknell? Probably not…lol. </p>
<p>The academics at St. Andrews are quite good. You will read threads that say its just bellow Oxbridge, and ones that say its barley in the top 15. People no matter where you live argue about how good a school really is or how it should be ranked. You should see the thread about Dartmouth versus Duke - very opposed options. However, I think most people at the end of the day would argee that both are very elite institutions. Who really knows which is better anyway? The University of St. Andrews (generally) tends to garner respect. I have two classmates whose parents are professors at Northwestern and the University of Chicago. These professors thought the school was an excellent institution, and they were impressed that I planned to attend. Rankings are biased. Is St. A’s better than LSE or Warwick? Who knows? They are all great schools. But, the fact that St. A’s is consistently ranked well is a tribute to its high quality. Employers will take this into account. </p>
<p>Rank and reputation aside, make sure St. Andrews is right for you. Academically, St. A’s does not function like an American college. You kind of have to know what you want to do ahead of time. You can switch from your intended major…but you can only switch to one of the three classes you took your 1st semester. You may think you want to major in IR, but most college students in American switch their majors 3 times. Make sure when you sign up for your classes in the beginning of the year that you choose a subject you KNOW you could at least bare to major in. If you can’t do this, go to an American school. </p>
<p>The cost of st. andrews is cheaper than most private schools in America ($45,000-$53,000). And similar to some in state public schools (this widely varies). Counting tuition, room, board, flights…st. andrews is about $26,000-30,000 for arts/science/divinity students from America. For me, thats a great and affordable prize. For others, it’s too expensive. There is really VERY little aid for overseas students. If you can’t pay this, you’re out of luck. </p>
<p>Hope this helps and good luck!</p>