An American in Scotland


My name is Jada, I’m an American, and I’m going to Scotland for six months. I’ll be studying at the University of Glasgow and hopefully living like any 20 year old Scottish college student would. But of course I’ll be American, not Scottish, and the culture shock is sure to be insane. So I’ve decided to document my insanity, starting from about a month and a half before I hop the pond until I return. I hope to share photos and snippets from my daily life with y’all. So this is going to be, starting around January first, a travel/photo/journal blog-contraption. Until then its most likely to be pre-planning blog which will focus on preparing to study abroad for six month and planning travel to several other country’s in Europe as well. Enjoy.

Questions?

18th June 2011

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Anonymous asked: Why are american students going to Glasgow alot?

Are they? The majority of any study abroad class (I was told at orientation in Glasgow) is usually American because America was the first to start sending their students abroad for a semester. So study abroad is still more common in America, its ingrained in our psyche I guess. However I’m not aware of any substantially larger number of Americans going to Glasgow than any other comparable program. I just don’t have those numbers. I could guess that the UK in general is popular because of the common language. 

Here is how my program worked. I’m a biology major. Study abroad schools are categorized by majors they cater to or excel at. I had a choice of Costa Rica, Australia, and Scotland. I wanted to be in Europe. Choice over. Go to either Glasgow or Dundee. I chose Glasgow. 

At other schools you apply for a part of the world, ie Europe. Then Schools in a country you like, ie Edinburgh University. Well Edinburgh does not accept you, they have a better applicant and only one spot left. Well your school looks for an alternative, Glasgow offers a place. Your school offers you Glasgow or nothing. 

So sometimes you have some choice, but with my school we were only contracted to two Universities in the UK for biology majors. I can go to any uni in the world, as a transient student, but then it can be a headache to get credit hours and transcripts to transfer. Plus my Uni handled the fees and paying of the fees for me and my financial aid and scholarships were usable. Since I’m still a student at Berry. Better to go to a contracted school. However some students have no choice in study abroad, they choose a country (or maybe even a region in the world) and are offered a school on a take it or leave it bases. An by leave it I mean no study abroad. 

Glasgow just happens to take a lot of study abroad students each semester. A lot. 

Does this help answer your question? I know you didn’t ask about study abroad procedures but I feel like its fundamental to understanding why Glasgow gets so many study abroad students. If you have any more questions feel free to ask!