College tour 2016
 

It looks like VickiSoCalJr is looking to apply to 4 schools in the UK. We are planning to visit during Thanksgiving week (late November) as it is one of the few weeks during the year when the universities are in session and our schools are on holiday. Does this look like a feasible itinerary that will get her a taste of each school without boring the socks off of the rest of the family (Mom, Dad, 14 year old sister)?

Fri-Sat Fly LAX-LHR-EDI, arrive late evening. Stay at Residence Inn.

Sunday- touristy stuff in EDI (parents have been, 14/17 year olds have not)

Monday- Train to St. Andrews and back for interview and campus tour. Everyone goes? Only one parent + 17 year old? Only 17 year old? This is up in the air as it doesn't seem like much to do there while she is touring/interviewing.

Tuesday- Interview/tour at U. of Edinburgh + tourist stuff for the rest of the family. Late train to York. Check in to Hilton.

Wednesday- Interview/tour at U. of York, tourist stuff in York for everyone else. Late train to London.

Thursday- Tourist stuff in London. Stay in Mayfair area? Either Hilton or Marriott Near enough to Paddington that it will be easy to catch trains to Bath/LHR

Friday- Kid takes train to Bath, interview/tour there. Rest of family does stuff in London. Family has been to Bath a couple of times, no interest in going back right now.

Saturday- fly back to US

seems ok to me.

You might want to look at getting a rail card to help bring the costs of the trains down.

http://www.railcard.co.uk/

You should be able to book trains 13 weeks in advance. Going on set trains is a lot cheaper than on a 'get any train you like' ticket.

Booked in advance first class can be very reasonable.

wouldn't have everyone go to st andrews. it's a small town with nothing to really see unless you want to look at the R&A. that said, how are you thinking of getting there? it's miles away from any decent connections from edinburgh, think the nearest stop is leuchars which is a bit of a trek - i wouldn't be wanting to do that solo if i was 17 and in a foreign country

Looks like train plus bus. I think one parent will go with her. Part of the trip goal is to be sure she experiences navigating a foreign country alone on a limited basis. Because if she does decide to go she's got to be ready.

OP said they would get the train.

According to the trip planner on www.nationalrail.co.uk it's an hour from Edinburgh to Leuchars and then an 11 minute bus trip from Leuchars to St Andrews Bus station.

It's hardly a trek (even for a solo teen).

I think she'll be fine both there and in Bath catching the bus from the train station if we do decide to send her out alone. She's navigated metro/bus in larger cities and she drives alone on the LA freeways!

Also in York - the campus is out at Heslington (I was there in the 90s!) but there are plenty buses, and it's not an unpleasant walk via one of the university's odder landmarks (a chalking of "ah good the sea" on Retreat Lane).

Anyone with random insight on any of this (beyond just the travel logistics) is free to PM me as well. She is really going out on a limb with this whole California to the UK thing and not everyone in the family is fully on board.

Seemed like it was further when a couple of friends tried to meet up with us from there back in the day

The itinerary seems okay, I think 4 interviews in that time frame may be a bit tiring, so I would not push them to join in all the other activities your family is planning. I would ask a friendly teacher or family friend to do a couple of mock interviews so they get used to the process if they have not had much experience of interviews before.

Universities will be looking first at their academic abilities, but also their outside interests, so they need to be prepared for questions about this.

I have interviewed for graduate recruitment programs before and there have been times we have had stories which I suspected were "exaggerated". It does not leave a favourable impression. Best to stick to the embellished truth. Also never be late, ever.

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I think studying abroad is a great idea and something I will encourage my children to do when they are older. We live now in an increasingly globalised world, and experiencing a different culture gives you an advantage these days. It would also look good on a CV (resume as you would call it) showing initiative and a willingness to explore opportunities away from the norm.

Other information...

First, a minor point of terminology - 'school' is generally only used to refer to up to 16 years old here. After that, it's 'college' (usually 16-18 these days, but also in some universities) and 'university'.

From my own experience - I studied at York in the 90s. It was a great place to study - extremely friendly city and campus, and a great academic approach that really suited me (very principle-based learning, rather than rote).

If you know the city (Roman and Mediaeval tourist magnet that it is), the university campus may come as something of a shock. Don't be fooled by the photos of Heslington Hall, that's just an admin building - it's a 60s university. The core of it used to consist of prefab concrete buildings around an artifical (duck-heavy) lake, but some of these are being replaced by more modern buildings, including the new 'Campus East' around Heslington.

It's a semi-collegiate university. The colleges are more aligned around accommodation (used to be for only 2 out of 3 years) and facilities than the academic side, hence the 'semi-'. However, this approach gives a good sense of community, particularly at matriculation time.

Accommodation in UK universities tends to be single rooms - shared rooms are pretty rare - with kitchens dotted around and catering available if desired. A lot of them need you to 'live out' for one or more years - or the entire course, if it's non-campus - which means shared accommodation. This varies hugely in quality and price, of course, from the utterly horrendous, to new-build, purpose-build accommodation that is practically the same as on-campus. At the time I was there it was basic and cheap (£30/week!) but with shared bathrooms and IT facilities - these days I'm led to believe it's all en-suite with free wi-fi etc.

Downsides? Well, York is a small, quiet city, which can be frustrating for a teenager. That said, there's an awful lot around, and plenty organisations - a decent sports club, as well as lots of outdoorsy stuff in the wonderful surrounding countryside.

It is not far from Leeds, which I admit I know only by reputation, but what a reputation....

Will a American be able to understand the language in Yorkshire?

https://entertainment.guardianoffers...D_RM001557.jpg

Be aware that Scottish universities are four years rather than three for English, thus significantly increasing costs. What does she want to read? That will form a large chunk of the interview. The other question she must consider is why Bath (or York or whatever). Unconvincing answers will be disastrous.