Study Abroad Q&A

So now that people are looking at studying abroad for next year, I've been getting a few e-mails about studying abroad, usually directed specifically about my stay in Glasgow but sometimes more generally as well.  I'm collecting the questions here!

General Questions

Was It Worth It?
I'm asked this question pretty often in a few different variations, "Was it everything you expected," "Did you enjoy it," etc. The answer is yes! Of course, it was completely worth it. Studying abroad anywhere is worth it, and studying abroad at Glasgow University was one of the best experiences of my life. I could not have made the friendships I made, or have had the experiences I had, if I'd stayed in the U.S.

For me personally, it was a great chance to live more independently.  My college is very residential, and a lot is provided to us.  Having to buy my own groceries, cook my own food, clean my own flat, plan my own time, was very beneficial.  My program offered a safety-net if anything really horrible had happened, but other than that, I was pretty much entirely responsible for my own experience.  It was scary and liberating at the same time.

How Easy Is It to Travel?

Sometimes a rented car is the best mode of transport!

This depends on where you're studying.  It's easy to travel around if you're in Europe, for example, but I imagine it's quite a bit more difficult to travel to other countries if you're studying in Australia!  Most metropolitan areas outside of the U.S. have good public transport systems.  I have yet to go to a country where I've had even moderate difficulty navigating using public transport (though buses in Malta are supposedly unreliable).  It gets more difficult the further away you get from tourist areas, depending on the country.  When I traveled to Japan in 2009, I used public transport exclusively.  In Scotland, I used buses and the rail system anytime that I was travelling without an EU driver.  In the U.S. though, I can't even get to the grocery store without a car, so I imagine everywhere is different.

How Easy is it to get Scholarships?
Like everything, this depends.  If your school or program offer scholarships, those are probably your best bet.  If you're travelling somewhere more exotic than the usual UK, there's not as much competition.  General, large dollar-value scholarships ($5,000-$10,000+) are mostly a waste of time: lots of people apply to them. The more specific the scholarship is to your attributes and goals, the easier it will be for you  to get it.  Do a web search to find the best ones for you.

Scotland/Glasgow Specific

What is the Atmosphere of Glasgow Like?
Somewhere between a industrial and artistic city.  It was one of the main shipyards for a while, and only recently has started becoming a cultural hub.  The West End in particular is full of students and young people, and City Centre has a pretty hip crowd as well.  As you get further away from those areas, the demographics change a little: East End is a bit less affluent and a bit more blue-collar, and the suburbs are pretty much like US suburbs in terms of the people living there.

I'd heard before travelling to Glasgow that it's a pretty rough-and-rumble city, but I never felt that way, and never had any problems.  There were a few times late at night when I was either walking home from a club or going through the East End that I was a bit nervous, but nothing ever came out of it.  Really, most cities in the U.S. are far more threatening.

Did You Like Going Through Arcadia?
So as background, Arcadia University runs study abroad programs for students outside of the university as a service.  The semester I went abroad, there was no one else in my college going abroad, so while the administration wished me well, and were very excited for me, they didn't provide any real assistance.  It was nice to have an institutional advocate, and a bit of orientation, from Arcadia.  I paid my tuition in USD, they translated my credits for my college, and they got me a bunch of perks (a weekend homestay, a railcard), that I probably wouldn't have gotten otherwise.  So for me it was worth it.