Philosophy PhD

The University of Edinburgh

I am still glad I started studying this year regardless of it being online. I have still met some great people through staying at university accomodation and would not trade tha.

On applying to Edinburgh I was aware of some of the poor satisfaction ratings, but didn’t think much of them given the reputation of the University. I have always loved the city and all seemed perfect on paper, so didn’t think twice about going. However, having now left before the end and largely wasted a few years I seriously wish I had. I was straight A’s at A level but never really felt at all like my feet were on the ground here academically, and rarely felt engaged or stimulated by my course. Many people do well here and obviously much of this falls on me, but I definitely feel I could have done much better elsewhere. Likewise, the university administration is cold, unhelpful and impersonal, at times inept. Cant ever remember feeling like I was being supported, and if you want any assistance you have to actively hound down the staff. The only real ‘contact’ you have with the uni is through your tutor, who (while I’m sure excellent as an academic) just wasn’t qualified to give any useful guidance, just repeating generic advice you could find in the prospectus, and the uni clearly cares way more about its reputation than its students. Then there is the culture of the campus, which i found to be this weird mix of ‘rah’ rich kids and Student Union PC culture you more associate with american uni’s, which i found impossible to navigate. It’s a very big uni and different people will have different experiences, but I remember feeling very isolated and frustrated a lot of the time here, as well as unhappy. Dont want to necessarily recommend against going because some people have a fantastic experience and I definitely had some bad luck in my time here with regards to the people I found myself in, but I would suggest taking the bad reviews seriously.

Amazing lecturers which have made for an enjoyable four years studying what I love! The city in which the university is based makes attending Edinburgh University even easier! The family environment in the schools which I have been a part of have been great! Wide variety of clubs and societies, which I would have got involved in more if the course wasn't so heavy!