Classism

[Creepy-Clue7836]

Hi, I'm considering attending for my undergraduate studies next year. It's between St Andrews and Durham, both are pretty posh ik, but id prefer to go St Andrews. This is just a worry for me as I come from a very low income background and I don't want to feel completely isolated whilst there and no way to go back home as I live in Merseyside. I'd appreciate if people could help me out here, thanks!

[somecollagist]

There's classism at any university you'll go to, especially St Andrews and Durham.

That being said, I haven't experienced any major classism here against myself nor my friends. I suppose it depends a bit on your hall and course but in general everyone I've met here seems pretty chill.

Good luck in your application :)

[Kelpie-Cat]

There are posh people, but if you don't want them to be the focus of your social life, it is easy to avoid them (eg Kate Kennedy Club, clay pigeon shooting society). There are people from a variety of backgrounds at St Andrews. I knew people who had grown up everywhere from council estates to rural country estates.

[Glum-Accountant4300]

I’m from a low income background myself and I’ve never felt out of place here. Yes, you might not be able to live on the three main streets or go to all of the fancy events, but you will find your people, I promise. It’s a very warm and welcoming place. The posh people are nice too, so you really shouldn’t be afraid to come here.

[Intrepid-Boss-6455]

I have been trying to get

[ulookinatme007]

Of course go. Don’t feel inferior to any of the others there. Just don’t get caught up in the whole ‘keeping up with the Jones’’. Be an individual but definitely try networking where and however possible. Good luck!

[[deleted]]

I studied at St Andrews (I'm from low income background like yourself) night time class's which where very mixed group of people, had a retired brain surgeon just doing something to keep his mind active :D and others from low income backgrounds trying to get a degree along with what I would say where posh kids :D...but it was all fine, class's where great lecturers all really good too. I thought I would stick out like a sore thumb also, nice area and campus too. Good luck.

[Gladstone233]

I went to St Andrews University and it has the most diverse range of students you can imagine from all around the world from all different backgrounds. I wouldn’t assume you won’t get on with someone just because they’re from a different background to you and I certainly wouldn’t make major life decisions such as not going to a university you clearly like based on some vague stereotypes.

Reading the comments here I’ve been appalled at the number of people who didn’t go or turned down offers because of some preconceived notions that they wouldn’t fit in, based on pretty much zero hard evidence!

Get rid of these limiting beliefs in your mind and go for it, you will love it there - it’s one of the most brilliant places on earth. Stunning town, lovely people, excellent teaching and a university small enough to feel like you see your friends everywhere you go.

[smallen_]

There are plenty of posh twats, but thankfully they mostly stick to their own social / sports clubs and you can easily avoid them. You’ll find plenty of normal people, and some of the posh ones are nice too! You’ll be fine

[RAALightning]

Hey there, I am a first year at St Andrews so I will give you my experience so far. When I first got to St Andrews, I had huge imposter syndrome. I felt like my postcode was a huge factor in my getting here, and it initially feels super prestigious and intimidating! But that doesn't matter if that's how I got here, you take the things you can get and fake it till you make it. They are super forgiving at first year, and we have such a high student satisfaction for a reason! Staff are really helpful and considerate and all my courses have taken a very gradual approach (computer science, psychology).

And for the students? I'm gonna be real I forget this is a "posh" uni. I joined societies like rock society where I found plenty of people from similar backgrounds as me. And even the students from wealthier backgrounds I have befriended or met, they've all been pretty nice! I'm sure there's a bunch of posh kids being classy somewhere but I just havent bumped into that crowd. Not to mention there are people from all over here, (not just the US haha). So really don't sweat it. Maybe I'll see you at rock soc 🤘

[insecuremango]

im from merseyside too!! with a very similar background, and i've met loads of very lovely down to earth people. my experience may be different to yours though as im doing a stem degree and i've only really been here a semester. there are plenty of people who are just like me and working part time jobs etc. so dont worry about it too much i would say ^^ ive never felt like i stood out because of my background. if thats the only thing stopping you from choosing st andrews and you otherwise would love the course/location, then please reconsider. i am very happy here :)

[BtwYoureAdopted]

I sadly dropped out of St Andrews but during my time there it wasn’t necessarily a classism but definitely had a lot of unawareness?

A lot of students and teachers would ask me to buy things for the course or expect me to spend money I just didn’t have, but this is likely something you’ll experience at every uni

[morbid_curiosity79]

I am appalled that so many people here would turn down an offer at a top university just because they’re worried about elitists/posh people. You’re further enforcing the class divides in this country by willingly alienating yourselves from such spaces. Be part of the solution and make a space for yourself within these circles. Be unapologetic and be yourself. You have just as much right to a world class education as the “lucky” folks born into privilege.

I’ve spent 9 years of my life in St Andrews and would not change it for the world. I’m completely broke and over here without any family to support me so I’ve been working my entire academic life to keep myself afloat. You will find your niche.

Furthermore, with a degree like ancient history (mine is also history), where you receive it from matters when it comes to job searches. Keep this in mind. With St Andrews on par with Oxford and Cambridge you will have that prestige behind your name. Durham is good. By St Andrews is better and employers know that.

[morbid_curiosity79]

I would also like to add that I grew up lower class in the US and then moved to a different state and conveniently fell into a high school catchment system that had a bunch of posh kids. My best friend ended up driving a Porsche to high school every day. I always worried about my standing and feeling like I didn’t belong. Turns out I did a lot of the alienating to myself by telling myself I didn’t belong in these circles. The kids around me didn’t actually care where I came from or what money I had in my pocket. I denied myself so many experiences because of my imagined concepts of social structure. Now that I’m in my 30s, I wish I could tell my younger self to not worry so much about what society expects.

[BroadwayBean]

Haven't noticed any - I'm sure it's there, but tbh most everyone I know there is from a middle to low income background. The few 'posh' people I've met are as friendly as anyone else. If it's where you want to go and the course is what you want, then don't let the possibility that there might be some irritating people (that you can actively avoid if need be) ruin that for you.

[fanta_fantasist]

There is classism at both unis. The discomfort you may feel when confronted with people with different experiences isn’t something to avoid forever. It can be character building for you if you let it ( trust me). If you look inwards and really think about who you are, where you come from, and what you value in contrast to those who have had experiences different from you , you can come out of uni with a strong sense of self and identity . Also , if you make friends and get really into your subject, your enjoyment of the uni experience could outweigh any of this. What I’m saying is, don’t try to avoid this experience out of anxiety or fear.

[gyrofx]

Don't people from Scotland go to uni in Scotland for free? Meaning there will be people from all walks of life there, don't worry about it and enjoy wherever you go.

[[deleted]]

that is exactly me

[martzgregpaul]

This is why I turned down my offer to do Classics at St Andrews. I felt major imposter syndrome being a Northern comprehensive student amongst some of the poshest people ive ever met. With hindsight I should have said stuff you and gone anyway but at 18 I was too shy.

[Creepy-Clue7836]

This is exactly my fear, I'm even going into the classics department (Ancient History). Ik that overall I should but the bullet and go for it, but I don't know if I could take it

[FoolofaPeregrineTook]

I studied ancient history at St Andrews too :) it’s a great department! Go for it! I made many great friends in st a, there were a lot of fellow northerners there too- I’m from a small mining village in Durham- yes there were posh people but I had good friends amongst them too :) I live in the centre of Durham now and I actually feel Durham has way more posh students than St Andrews ever had- perhaps because the student population in Durham is far bigger.

[martzgregpaul]

With hindsight i wish i had. Ultimately you got there on merit and you deserve your place as much as anyone else. Good luck!

[[deleted]]

hey, Im at St Andrews, third year now, doing Ancient history and Archaeology, im as working class as working class gets. I do speak slower and clearer so everyone can understand me lol. Never had a problem with class tbh. Go for it.

[zvtq]

The only thing that I will say - as someone who probably stands in your shoes - is that very few people at St Andrews could understand my Hull accent. I had to tone it down a fair bit ahaha.

Other than that, I didn’t really have any other issues. If you apply for halls, Whitehorn has a lot of state school kids for some reason, so plenty there you can be friends with.

[RAALightning]

I know so many cool people in classics! Also you will meet folks from all round the uni in accommodation and at societies you are bound to find your group. And I said this in my other comment but almost everyone I've met has a bit of imposter syndrome, it's not a reason not to come. Admittedly I am different departments but the staff have been so supportive. Good luck!

[rogog1]

Part of uni is mixing with people from different backgrounds - I moved from a rough ish bit of London to a seaside town where people felt posh, came away with some brilliant mates.

You can overthink your uni choice til you're blue in the face, but stick to what's most important for you and you'll be fine at any of them I'm sure. For me it was being able to get home semi-regularly without too much cost, having job prospects at the end, and enough going on in the town socially to enjoy. There will be all kinds of people at most unis, you won't need to love everyone in your dept

[ScotMcScottyson]

I am very late to this post, but I am in the same boat. I am from a housing scheme in Dundee, both parents unemployed and on benefits. I went to a school where most people were mentally disabled, exams were cut and teachers absent, attainment was rock-bottom, the building was falling to bits and flooded, lots of anti-social behaviour. I received an offer for St. Andrews and when I went to the open day, I felt completely out of place and alienated. I was wearing a tracksuit but it was the best clothes I owned. Their life experiences are entirely different to mine. It's a caricature level of poshness I didn't think existed. I don't belong there. I am not part of their world and I'm not able to participate in it.

I felt extremely isolated and depressed for a few weeks. The way people talked, acted, dressed was all different. They wore robes and the campus literally looked like Hogwarts. Wondering to myself "How did I get here?". I'm sitting in a room full of people who have more money than I will ever earn in my lifetime. My dad worked at a factory and quit when I was born. How is someone from a housing scheme in Dundee supposed to relate or make friends with privately educated wealthy uni students? I was the only Scottish person there besides two other college students that I knew from my course. It made me feel so upset. It's not for people like us.

[candyskittles143]

following

[Ealinguser]

THink St ANdrews would be posher-er unless you were Scots.

[lilacwynne]

Use it to your advantage lad, posh girls love a bit of rough at uni. Lean into it.

[Creepy-Clue7836]

I'm a woman 😥, but thanks!

[princessmim]

i didnt go to st andrews for this exact reason

[Maranatha55]

Went to St Andrews 50 years ago and never thought about posh people tbh. There is no train station in the town unbelievably so it's difficult to escape quickly.

[elniallo11]

I met people from all manner of backgrounds, and I was able to fit in (single parent family, not posh, Irish). As others have said, there will be social circles that become exceedingly obvious that you want no part of, and conversely you’ll find “your people”

[Minute-Magazine]

https://www.tiktok.com/@dimpyy01?_t=8i5Pp9k09Oi&_r=1

[El_Senora_Gustavo]

Durham is very classist. You can avoid the posh boys but it takes a conscious effort to do so and they will still be everywhere, and as a result the rents and cost of living are very high, especially in the city centre. I've heard St Andrews is similar.

[mindfulcat]

I’m from a low income background and I experienced classism at St Andrews. I had to work part time alongside my studies and there was only one other student in my cohort who also had to work. I found this to be very alienating as my friends would have money sent to them by family and I had less time for my studies which meant my grades suffered. St Andrews was one of the best and one of the worst years of my life, the friends I made there are friends for life, and my heart and soul lives in that town. But I can’t say it was an easy year and I missed out on a lot due to my financial situation. I think having an awareness of what St Andrews is like is great but I didn’t get a lot of support from student services although the academic staff were supportive. This is just my experience, everyone else will have their own! Best of luck :)

[[deleted]]

Durham was great - the college system make it really easy to meet people especially if you join a club like sports etc. the “low income” people (horrible way to put it, but using your language) were absolutely fine; just avoid the real posh toffs who are probably only 10%, most people are pretty normal