The opportunities here are immense

I'm from California, and I am studying for a taught Master's of Letters in Medieval and Early Modern Studies at the University of Aberdeen. The opportunities here are immense. 

There is archival access in the city center and a special collections in the new library that's just right next door. I live on campus with four other girls: one American from the east coast, one from Indonesia, one from Cambridge, and one from Ireland; we have a blast comparing slang and alternative definitions, as well as trying to appropriate each other's accents. The postgraduate community here is extremely tight-knit, and there is a larger percentage of them who are also international students from all over the globe, so there is access to a wide range of cultures.

I've found that the academic style is very different from the States, as it doesn't rely as heavily on the prerequisites and the professors; instead, studying here is much more independent and individually motivated. You pick and choose which courses you want, which is the same, but there isn't a generic History 101. Instead, you can choose topics that are more geared towards your personal research interests. Consequently, examination is generally written work rather than tests. But the professors are very interested in your work and will often bend over backward to make sure that their course fits into your timetable.

My experience applying through the Across the Pond program was one of gradually decreasing anxiety. If I hadn't had this program to help guide me through the process of applying and the logistics of the visa and moving in, I really don't think this would have worked out the way it did. Instead, I received offers from every UK university to which I applied. The step-by-step processes helped give me a format for my worries, by just taking it one step at a time. This gave me the confidence to apply for a PhD program after completing my Mlitt, and I got it!

- Lauren