March 20, 2018, by International students
International Student Ambassadors: Karly from the United States
Our International Student Ambassadors provide campus tours, telephone calls and social media for international students preparing to study at Nottingham. Karly is from the United States and is studying MSc Business Analytics. Here are her thoughts on life at Nottingham.
Why did you choose the University of Nottingham?
The large selection of Postgraduate courses offered by Nottingham was a huge attraction. Being able to filter through the course lists and find what best fit my level of expertise, as well as set me up for my future goals was a huge influence in my decision to join the University of Nottingham. Even more, I found it exciting to leave my home country and still be able to speak the native language with ease. I chose Nottingham because I knew it would enable me to expand my cultural horizons, not only in the ease of being able to travel but because of the diversity of students it maintains as well.
What is your favourite thing about the University of Nottingham?
My favourite thing about the University of Nottingham is likely the inclusivity of sport. Students are encouraged to partake in exercise and sporting events throughout the year, with emphasis placed on activities such as female-only gym nights and the large numbers of intramural teams. The overall campus feel makes it, so that anybody who wants to get involved in sport is able to. Even more, there are fewer lectures on Wednesdays, which allows as many students as possible to participate in BUCS fixtures.
What is the best thing about your course?
The course I am enrolled in, is in its first year, so it has a level of flexibility. Our professors are very accommodating in understanding individual levels of coding experience and mathematical backgrounds. My favourite part is the fact that this flexibility has allowed me to challenge myself to further my level of coding by presenting work that requires me to learn on my own time. My coding skills have greatly developed in this course, especially due to the encouragement of my professors to go beyond the baseline expectations and delve deeper into understanding underlying aspects of my code.
If you won a scholarship, what scholarship was this?
I was awarded three different scholarships: Sports, USA Masters, and NUBS School. The Sports Scholarship was given to me to play for the University’s football (soccer) and futsal teams, due to my experience in the sport, as I played during my four undergraduate years on a NCAA D1 team. The USA Masters scholarship can be awarded to American national masters students who have a history of success at university. The NUBS School Scholarship can be awarded to students in the Business School who have exhibited a minimum 2:2 UK equivalent in their undergraduate grading.
What do you like about Nottingham as a city?
Whenever I can, I like to head into the city centre to hang out and do work in some of the best independent coffee shops, or spend time discovering new corners and shops in the city. I love that Nottingham offers a massive variety of food options, my flatmates and I like to try different places to eat when we are all free (and have a few quid to spare). We’ve gone to places serving burgers, to those serving Ethiopian food and have never been disappointed.
What is your experience of accommodation in Nottingham?
Currently, I live in a student hall that is not owned but affiliated with the university, called Raleigh Park. My flat’s kitchen has two fridges, a stovetop, an oven, a small dining table and two couches. Our flat consists of five single bedrooms and two bathrooms. I have loved living and hanging out with my flatmates; I think that I have grown and learned so much from getting to know them. Many undergraduate students live off campus during their second and third year with friends and having visited some of the flats, I can say that there are a variety of nice accommodation options and it can be quite affordable.
What are you planning to do next with your career?
I am in the process of applying to jobs in the US, with hopes to start in September, post submitting my dissertation. Due to the versatility of my Business Analytics course, I hope to be able to incorporate my coding and client-facing experience in order to help a business organize and make sense of their data. While I’ve loved my time in the UK, I am very much looking forward to moving back to the states and starting my career path in an up and coming industry that can have a larger impact on the success of a business.
What would be your top tips for a new international student starting at the University of Nottingham in their first year?
My number one tip for an international student starting their first year at the University of Nottingham would be to get involved in as much as possible. I am sure it sounds quite cliché but the university quite literally offers something for everybody. You can find a club for people hailing from your own country, get involved in volunteer work, or my personal favourite, make fantastic friends through sports teammates. There is no reason for not being able to find a group that has similar values to your own with the number of clubs and societies Nottingham hosts and if you don’t find what you want, you can start your own club!
English
I am very much looking forward to moving back to the states and starting my career path in an up and coming industry that can have a larger impact on the success of a business.