<p>We live overseas, so no college visits and no summer orientation programs. We're pretty much relying on the college websites, second-hand accounts, and forums such as this one for information to help her make her decision. My daughter is still deciding between U Mich and UNC, and she's waitlisted at U Penn. We worry that dorms close over the breaks and she won't have any place to stay and things like that. Any advice?</p>
<p>I am a former international student. In college, I was assigned a host family. I visited them in my first year. Later on, I was invited by friends to go home with them, which I did. </p>
<p>Check the college websites for information about international students and housing. Usually they provide information about dorms and cafeterias over breaks.</p>
<p>At almost all American universities, the dorms DO close during the Winter Break, which may be 1 month long (usually, from mid-December to mid-January).</p>
<p>Whether the dorms close during short breaks varies from university to university. (There are at least two short breaks during the year -- a four-day break in November for the American holiday of Thanksgiving and a week-long break in either March or April. Also, some universities have a short break in October, but others do not.)</p>
<p>At some universities (including the one my daughter will attend this fall), the dorms do not close during short breaks. Dining services may not be provided, though, which means that the student would need extra money to purchase food in the community. (There is almost always a commercial district with stores and restaurants within walking distance of any substantial American university.) At other universities, some or all of the dorms do close, even for the shortest breaks. My son attends a school like that. Students who cannot go home during the breaks have to make other arrangements.</p>
<p>There are probably international students' organizations at each of the universities that your child is considering. You might want to search the universities' Web sites to get information about those organizations and how to contact them. Their members would probably know what international students typically do during breaks.</p>
<p>We lived overseas for 3 years, with kids in college. One at UPenn, one at Juilliard. Both were able to stay at school over breaks (they left at Christmas, but otherwise stayed put. Would sometimes go visit the other.) Cafeterias were closed. Sublets are often quite easy to find from students who live off campus but don't stay over breaks. I don't have any first-hand knowledge of UMich or UNC, but both are big schools and I imagine have a significant international community, so I expect there are plans in place.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I don't have any first-hand knowledge of UMich or UNC, but both are big schools and I imagine have a significant international community, so I expect there are plans in place.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I wouldn't count on this. UMich and UNC are large universities, yes, but they are also state universities, meaning that probably three-quarters of the students come from the same state and can easily go home for all breaks. The school my son attends -- where most of the dorms close during all breaks -- is also a large state university (the University of Maryland at College Park). The situation at state universities may be different from that at UPenn or Juilliard, both of which are private schools.</p>
<p>While I am not overseas, both of my children attended or do attend large "flagship branches" of state universities.
Both Universities have what are called "9 month dorms" which do not close during break periods.
I would inquire directly of the schools residential life departments. Also, the suggestion to contact International Student Organizations sounds like a good one to me.</p>
<p>According to UMich's housing website there is a housing provision for breaks: <a href="http://www.housing.umich.edu/international/termbreak.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.housing.umich.edu/international/termbreak.html</a></p>
<p>According to the UNC site:
All residence halls are closed during the summer and university holidays (Thanksgiving) and break periods (spring break and between semesters). Residence halls remain open during the October fall break period. Please be aware that only Odum Village apartments are open on a year round basis.</p>
<p>You might want to check out this section on the UNC website:
<a href="http://oisss.unc.edu/students/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://oisss.unc.edu/students/index.html</a></p>
<p>My son lived on campus last summer and got a full time campus job. Other internationals were on campus as well. The school does not have a summer school program but allows internationals to live and work throughout the summer. I would imagine other schools may do the same thing. He comes home at Christmas break and goes elsewhere during other breaks. He lined up an internship this summer and a part time job to be able to stay once again throughout the summer. Housing is a big deal when you are so far away from home. I would have your daughter check policies.</p>
<p>Sorry, poorly worded on my part. What I meant by "significant" was they will probably have a larger number of international students, simply on the basis of being a larger school. Not that they would have a larger percentage. I mentioned my kids' schools to document where my experience was.</p>
<p>Facts from Univ of Michigan site:
Undergraduates from all 50 states and over 80 foreign countries
4% of students are international
Student body of 25,555 undergraduates and 14,470 graduate and professional students </p>
<p>So, 4 percent of student body is 1601 students. (Significantly more than the total population at Juilliard, for example.) With that number, I think it's fair to assume they have experience dealing with the issue.</p>
<p>The above link describes the process to stay on campus over Christmas, for an additional fee. </p>
<p>I assume, as others have, that UNC means North Carolina, Chapel Hill. There are other schools that use UNC, as well as other campuses besides Chapel Hill. Let us know if we've assumed wrongly.</p>
<p>Another thing to look into. In Atlanta, there is an organization for International students that hooks up students from local colleges with local families over breaks. We've had students over Thanksgiving from Ghana, Sweden, Japan, China, and Pakistan. Perhaps there is something similar in other cities.</p>
<p>If the break between terms is lengthy (say, more than two weeks), then what about returning home? Not sure where you live (we are in Tokyo) but RT airfare from Boston to Japan is about $900. This, I think, would be the same as the housing+food expense for two - four weeks. Your numbers may differ but something to think about.</p>
<p>Rio, I'm a UMich graduate and also live overseas, with a child at college in America. Most colleges have programs in place to serve the needs of students who need to stay on campus during holidays and breaks.</p>
<p>Michigan has a sizeable foreign population, probably more for graduate school than undergrad, but mostly likely your daughter will find many other kids in the same situation. Ann Arbor is a sophisticated college town and never closes down, so restaurants and shops will always be available. </p>
<p>I don't know much about UNC but Chapel Hill and Ann Arbor have a lot of overlaps.</p>
<p>My son's never actually stayed on campus during a long holiday. He generally comes home at Christmas/Year end and travels with his friends during the two week Spring break. For shorter breaks (there are so many of them; more than you'd expect) he's visited friends' families, traveled to nearby cities, taken backbacking trips. </p>
<p>Various college organizations will offer travel and community service opportunities at affordable rates.</p>
<p>What your daughter does over breaks is of course budget sensitive, but the chances are once she settles in to a social group she'll get plenty of invitations to Thanksgiving dinner.</p>
<p>Michigan doesn't actually have that many breaks during the term - 2 weeks at Christmas, 4 day weekend for Thanksgiving and a week long spring break in late February. I attended there from Texas and went with friends every year for Thanksgiving breaks. Now there are also so many choices for things to do over spring break - Habitat trips, Alternate Spring Break.
My daughter will also be attending college in the US while we live overseas but we plan for her to see her grandparents over school breaks unless she has other plans.</p>