This is really helpful, thank you for your detailed reply. This has definitely helped me condense the list! I had no idea some were gender exclusive (we do not have anything gender exclusive here)
Thank you! I will cross this off my list now!
Thank you, your 2 cents is greatly value because my knowledge of US colleges is scarce. UCLA must be very famous, see people wearing the jumpers even in England
Hello! Thanks for your reply.
Well, I’d be pretty upset if the weather was worst than the weather in London, so I’d say it is a factor
I am a law student (undergrad programme in the uk) and will have studied for 2 years at a very academic institution before I take my trip to the US, so not to concerned about the academic side. I see it as more of an opportunity live out my dream of spending a year at an American college.
Well, to be honest, I plan on narrowing it with your guys’ input as you’re much more knowledgable regarding the USA!
Thank you for your reply 
What a fun thread! NYC area: Brooklyn College is primarily a commuter school. So you’re not going to have the traditional American college experience there. Stony Brook U. is in a nice suburb of Long Island, about 1.5 hours by train to NYC; doesn’t really check many of your boxes. Rutgers is about 45 minutes by train to NYC, and the best of the three choices you’re given in the area. Has sports, parties, etc. This part of the NY/NJ area is somewhat similar to London. The other NY universities listed are in the more interior parts of New York state, and may not be what you’re looking for. One thing you need to keep in mind - distances in the US are vast.
South: Others have already commented on UNC Chapel Hill. I would recommend as well.
West: CU Boulder. Beautiful scenery; great party school, and a short distance from Denver. It would be big change of scenery from any part of England, I think
ASU- maybe. It’s in Tempe , which is a vibrant town. The rest of the surrounding area is a sprawling suburb. You will need to drive a ways to experience the beautiful desert scenery and mountains, and expect very hot weather in September, October, April, May.
California - I grew up in AZ and have been in the East coast for the last 30 years. So someone else would have to comment on the CA universities. It’s a big state and not everything is near the beach.
Pull up google maps on the computer and start looking at the distances.
If you can tell us a bit more about what you’re interested in, we can help you focus better.
Thank you for this! It will not count toward my degree, more of a separate add on. So it is not a huge factor.
I will definitely look into the colleges you’ve mentioned. I’ve heard ASU is one of the largest (could be wrong) and has some of the finest girls in the country.
Thanks for the tip, I will definitely do some further research!
Why do I feel like this is a set up? ?
I would say Georgetown, easy to travel elsewhere of interest from there.
Then UCLA.
Look up Greek life at these schools and it will give you an idea of the school’s social culture. Usually they have plenty of social media.
Wow, I’ve just looked at videos of the Boulder campus, it’s incredible! The mountains are insane.
US colleges are more like resorts than universities!
Haha, thank you for the advice about Alaska, another poster advised me to go there lool. Will definitely have to tick that one off.
I think I will also remove Reed as rain reminds me too much of London.
California seems to be popular recommendation.
In regards to Rutgers, I’d prefer beautiful American girls than international students.
Thanks again, your advice is much appreciated
UC-Berkeley is my kid’s school and probably the best school on your list, but there is a term called “Berkeley goggles”. Just a myth…
UCLA, ASU, U of Miami probably should be at the top of your list based on your criteria.
Florida sounds great, I’m going to look into FSU.
I see, UCLA seems to be very academic, however, I am an academic but also want to use this year to live my dream of living the American life.
Cheers for your input! Much appreciated
NY looks amazing, but from what you guys have said, it may be similar to london? And I really want a change from here, because I’ve been here all my life.
And the weather really gets me down.
Thanks for your input Bronx!
@matt738 I was trying to joke with you about Alaska! I think London is closer to most of the US than Fairbanks is! LOL
Well, I’m a law student, and do have a keen interest in this field. However, I will be studying it in the UK for 3 years very rigorously.
My year abroad will not be focused specifically on law, and I am more invested in having the best year of my life, meeting great people, (I love Americans) hanging out with hot girls. Having an overall life changing experience.
I know it may sound silly to be concerned about this over academics, but this is like a reward for all my hard work in the UK.
In essence, my main interest, is having the best year of my life, I’ve always wanted to spend time in America, and thought I’d never get the chance but I have one year to do It, so want to get the absolute most out of it.
Thanks for your input! Much appreciated
I’m surprised you are the only person to mention university of Miami.
Miami looks like a beautiful city, with great weather and beautiful girls. I will also definitely look into UOM.
Thanks for your input! Highly appreciated
Nice situation to be in. Some more info might help. Do you prefer a big city or a college town? If a college town, is proximity to a big city important?
What’s good weather to you? Moderate all the time? Four seasons? Cooler? Warm most of the time?
Any outdoor interests? Preference for beach or mountains?
If mountains and skiing are of interest and you’re okay with a college town near a big city, I’d look at to Colorado-Boulder. Colorado is sunny and pretty, and Boulder is a fun, laid-back school with plenty more f focus on sports. Washington-Seattle might work if you like skiing and mountains but want to be in a big city, though weather there is rainier and grayer.
If you like milder winters but four seasons and are happy with a great college town, UNC-Chapel Hill would be a great place to spend a year, though while sports are big there, the focus will be more on basketball than football. UGA would also be a great choice with better football. Both of these are
a few hours from both mountains and beaches.
If you like mild, sunny weather all year (never hot, never cold) and want to be near both the coast and mountains, look at the California schools on your list. UCLA has everything you listed and would be a good choice if you think you’d like Los Angeles (big city with good weather and beaches, but sprawling without good public transport). San Diego is an awesome city with amazing weather and better beaches than LA, but you’d sacrifice some sports quality there. Berkeley is a cool college town and close to San Francisco, which is a great city that feels more like a big city than LA or San Diego and has decent sports, but as others have said, it’s academically hard. I might skip it if you want to spend more time experiencing the US than studying.
If you don’t mind hot weather for a few
months and don’t like winter and don’t mind not having a real fall or spring, UT-Austin has everything you’re looking for, and Austin is a really fun medium-sized city with great bars and a great music scene. I’d put it high on your list, though keep in mind that you won’t be close to either mountains or decent beaches there. Arizona State would also be a good choice along these lines, but the heat there can be a lot more unbearable. Tulane would be a good choice if you want a bigger city with an amazing party and bar scene (New Orleans), but sports there aren’t that great, and the humidity can be brutal.
If you don’t mind hot and humid, don’t like winter, don’t mind not having a real fall or spring, and want to be close to beaches, Miami for a big city and Florida State for a smaller one. College of Charleston is fun party school in a great city on the beach, four seasons but mild winters and hot summer, but no football.
If you want to be in a big city with four seasons, look at Georgetown. DC is fun, and Georgetown is on of the best parts of the city. Good basketball, but the football isn’t great.
If you like the cold and want great college town, look at Michigan.
British Columbia is in Canada, not the US.
I’d cross if your list: the women’s colleges others have mentioned, Reed and Occidental (very small, very liberal schools where sports are a non-factor), Purdue, GaTech, Alaska, RPI.
All depends on your preferences, but if I were in your shoes, I’d probably pick Texas or (I hate to say it because they are a sports rival) UNC Chapel Hill
Thank you Scuba.
I have ticked Reed off my list!
Excuse my lack of knowledge, but I do not know what Greek life means, students from Greece?
I also don’t know what Mardi Gras is but I’m going to research all this now! Thank you
LSU sounds pretty awesome.
Thanks for your input! Much appreciated
I’ll make a pitch for Tulane in New Orleans. Tulane is known as a party school, and NOLA is known as a party city. Let me rephrase that. NOLA is know as THE Party City. There is really nothing in England which is quite like NOLA. There’s Jazz, great food, lots of drinking, and Mardi Gras in NOLA is probably the ultimate party experience for anybody. You don’t want to spend July-August there without AC, though.
NOLA - New Orleans, LA (the mail code for Louisiana).
Haha, I think me and Colin have a lot in common as my choice will definitely be interested by American girls! I’m a sucker for the accent haha. Maybe I’ll find a nice girl and get citizenship one day! I will look into SD and Chapel Hilll thorough now!
Thanks for your input