Exchange in America

College Search & Selection
1

Hi everyone!!
I’m currently an Australian student in her third year at Monash University majoring in Literature. I’ve had a long-lasting love with America and American life, so, I’ll be applying for exchange either for Fall or Spring semester. My abroad advisor told me something about the college year ‘technically’ starting in the Fall semester and I’m wondering whether its better to apply for the Fall so that I can make more friends at the start of the new year? or does it even matter at all? I’ll technically be a Senior, and I’m a bit nervous about friendships already being made especially among seniors who have been there and forged friendships over the past 4 years…

I’ll put a list below of the universities I’m able to go to for exchange. I have no interest in NYC or tourist things. I love the culture and community american towns and states that are Midwestern, but I really don’t enjoy life in general when it’s cold, and i know it gets cold there-Australian summers go up to 40 degrees. What seasons in the midwest are the warmest?.. Maybe i can coordinate. I would like the feel of a midwestern state with warm weather. I got accepted to go to University of Miami Coral Gables last year but i rejected it - i really love the weather and i love america, but the campus was so ‘new’, there were no sorority houses and it felt so clean and i really want the ‘AMERICAN’ experience. I also would like a great partying environment with a lot of social life, but as this is my final semester of university in my whole degree, i would like to also spend my time focused on my classes. Also, I’m a vegan and quite spiritual at the same time so i would like to go to a college where people are a little open-minded…

The options that I’m interested in are:
-Arizona State University
-North Carolina State University
-Pennsylvania State University
-University of Arizona
-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
-University of Missouri-Columbia
-University of Oklahoma
-Boston College

Thanks very much!

2

If you want good, mild weather, I’d recommend going for Fall semester. You’ll have summer for a couple weeks, nice Fall/Indian Summer till mid October, then it’ll get crisp and cooler, with likely snow in December. So, lots of different seasons. In addition, if you like football, it’s the only season it’s played.
Based on what you like, I’d recommend NCSU, UNC CH, (the weather will be mildest there), PSU (Fall= football), perhaps Boston College if you don’t mind having a Catholic environment with religious people, crosses on the walls, etc.
Temperature wise, the other Universities will all be warm to very hot (if you want to avoid that).
In terms of “Midwestern” vibe, I’d say Penn state comes closest to what you want.

3

There probably is some advantage in starting in the fall since schools do treat that as the beginning of the school year and the vast majority of incoming freshmen (often close to 100%) will arrive then. Fall orientation programs will be very substantial. Still, exchange and transfer students often come in the spring, and big schools like you are considering will have orientation programs for these students. So not a big deal. And Americans love Australians, so that’s a plus.

To integrate into the communities and meet American students, I would advise living in campus housing if that is possible (and sometimes spots open up shortly before a semester because some students will withdraw). Then you will have lots of students around. It can be more difficult to meet fellow students in an off-campus apartment (yes, certainly possible). You’ll meet who you meet, and like who you like, but you might think about more or less focusing on juniors and sophomores. Spring-semester seniors often have one foot out the door, are engaged in job searches or grad school applications, and do tend to want to spend their last few months with close friends. Of course, they also like to meet new people, especially an Aussie, but I suspect junior and sophomores might be more fully engaged in the college’s social life.

In terms of the Greek system, students usually “rush” (join) freshman or sophomore years, sometimes even before the beginning of freshman year. Sometimes main rush is in the fall, sometimes in the spring, depends on the school. Students typically pay an initiation fee when they join and semester dues. So it would be very expensive to join for a semester, and main rush period may not line up. Now you could make friends with students in a particular sorority and sort of be an unofficial member, attending “open” social events with them, but it likely wouldn’t work out for you to officially join one if you are there for one semester (it would sometimes be possible, I think).

On the other hand, most fraternity events will be open to females, and you can hang out at them. That can definitely be fun and also some caution and basic safety measures (watch what one drinks (tainted?), and how much; go with friends; look out for friends and others; etc.) are advisable.

Greek systems vary greatly across schools. Some schools don’t have Greek organizations. At some, they are a small presence. At some, schools require them to operate in a more open manner (allowing all students to attend most events). Sometimes they are off campus, sometimes they are in campus housing. Most of the schools on your list (which are very good) will have robust Greek systems. Have fun and good luck!

4

Are you already in a sorority in Australia? It is all America and one region is very different than the other. Are you just interested in a western feel with horses and big sky?

For a sorority, you would need to be here a full year to make that worth while. You have to rush (attend parties to hopefully get an invitation), get a bid (that invitation), pledge (go through an initiation period), then become a sister. You probably would get housing within a year. Also, I remember an age restriction. How old are you? You need to make sure that you are still eligible.

5

*you probably would NOT get housing that first year in a sorority.

And you have to be there Fall semester to rush.

I’m almost thinking of steering you towards Colorado for a western experience with a vegan open minded chill quality.

6

UNC Chapel Hill seems the obvious pick of the bunch. It’s the strongest academically (both in English and overall) and offers a great social scene, lively college town, great athletic scene, tons of school spirit, and moderate weather but defined seasons. UNC Chapel Hill leans more liberal than all of the other universities on your list. Since UNC was the first public university opened in the US (1795), it has a long history.

As a bonus, Chapel Hill is centrally located in NC, so you can be relaxing at the beach or skiing in the mountains in about 2 1/2 hours. What’s not to like?

7

Thank you! This is really helpful @TTG
I definitely will now be applying for the fall, just to get a more rounded experience.
I’ll definitely have to do in campus housing then, but I’m just worried i won’t be meeting many seniors in-campus, cause apparently everyone moves out after a year or two? I guess if i want to make younger friends then living amongst them will be a good thing. I’m also taking two junior level classes so that might help! Thank you!

Based on what everyone here is saying i think it’s too much of a stretch to try and join a sorority when i’m only there for 6 months. I’ll just reap the benefits of their parties i guess. I also don’t have the real sister spirit that i see in some universities sororities…

Thank you for your help!

8

@gearmom There are no sororities in Australia, they just seem really fun and cohesive in America, but i don’t think I can be very sister-like the way that i see in some videos on youtube. I will be 21 so i think that i’d rather just independently make friends…

Sadly, Colorado isn’t an option :frowning: If i could choose i would without a doubt go to Oregon, Cali or Colorado. But I think i will be going with UNC CH !!

9

A lot of people have said UNC CH, @warblersrule and i think I’m going to go with that one. My University said it was strong in the arts (humanities and languages) department so thats a bonus. I’ll be there from August-December, so I’m hoping that it isn’t too cold them?

Hmmm, interesting about the liberal thing. I’m not real political but i can be pretty out there in terms of my views and beliefs and I’m not religious at all, so i hope it isn’t a religious college? And do people there have southern accents? Lol i know that seems unimportant but it kind of irks me cause i can’t understand it well

Thanks for your help!

10

Most of the schools on your list are very good state “flagship” universities (which refers to the main campus, i.e. there is also a UNC-Wilmington, UNC-Asheville, and UNC-Greensboro, but Chapel Hill is the “flagship,” original campus). NC State, also very good, is more of the state science/engineering school. (But many students will not be science/engineering majors.) Often states have a flagship campus, which is typically an all-round research university. They also often have a large science/engineering school. So in Virginia, there is the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech (VPISU). In NC, it’s UNC-CH and NC State. All of yours are the former, except NC State and Boston College. BC is a private, Catholic school. It has a very beautiful collegiate Gothic campus in a very nice town with an adjacent subway stop that can be used to travel into downtown Boston, which is the king of US college towns (Harvard, Tufts, Boston University, Northeastern, MIT, and many more).

UNC, for US and international applicants is the most competitive, much more so than all the other schools on your list, except BC. North Carolina requires that about 84% of students be in-state residents (whose families are paying the state taxes that support the school). Each state decides this. Florida and Texas only allow a small % of out-of-state (OOS) students, while Michigan and Wisconsin allow a much high % (their state populations are shrinking). You are in a much smaller pool, exchange student, and your school may have a relationship with UNC, so I don’t know the nuts and bolts in your specific case. BC is an elite private school, so also very competitive for US students.

Yeah, often seniors, and sometimes juniors, often live off-campus, but that can vary greatly by school. At mine, I think 80% of seniors still live on campus. At some it is close to 0. You can probably research that for these schools.

Weather-wise almost all these schools will have nice fall weather. Arizona will actually be hot early on, maybe UNC too, depending on the year (but overall it’s hard to beat). BC will be probably be cold but probably not until the last couple of weeks of the fall semester. Spring semester can be brutal–cold and icy. It’s been nice so far this year.

11

@elpleskun11 They do have southern accents. When you drive around, you can see hunted animals on the trucks sometimes. That was different for me to see being from New England. My sister in law has lived near UNC for thirty years (her husband works there) and is still not really integrated into southern society. Religion can be very serious. It was difficult for her to try to join a church. The Raleigh Durham area has a lot of transplants (people who do not originally come from there) and that is who she socializes with mainly. My cousin married into a southern family and he has been able to integrate better.

12

Sororities do not have parties open to everyone like fraternities do, and they do not have parties with alcohol in their houses. But there will be plenty of frat parties open to everyone on campus.

Many schools have foreign student housing or wings of dorms that are mostly for foreign students. Some of the schools you list probably have very limited housing for upper classmen. That’s where you’ll meet older students. Many of the big state universities reserve the dorms for freshmen.

13

^ Yes. Sororities should not be a factor for you, @elpleskun11 . They will not have parties that you can attend. You won’t be able to join quick enough. Fraternities parties are a possibility. You would have to find out when they are having parties. Some fraternities have little sisters. You could look into that if you want to experience some of the Greek system.

I don’t think that you want foreign housing dorms if you want to integrate. You need to join clubs right away. Meet as many people as you can. Did you have any other possibilities in Boston?

14

@TTG bad news. Just looked at the status for intake of international students at UNC CH and its closed! :frowning: Didn’t realise that until now!! this is the list:
https://www.monash.edu/study-abroad/outbound/exchange/partners/usa

I want to go to one of these flagship universities that you’ve mentioned!! Thats my goal, but as I’m a linguistics student i don’t think that NC state will be best? But i really like the area, and its an opened university so i might go with that one…
I like the idea of Boston, but someone above said it’s really religious, and if its competitive, ill probably steer clear…
I’ve kind of narrowed it down to Penn state and for some reason Missouri sticks out. Unsure about those but Penn state looks pretty good to me

I appreciate your help so much!! i feel completely out of depth with the whole college thing and understanding it, especially the % at which international students are let in - sadly, Michigan is ‘closed’ but id LOVE to go there!! My school does have a relationship with all of the schools listed in that link, but its up to whether the number of students from UNC CH want to come to Australia matches with the number of students wanting to go there.

15

@gearmom oh no!!! is religion reflected in the school environment? That’s really a shame, I’m quite a vocal vegan but i also want to experience the fullest of american culture…ill just have to turn my head if i see that. i guess we’ll see what happens! I don’t really go to church but i don’t think that will affect anything. thanks!

Im fine with missing the sororities. hopefully i can make some friends and go to the frat parties, then! I really don’t want foreign housing cause I’m not coming to america to meet exchange students… but a lot of the universities say that the actual local students get priority housing and then the exchange students come after, which is fair, but id like to mix with actual americans.

No other Boston options- https://www.monash.edu/study-abroad/outbound/exchange/partners/usa
this is the link to the universities that are available for exchange.

16

U of Miami is not that new. It is a modern design, but has been around for years, has big time sports. It has a reputation of being a little ‘rough’ as many of the student athletes come from the surrounding neighborhoods. Not charming, but certainly big school feel. Most of the colleges on your list, and offered through your university, are big and aren’t going to be described as charming. The ones with better weather are going to be ASU, the North Carolina schools, Florida International. Missouri is a nice school, but it does get snow in the winter.

Are you planning on 2018 (fall) 2019 (spring)? Fall will be nicer for the entire term although hot in Aug at Florida/ASU and even NC schools. Boston College is a Jesuit school, and yes, has some religious elements, but you won’t actually be registered as a student so will not have to take religion courses. Missouri may be nice for the fall. It has big time SEC football and other ‘real American’ events like homecoming parades, marching band on the football field, lots of classes to choose from, a little smaller town/city than the others on your list.

17

@twoinanddone I’m planning on 2018 fall now that a lot of the people on this forum have helped me out. footballs on and its warmer which is a plus.
Yeah, UM seemed to be a really good college when i first applied but after looking at it, it looked more like a hot resort, not very ‘towny’ at all, and i had a change of heart in hat i was looking for. ASU also gives me the same vibe with its hotness, so thats why i think i’ll go with probably North Carolina state, cause it seems to be surrounded by greenery and more suburban. Sadly my university put the UNC CH status for exchange as ‘closed’ :(. I hope NC state is just as good? And i am also really drawn to Penn stare, and Missouri! When does it snow? I will put these three as my top preferences, i think! :slight_smile:

18

Look at offerings at NC State, since it’s more known for Engineering/STEM and Business, than for English and Humanities, although certainly many students would major in these fields - just check what classes are offered this Fall for instance.
See if the universities have Honors Dorms where the students may be able to stay all 4 years. Email to ask whether 1° you’d be allowed to take Honors Seminars in English and 2° whether you’d be allowed to stay in the Honors Dorms.
If you’re 21, you may go to one or two Frat parties for the experience, but you will likely not go back due to the general immaturity (also, only go with someone and take basic safety measures). Most students 21+ go to bars and pubs, especially if there’s live music.
I don’t think NCSU will have snow.
Missouri and Penn State would have snow in December, perhaps November.
Look at offerings at Mizzou since they’ve had huge budget issues. They would have no problem accomodating you on campus though.

19

@elpleskun11 What temperature range do you want? You want some snow or not?

20

I looked over your lust. American University, Penn State, Purdue and Boston College looked like some of the best still open. Boston College is a Jesuit college bit people are very chill. It’s a liberal area and churches will have rainbow flags supporting LBGT people. If you are averse to seeing any religious symbolism, I guess that would bother you but it should be a comfortable setting for any student in general.