@Lindagaf @57special — Those are some really opposite suggestions in comparison to the ones I had been getting here in the thread. Conflicting thoughts all over again.
I am saying Grinnell might be an easier place for YOU to fit in, as opposed to U Richmond, if you are more liberal leaning and maybe a bit more creative and edgy. Though I am sure that there are non-preppy types at Richmond too. No doubt you will find your people wherever you go. And I agree that Midwesterners are famous for being friendly. Iowa is a land-locked farming state. I imagine Des Moines will be more “cosmopolitan” than the countryside. In Virginia, you will find all political types too, but you are not far from some major metropolitan areas.
In the US, there are many colleges that might have liberal, socially-aware students, but the nearby residents might in fact be quite conservative. This is because the surrounding areas are often somewhat rural or conservative, but the students the colleges attract might be quite diverse socially, politically, and economically.
This may be a long shot but have you considered contacting the Nepal Embassy in DC and see if they have suggestions for employment for your parents? They might be able to give you some direction or at least suggestions to make the transition easier.
@Lindagaf – you do realize that for a Nepali, the notion of “preppy” is completely, absolutely foreign? That it means absolutely nothing to OP? That after 4 years of college it still might mean absolutely nothing to OP? That oncampus conservatism – at least as far as academic expectations go – is likely exactly what this student may want?
When you make suggestions to immigrants/foreigners, you need to take into account that their whole world view is radically different from yours, and that your preferences to them mean a whole lot less than you might think. Stick to concretes.
There is a Nepal immigrant community around Richmond. Google some of the articles about students attending Henrico County Public (kindergarten to 12th grade schools in suburbs around Richmond). That would be really helpful for your parents and younger sibling, as well as being closer to family.
“My traits are just small reflections of parents who have given up every luxury in life to afford a better education and a better life for me.”
This is one of the nicest statements I have heard a child make about their parents.
One of the ingredients to college success is being able to focus on your studies and your new community. I think you will maximize your chances of success if you are within a reasonable distance of your parents so you can check in, if need be, but also to have others who can support them in practical ways. From what you say, it sounds as though you have some built in family support near Richmond. The opportunities for employment are likely to be better for your (not old!) parents. There also may be better support for balancing the demands of raising your young brother and getting a job or jobs.
Grinnell is a special place, but so is Richmond. Richmond is also larger so if you end up changing your idea about your major, there will be more choices, more faculty, and larger departments.
Best of luck to you and your family in your new life. Welcome to the United States!
@katliamom , of course I realize that! I also realize that the OP has obviously done a fair amount of research into the colleges, and must know something about them and something about the states they are in. The OP is also clealry internet savvy and is no doubt going to be looking up as much of this information as he/she needs to. I have also used generally recognizable descriptions such as conservative and liberal. OP has to start somewhere. If OP wants clarification on what preppy menas, OP can ask:-)
My gut instinct is that Richmond would be better for all of you. Grinnell is in the middle of nowhere. Richmond is a city, in fact the capital city of Virginia. Like someone else said, your parents can live closer to Washington, D.C. if they can’t find jobs in Richmond.
How would your parents support themselves? Does your father get a pension as a retired police officer? If so, would he continue to get it in the U.S.?
I have heard that typical retirement age is much younger in Nepal than in the US. Here, people typically retire around 65. Some work longer because they like to or because they need the income. Some retire younger than 65. But with that said, starting in a new country at 45 and 50 might be hard to find jobs that pay well, at least at first. Cost of living is something to consider. I am not that familiar with the two areas, but my suspicion is rural Iowa would be more affordable but also perhaps harder to find employment.
I also think you should choose Grinnell. They have a higher % of international students and you may feel more comfortable. I would contact this group for more imformation about being Nepalese in Iowa.
If your parents settle in any major city or close to a large, well known university, there will plenty of people from India. There are very few from Nepalese anywhere in the US. Your parents are young enough to start a new career. Perhaps they will attend college at the same time as you, it’s pretty common for older adults to attend these days.
From Wikipedia:
As of 2010, the largest communities of Nepalese were in the following cities:[9]
New York, NY - 5,681 (0.07% of total populace)
Sonoma, CA - 2,352 (0.06% of total populace)
Irving, TX - 1,507 (0.6% of total populace)
Houston - 833 (0.03% of total populace)
Somerville, MA - 752 (1.0% of total populace)
Chicago - 534 (0.02% of total populace)
Fort Worth, TX - 502 (0.07% of total populace)
Arlington, VA - 473 (0.2% of total populace)
Denver, CO - 413 (0.04% of total populace)
Aurora, CO - 362 (0.1% of total populace)
The DC area may be good for your father because of his law enforcement experience. There are many jobs which revolve around security. About 2.5% of the population in the DC area is of Indian origin.
Congratulations and welcome!