<p>Hey!</p>
<p>I'm attending UVa next semester as an exchange student I'm trying to look around for the best housing option. I guess I'm into sports and parties and looking for the typical "american" college life for 6 months. </p>
<p>From the information I have, McCormick seems to be the best option but I'm not sure if this option is available for exchange students? How is Brown college otherwise? </p>
<p>I need help, as you probably can notice. </p>
<p>Thanks in advance</p>
<p>What year of college will you be? (1st/freshman, 2nd, 3rd or 4th?)</p>
<p>The McCormick dorms (“Old Dorms”) and a number of the newest residence halls near Alderman Road are reserved for 1st year (freshman) students.</p>
<p>You might also check out the International Residential College. </p>
<p>[University</a> of Virginia International Residential College (IRC)](<a href=“http://www.virginia.edu/irc/]University”>http://www.virginia.edu/irc/) </p>
<p>If you do a search of this web site, you will find many previous discussions about Brown.</p>
<p>If you join one of the UVa student facebook groups (such as UVa official class of 2015 group), you will often find students looking for another apartment-mate, particularly when one of their apartment-mates goes overseas for a semester. </p>
<p>One of the more popular places for 2nd year students is Lambeth, because it is sociable and centrally located. Most students try to avoid Copeley because it is too far from most other undergrads.</p>
<p>Thanks for that reply! I’m a 2nd year in Sweden and on an exchange program for my 3rd year next semester. </p>
<p>I could see now in my housing application form that McCormick wasn’t available. The ones available are Brown, Bice, IRC, Copeley, Faulkner, Hereford, Lambeth, Weedon, Language houses. Where will I find the most “locals”, or americans? </p>
<p>I’m into sports so I guess I wanna hang out with other “jocks” if you know what I mean. It’s really hard to find any reviews of all the housing options.</p>
<p>Some of my info. may be outdated - I’d encourage other people to correct it.</p>
<p>Hereford has a reputation for being less sociable, partly because the students often pick it because it has many single rooms and partly because the modern architecture is considered a little gloomy with small windows. Some engineering and chemistry students pick it because it is relatively close to those buildings. It is close to the football stadium and the newest gym and aquatics complex.</p>
<p>Lambeth would be well-located for the basketball arena, the lacrosse stadium, the soccer stadium and many other sports activities. My son and I both lived at Lambeth - 30 years apart.</p>
<p>Bice is a mid-rise apartment building that is popular with nursing students because it is closer to the medical center. It is also close to many arts and sciences classroom buildings.</p>
<p>Brown is centrally located and has a reputation for attracting some artsy students. It requires a separate application. </p>
<p>I would guess that many exchange students end up at IRC. However, if you really want an American student experience, I can understand why you wouldn’t pick it. In grad school at another university, I lived in an international student residence hall and really enjoyed it - I knew I would never get a chance to live with so many educated students from so many different countries who all spoke fluent English.</p>
<p>There is plenty of off-grounds housing, but I would encourage exchange and transfer students to try to get into on-grounds housing in order to make it easier to make friends.</p>