Might be going on exchange to an American college, i need some perspective!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Im currently in my first year of a psychology degree at a university in sydney, Australia. I want to do exchange hopefully next year, and ive been looking at all the conditions and all the things i need to do. I went to the partner universities list i could choose from and i was given this list</p>

<p>Arizona State University - Tempe
Butler University - Indianapolis, Indiana
California State University - 23 campuses
Central Washington University - Ellensburg, Washington
Colorado State University - Fort Collins
Grand Valley State University - Allendale, Michigan
Michigan State University - East Lansing
Old Dominion University - Norfolk, Virginia
Oregon State University - Corvallis
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
St Norbert College - De Pere, Wisconsin
UNCEP- University of North Carolina Exchange Program - 15 campuses to choose from
University of Arizona - Tucson
University of Maryland, College Park -
University of Mississippi - Oxford, Mississippi
University of Richmond - Richmond
University of South Florida - Tampa
University of Southern Mississippi - Hattiesburg, Mississippi
University of Tennessee - Knoxville
University of Washington - Seattle </p>

<p>Due to the way the exchange program works, my degree is restructured so that no compulsory units are done in the exchange semester (only elective units), meaning i really only need to get a pass in these subjects.</p>

<p>Now im gonna be honest, the focus for this is having as much fun as possible. I dont care if the uni i go to is not prestigious, or even i if learn anything as long as theres heaps of parties and other **** to do (of course ill be studying, as i have to maintain my GPA). I want to join a frat and do all the other typical american college stuff you see in movies like american pie. The subjects i do while im on exchange arent essential for my degree (but wont be adding to the length of my degree), so getting high distinctions isnt necessary.</p>

<p>Do any of you guys go to any of these colleges, if so, how is it?</p>

<p>What is the dorm/frat experience like? In Australia most universities are commuter universities, meaning you drive there, go to your classes, then go home at the end of your classes for that day. Apparently at american colleges they take sports very seriously, whats that like?</p>

<p>I still have a lot of planning and such to do as I wont be going until next year (hopefully early next year)</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>If your UNCEP list includes the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, that would be the standout on the list. Great college town, great academics, great sports. There’s a huge sports rivalry with Duke, which is located fairly close to Chapel Hill, and the campus is filled with activity and fun. I don’t know anything about whether an exchange student can join a frat anywhere and you’d obviously have to check into housing, but at Chapel Hill over half the students live on campus and most of the others live very close to campus. Although most of the students are from in-state, I would not call it a commuter school at all–students are definitely around at night and on weekends.</p>

<p>Of the other schools, University of Richmond is a beautiful school located near Richmond Virgina with excellent academics, but it’s fairly small (about 3000 undergraduates), University of Washington is in Seattle, a wonderful city, and the University of Arizona, while not at the top of the list academically, is supposed to be a lot of fun. Based on your criteria, I would avoid Rutgers, Butler, Central Washington, Colorado State and Grand Valley State.</p>

3

<p>I’ve seen posts from other Aussies who have the Cal State option, but then it turns out a lot of them are not accepting people. Find that out, because there are several Cal States near LA and SF which would offer a lot of “fun” chances. Similarly, Rutgers is near NYC which is also very fun location (leaving aside academics), so I wouldn’t rule that one out.</p>

<p>ASU Tempe and AU Tucson are both a pretty hopping campuses. So is UW Seattle and Michigan State, though MSU has pretty yucky weather. The others I’m not familiar with.</p>

<p>Also the drinking age in the US is 21, so you may want to wait until your third year…</p>

4

<p>Be aware that many of the California State Universities are heavy with local commuter students. Choose carefully if you want to find one with a decent amount of “American college life”.</p>

<p>Note, however, that the residential college life, fraternities, etc. that people think of as “college life” actually describes the college life of a minority of American students. Most enrollment in American colleges and universities is at the community colleges and local state universities where most students are local commuters. But most of these schools are not well known outside their local areas, unlike the nationally prominent (in academics and sports) universities.</p>

5

<p>^I second that. Certain Cal States are less “commuter” than others. </p>

<p>Schools that jump out as fun: U of Arizona, Arizona State, Seattle, Colorado (though I don’t know much about the Fort Collins campus. I hear more about boulder), Rutgers, certain cal states (Chico, SLO, San Diego, and more I’m forgetting).</p>

6

<p>Spend a bit of time at [National</a> and Local Weather Forecast, Hurricane, Radar and Report](<a href=“http://www.weather.com%5DNational”>http://www.weather.com) to learn more about what you might expect in each of these locations. Most people from the Sydney area have no idea just how very cold the winter can be in Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Some would view it as just one more adventure!</p>

<p>Each university website has links to tourist information in the area that you can check for ideas. Look for information about visiting campus to get started with that. You also can investigate the types of clubs that are active and check out their individual websites. Want to learn to ski? Colorado State surely has a ski club.</p>

<p>If you are reasonably sociable, and make an effort to meet people, you will have a very good exchange experience wherever you do end up!</p>