<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I'm in my gap year right now and I have a place at Keele university in england this September. In the first or second semester (usually in the first) of your second year you can study abroad in America or Canada. I would like to ask for advice about the reputation of the university and what the university life is like for each one if anybody attends the university.</p>
<p>Here's the list of universities:</p>
<p>USA
Appalachian State University, North Carolina
Ball State University : Indiana
Bowling Green State University : Ohio
Colorado State University : Fort Collins
Loyola University : New Orleans
Minnesota State University : Moorhead
Oklahoma State University
Old Dominion University : Norfolk, Virginia
University of North Carolina : Greensboro
University of North Carolina : Wilmington
University of North Texas
San Diego State University
University of Southern Mississippi
University of Southern Maine : Portland
University of Texas at San Antonio
University of Tennessee : Knoxville
University of Utah
Willamette University : Oregon</p>
<p>Canada
Brock University, Ontario
Concordia University, Montreal
Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia
Memorial University, Newfoundland
University of Alberta
University of Guelph, Ontario
University of Ottawa, Ontario
University of Victoria, British Columbia
University of Windsor, Ontario
University of Toronto
York University, Ontario</p>
<p>If I go to America I would like to go to UNCW and if I go to Canada I would like to study at Alberta. But I would just like to see what opinions people have about these universities as I have to make my decision by December. You can also study abroad for a year but I'm not sure if that would be too long or not. I'm majoring in philosophy if that helps.</p>
<p>Best regards,</p>
<p>Lawrence.</p>
<p>That is quite a diverse list you posted. Of the American universities you posted, none are highly selective, so you should stand a good chance of getting in with even less than spectacular grades. When people think UNC, they tend t think of the flagship of the system, Chapel Hill, not Wilmington. This does not mean that Wilmington is not a quality university by any stretch, but it doesn’t really have the same name brand recognition. Of your Canadian list Toronto is the one which would have the highest admission standards and it definitely has the most world-wide prestige of any university you posted for the US or Canada. However Alberta also is also a great institution and is well known at least in Canada, but I am not sure it has much of a reputation abroad. If you are planning to work in the UK after you complete your degree you probably want to pick a university that has a name that will carry weight in the industry in your own country. </p>
<p>If you could please list some features you want in your university (size, location:urban/rural, research oriented or LAC style, importance of financial support, ect.) then I can maybe have a better idea about which North American University would be the best fit for you.</p>
<p>He’s not looking to be admitted, he’s trying to figure out where to go for a study abroad program. Huge difference. </p>
<p>Why do you want to go to UNC Wilmington? If it’s because of the beach, personally I’d choose San Diego State as it’s not only in the middle of an excellent city, but also extremely close to the ocean. </p>
<p>Here are some schools on your list that offer a more traditional American college experience:
Appalachian State
Colorado State
Loyola University
Oklahoma State University (not recommended for philosophy, since University of Oklahoma seems to have better humanities than OK State)
San Diego State
University of Tennessee
Wilamette (small LAC 40 minutes from Portland and right across the street from the Oregon capitol)</p>
<p>Oh, my bad I misunderstood the post. For a year abroad, I would personally want to go to a really exotic location, so I would definitely suggest University of Victoria for you Canadian list because it is in by far the most beautiful location. It is surrounded by the breathtaking Vancouver Island rainforests and has spectacular beaches. From the American lists Loyola University : New Orleans seems really appealing because of the the unique culture in the city of New Orleans with its French and Creole influences (and consequently awesome food) as well as the city’s great festivals.</p>
<p>Thanks for the quick replies. </p>
<p>I want to go to UNCW because out of the list North Carolina is the state I would most like to live in and UNCW appears to be ranked the best UNC (apart from chapel hill). Although I’d like to visit California I don’t think I’d want to live there for a long period. UNCW seems to be the highest ranked out of the list. So I’m mainly judging it on which university has the best reputation, which one has the best lecturers, and which would have the best atmosphere. Also which one has the most international students.</p>
<p>If reputation is the main factor, then Toronto is the best choice on those lists, without a doubt. It is far ahead of UNCW in virtually every international ranking.
But are you sure reputation is the most important factor for deciding where to spend your year abroad? Your degree will still be from Keele, regardless of where you do your year, right? So I suggest you just pick the university that is in the place which interests you most. If that is UNCW I say go for it and good luck!</p>
<p>Your modules that you take at the partner university (University of Toronto or UNCW in this case) count towards your degree. So I’d rather the university have a good reputation as part of my degree would be from that university if that makes sense as employers would probably be more impressed by it.</p>
<p>Well as I said Toronto has the best reputation on this list by a wide margin (just look at the QS, TIMES and ARWU rankings), so if reputation is the deciding factor UofT is the clear cut winner from the universities you posted. However I still think that you should pick a place were you would be comfortable living in for a semester, and if that is UNCW then go for it. (I personally would find it difficult to turn down a semester living in New Orleans but that is just me :)</p>
<p>Haha I guess your right. I have three choices I think anyway so I’m probably going to pick UNCW, and University of Alberta for two of the choices and then see how it goes 
They said University of Toronto may not be a partner by the time I’m a second year student. Out of curiosity why would you like to be in New Orleans?</p>
<p>The history and culture of New Orleans is unique. There are strong French roots in the city (was once a French colony and later had a large Acadian population resettled there after the British conquered New France in the seven years war) This has meshed with American and Caribbean influences to create a wonderfully different feel to to city, it’s distinct heritage is manifested in all sorts of wonderful festivals (Mardi Gras at New Orleans is legendary) and unique and delicious cuisine (Creole food in particular). Culturally it has also had a big influence on the rest of America, particularly in music where it is often considered to be the birthplace of Jazz. </p>
<p>BTW, why would UofT not be a partner in the future, did they give you a reason?</p>
<p>No they did tell me that if they remained a partner they would be switching campus from the one in Scarborough to Mississauga though which seems a bit weird.</p>
<p>So I’m not really sure what my third choice would be if I couldnt choose UoT. I’m kind of struggling to pick which one ahah.</p>
<p>That is kinda odd. Be aware though that the Scarborough and Mississauga campuses still have similar academic rigor and grant the same University of Toronto degree. They aare multiple campuses of the same University, not like the different UNCs for example which are mutiple universities in the same system. The real disadvantage in being in the Scarborough or Mississauga campus is that your in the suburbs rather than downtown Toronto.</p>
<p>Honestly the prestige of most of the remaining universities on your list (if you cant have the third slot filled with UofT) is pretty uniform and frankly not that high. They are mostly regionally known schools and I doubt any international employer would recognize them (as a Canadian I would probably say Dalhousie is the top of the remaining Canadian schools but it really isn’t generally seen as one of the best in the country). If you cant have uoft in your third slot I say you just surf the web and find the university on your list that is in the nicest area.</p>
<p>Yeah the American university system seemed a bit confusing at first. I originally thought that all the UNCs had similar reputation because they were the same university system. </p>
<p>I want to live in Canada or America in the future. Most likely Canada as in my opinion your more likely to have a better lifesytle there than America. If I can’t put UoT first ill probably put Alberta first. Usually people get their first choices as long as they get at least 60% in the first year so hopefully everything should be ok.</p>
<p>It is a pity you don’t have McGill (no one outside of Montreal really looks at Concordia) or the University of British Columbia on your list. Montreal and Vancouver are both cities with awesome lifestyles and a bit of an exotic flair, even among North American cities.</p>
<p>Haha they used to be partners with University of British Columbia which would have been perfect considering I really want to live in West Vancouver.</p>
<p>Since you’re reading Philosophy, Willamette should be on your list as a Liberal Arts college; plus, it’s in a cool city (Salem, OR) and near an even cooler city (Portland).
[Willamette</a> University](<a href=“http://www.willamette.edu/]Willamette”>http://www.willamette.edu/)
I second UCW for a year abroad -great climate, location, etc. Their film and marine biology programs are among the best in the country. However philosophy, erm. Ask to see if you’d be allowed to take their honors seminars.
Loyola is likely to have a good philosophy department since it’s a Jesuit school plus New Orleans is a cool city.
In all cases you shouldn’t restrict yourself only to philosphy classes; make sure to take one American Studies class (you’re in the US, after all), some classes in American history, Government, Political Science… that is, some classes outside your subject, especially since few of the universities on your list are likely to have more than 2 philosophy classes appropriate for a British degree. Make sure you have that flexibility and take classes that would provide an interesting perspective on your study abroad year in the US or on the area where you are, plus interdisciplinary angles for your specialty.</p>
<p>Some of these universities are in rural or very small town type places, like Appalachian State, Ball State, OK State, Minnesota State: Moorhead, CSU Fort Collins, USM (both of them - Portland, Maine is a bigger town/almost a a city).</p>
<p>San Antonio, Greensboro, Norfolk, Wilmington and Knoxville are bigger cities - not huge, but bigger - and New Orleans is a very large city.</p>
<p>I would choose not by reputation of the university but by the location I wanted to be in. The reputation of your study abroad experience doesn’t really matter that much, but I’d want to experience a great North American city location. So I’d probably want to go to University of Toronto (in Toronto) or Concordia University (in Montreal). I might also consider Loyola University in New Orleans, but a lot of that city has to be navigated by car.</p>
<p>Wilmington is a nice place - it’s a small coastal city and is supposed to be really beautiful. But it’s a small city, and most small Southern cities require a car to navigate around. </p>
<p>I think you have sort of off ideas about the influence that your study abroad institution will have with employers; it won’t have much. You only spend one year there; it’s kind of like cross-registering for a few classes at a university across town. Your degree is still from Keele. So I would focus more on the kind of experience you want rather than trying to impress employers. I’d still pick Toronto though, as it’s just a great city.</p>