<p>I am a US citizen living overseas and am looking for schools to go to after I finish HS here.</p>
<p>What I am looking for is a college where I can have the stereotype American college experience: Beatiful Green and Clean campus, School Spirit, Decent Athletics, a Good Social Environment and of course Good Academics in the areas I wish to study. I wish to study either International Relations or Political Science/Goverment (In any case IR, but unless a school i like has an amazing poli sci dept I would like to take advantage of that).</p>
<p>Schools i am looking at now are(looking at as in very interested in):</p>
<p>USC, American, Wisconsin, UT Austin, Ohio State, Indiana, Syracuse, UMiami(+U), Penn State, Clemson, FSU, Texas A&M, Colorado and UGA.</p>
<p>This is quite a large list and not a very orthodox list for someone wishing to study the things I wish to study, but I guess it is what it is. Also with this weird Dutch educational system I do not really know what a reach or a safety would/should be for sure, so.</p>
<p>If anyone has any suggestions or has any advice on any schools or anything just feel free to comment.</p>
<p>For IR I'd say American is the best out of those, but consider adding GWU to your list. And don't only consider academics, consider also the location of the university. DC is THE place in the USA for International Relations, not just because of the quality of the academics but also because being the capital, it's got amazing internship possibilities (amongs many other things). GWU is in the center of DC, while American is in the suburbs, take that into consideration.</p>
<p>thanks r6mile,
I am familiar with GWU and that is probobly not an option due to financial reasons, as well as it is situated in the same fashion as NYU for example, in the middle of the city. Which is fun and exciting, but i rather have a more 'campus' feel to a school. But def thanks nonetheless !!</p>
<p>I definitely agree with r6mile on DC being the best place to study IR, though i see ur concern financially as GWU is the most expensive school in the country. A word of advice though don't let financial aid stop you from applying to schools because a lot of them will give merit aid regardless of your status as an international student. I also would like to suggest two stellar IR schools that you might consider Georgetown is (in my opinion) the best in the nation if only because its academically the best school in DC, also take a look at Tufts in Boston which has an enormous international student body as well as an amazing IR reputation. Based on your list alone I'd rank IR programs as follows: American, USC, then Ohio State. Happy Hunting!</p>
<p>thanks mikey101,
Georgetown and Tufts (aswell as JHU, Columbia and many others) are amazing for international relations, although i have decided not even to bother to apply to those schools due to the fact that i am not a perfect student, and that for those schools i would be put into the international pool(at most publics i would be put into just the oos pool for admissions so i hear), and in the int'l pool competition is uber fierce and not to sound cynical or anything but i would be 'eaten up'. But you are right, they are amazing schools.</p>
<p>DC schools are great for IR for numerous reasons, of course it is our(your haha lol) capital and therefor there is a political feel to the city and the environment is very active in that sense. Internships are common and close-by and DC schools are often all round fun schools.</p>
<p>It's just i rather go to a big rah rah state school than a very urban school, however the SIS at American is just too good to pass up for what it is :P hahah so i had to put that on my list, and for all i know i might change my mind.</p>
<p>Groenveld9, you are from the Netherlands right? Which languages do you speak?
I was thinking, if the cost is a problem (which it is in my case as well), why don't you try universities in Europe? They are very good, much cheaper for EU citizens (sometimes even free), and much closer to home. You could try the UK, the UK has got some very very good universities, and the tuition over there for EU citizens is only 3.000GBP a year. If you speak French, you could try the University of Geneva. It's like number 35 in the WORLD, and it has got an amazing IR program (and internship possibilities, being in Geneva). With your VWO (which I assume you're going to get) you are automatically accepted. Or why don't you look at universities in your country? Frankly, I'd rather go to a very good university in Europe and not have to worry so much about the price, than go to the US to a big state school just because the rest are too expensive. I don't know, this is just my opinion (and trust me, I've thought it through, I'm in the same situation).</p>
<p>r6mile,
You are spot on about EU universities, they are cheaper and less expensive than most US universities and not bad at all. Although the big problem is that I only did Gymnasium for the first 2 years of school, then got put in HAVO by my teacher due to lack of "maturity and discipline". A decision based on her personal opinion and not on grades(they were fine).
Through this I will graduate with a HAVO degree which will not guarantee me admissions to uni's and I would have to do a year of additional studies to gain entry to a prominent EU/Dutch university. Another route would be to go to a HBO(polytechnic U), which is considered a second rate u, but there are still some very very good HBO schools (HES).</p>
<p>I could do this and go to a great university in Europe, but I just really wish to go to the US to go to college. I also want to live and work in America later and it is the place where I feel most at home.
Also cost isn't THAT big of a problem, i can afford most schools, it's just my parents aren't "in the mood" to pay a +40k a year tuition unless it's Harvardor Yale. Especially now that my sister is going to a pricy art school most 30+ schools aren't really looking realistic. That and the whole screwed up Dutch Ed. System are also reasons why my list is filled with publics(just to clear that up).</p>
<p>I speak English and Dutch fluently, German almost fluent, French is ok and with basic latin grammar and words i can understand some other European Languages.</p>
<p>I know a guy who goes to Geneva and he loves it and praises it constantly, however I have lived in Switzerland for some time and I don't really care for the country(everyone gasps), save for their beatiful ski resorts :D .</p>
<p>Great post, and I do know a fair share about Dutch Unis, just PM me if you need some info!
Thanks!</p>