Advice on US colleges for UK student please

[Sian]

My DD will be attending a US college for a year on an exchange programme. She has to choose 5 from a list and so far these are the ones she is interested in, but she is basing her decision on not much info about the colleges and none at all on the towns/cities/states in which they are based. If anyone has any comments, that would be really helpful.

1.Charleston College (we visited Charleston from a HHI trip and loved what we saw)
2. William and Mary, Williamsburg
3. Georgia at Athens
4. Louisiana at Baton Rouge
5. Texas A&M at Bryan??

Other options in Portland, NY, Vermont and Illinois are available but she likes the idea of being in the south (California seems too expensive)

 

[salmoneous]

Depends upon what you are looking for. The last 3 on your list are huge state schools where it will seem like most students are mostly interested in partying, drinking beer and going to football games. Don't get me wrong, there are many students there working hard at getting a good education, but that's not the "sprit" someone will pick up on in a one-year visit.

The other two are very different - smaller, more education oriented.

But what's the point of the exchange program? If you are just looking for education, William and Mary might be my choice. But perhaps she is looking to better understand American culture - to live someplace that is very different from the UK. If that's the goal, someplace like UGA might be ideal (and, really, there is some education going on there.)

 

[Christine]

Living in VA, I am partial to William and Mary. It is considered a very good school here (although not as good as University of Virginia). I always wanted to go there and I think the location is great.

 

[ead79]

I went to the University of Georgia in Athens (graduated in 2002). I’m happy to answer any questions you might have about it. If she likes the idea of a large school, then it’s really got a nice atmosphere. Plus, the academics are now very competitive, so that’s a plus too. If she wants a smaller school, then UGA is not a good choice.

 

[Puffy2]

I've toured UGA and live in Georgia. UGA's campus isn't as "pretty" as some others. It's large and freshman dorms are old. It is a party school. They are trying to fix the reputation, but fact is, many students go there because they want to have a "good time". Our oldest, a more reservered student who is interested in learning and preparing for med school - wasn't impressed or drawn to the enviroment when we went on tour.

I can't speak of the others - William and Mary would be the first I'd look at, however.

 

[ead79]

I've toured UGA and live in Georgia. UGA's campus isn't as "pretty" as some others. It's large and freshman dorms are old. It is a party school. They are trying to fix the reputation, but fact is, many students go there because they want to have a "good time". Our oldest, a more reservered student who is interested in learning and preparing for med school - wasn't impressed or drawn to the enviroment when we went on tour.

I can't speak of the others - William and Mary would be the first I'd look at, however.

I just wanted to respond to this. UGA’s academics are very strong. Since the Hope Scholarship, the average GPA (3.74) and SAT (1240-from before the scoring changed to be out of 2400) score of entering freshman has risen dramatically. While there is absolutely some partying (especially on football game days), it is not just a party school.

I was a reserved student myself (and I didn’t party at all—I don’t drink and it’s not my scene), and I did very well at UGA, graduating magna cum laude. If you don’t want to be in the party scene, then it’s easy to avoid. I’m not saying your daughter should go to UGA—she should go to the college that suits her personality the best. I never even considered it and actually ended up transferring there as a sophomore.

UGA is ranked 58 for 2006 among national universities (link: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/natudoc/tier1/t1natudoc_brief.php), so not too bad considering how many colleges there are in the US.

I realize you weren’t bashing UGA, and it’s certainly not for everyone, but it’s not just a party school. Like any college, you get as good of an education as you’re willing to put into it.

As an aside, if your daughter would like the atmosphere of a smaller, private school she could consider Furman University. That’s where I went my freshman year, and it’s a great school. It’s also got wonderful acceptance rates into graduate programs and med and law schools.

 

[skuttle]

I graduated from Lousiana State University in 1999 and from the LSU law school in 2003. My husband just graduated in 2005 in music ed. We're still here in Baton Rouge

LSU is a large school, but it's really not as big as people think. All of the core classes all take place in one central area for the most part. Once you begin your major classes, you spend the majority of time in that area of campus. LSU's campus is probably one of the most beautiful around. What is your daughter's major?

Baton Rouge is a nice place to live...more like an overgrown town than a true "big city". Of course, we are a little more overpopulated due to the hurricanes, but things are beginning to even out a bit. Lots of fun things to do here and in the surrounding areas. Everyone is generally nice and friendly. The food down here cannot be beat!

If you have any specific questions, please ask away.

 

[caitycaity]

out of the ones you listed without a doubt i would choose william and mary. they are well known for being a smaller school with excellent academics. plus they are in williamsburg, which is a beautiful town - lots of history.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I have a site for you....Great message board!!! It can be intimidating but it is active and full of people to answer your questions!

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/index.php?

Of course the "college board" site is one to look over as well, lots of good info there.

http://www.collegeboard.com/splash

 

[Sian]

Thanks for the replies - this is just the kind of information she is looking for. You can't really tell the 'personality' of a school from a prospectus.
She is studying American History here in the UK (we don't really do the Major/Minor thing) and has the chance to spend a year in the US. She needs to pass all her courses while she is there so can't afford to spend too much time partying. However, the point is to try to experience American (student) life rather than spend a year with her nose in a book.

She attends Nottingham University here which has around 32,000 students and is considered a large college - I don't know how the numbers compare or what you would consider large.

I like the idea of William and Mary but she is very keen on the American shopping experience so might be put off by the idea that Williamsburg is a quaint, vacation town. Is that accurate?

 

[HaleyB]

One thing to look at is what % of students live on campus. I do not know the schools you list well enough to speak about them, but I would avoid schools that do not have a large % of students on campus. In general I would also want my child to have the chance to travel and see other cities on weekends, so I would look for a school that is not geographically issolated.

 

[HomeSweetDisney]

William and Mary is a TOP NOTCH school here. I mean, wow. I tried to get in but that didn't happen for me. Plus, it's in a beautiful area. Williamsburg is soooooooo nice. And living in that area would make it really easy to travel to a lot of places that are fairly close. She could go to Washington D.C., New York City, Boston, etc. All are within hours of Williamsburg. Those are all good colleges but I personally think William and Mary would be the best for both education opportunities and it's location.

 

[KelNottAt]

Count me in as another one in favor of William and Mary. American History? She'd be right in the middle of it! (Well, early American, at least.)

BTW, my maiden name is Nottingham. (See my screen name?) I always get a kick out of seeing it used for "official" British things.

Good luck,