When international students think about the US they often think of New York and California and forget that there are literally thousands of places they could go in the United States and that they will have very different experience based on where they go! The important thing is to know yourself, what you are looking for, and being open to new experiences! The Big Apple, West Coast or Midwest? Where in the USA do you want to Study & Live?

First, do you currently live in a small village, the middle of a huge city or in a quiet suburb? Do you want to continue to live in a similar city in the USA or something totally different? One way that the United States is very different from many other countries is that we have a lot of open space and smaller cities than many people coming from Asia or Europe are accustomed to. Some people from large cities like Shanghai and Paris love Oregon because of the beautiful mountains, fresh clean air, and coast! Others find that they really wish there were larger cities and more shopping! Some people love New York City people of the mix of cultures and nightlife, but others find it very crowded and dirty. What is important, for you is to think, would I like to experience an area that is close to nature and in a smaller town where there will be many typical Americans or do I want to be in a larger more diverse city with more nightlife? Or a third option for you might be a school in a smaller city near a large city so that you can have access to both nature and nightlife.

Next think about how much it costs to live in each place and what your budget will allow. Often, smaller cities offer a lower cost of living than larger ones. It may be more economically possible for you to attend a smaller less well known college and save money with lower tuition, homestay, and rent costs and visit larger cities during vacation times. However, you might be able to lower rent costs in any city if you have roommates.

Once you consider that, what kind of climate do you want? Maybe you have never seen snow before and you think it would be really fun to spend the winter in snow! You would want to consider colleges in the Mountains, like Montana or Colorado, or in the Midwest such as Minnesota, South Dakota, or Illinois, or New England states like Massachusetts or Vermont. Or perhaps you'd like to see some snow, but you definitely don't want to be cold all winter!! You might want to consider Oregon or Washington on the West Coast or the Southern part of the US, West Virginia or North Carolina. Or it might be possible, that you come from a region that has a mild climate and you really don't like too much heat! You would want to avoid Arizona and Southern California! Or maybe you don't like winter at all and you would love Arizona and New Mexico.

The United States has so much diversity and so much to offer that you want to make sure to look at many different regions. Often, you can search for information about the local climate and activities on colleges websites or you can even search their states on Google and often get free information sent to you about the state. No matter which way you go, if you are open to new experiences and you do some research on the many options available, you will have a great American experience!

This article is submitted by:

Ms. Jennifer M. Falzerano
Office of International Students & Services
Chemeketa Community College, Salem, Oregon, USA