Navigating US university system to pick ‘the right school’ (II)

Some schools benefit from the location or environment associated with a particular field of study. For instance, a student studying music or art will benefit from being in or near a city with a thriving music industry. Location looms more important in fields where internships play a central role in skills development and lining up future employment opportunities. While cities like Boston (Harvard) and New York (Columbia) tick these boxes, other Ivy League cities — New Haven, Princeton, Ithaca, Hanover, and Providence — might not.

This situation becomes especially acute in some STEM fields. A student pursuing a career in videogame design or artificial intelligence development may be better advised to attend Cal-Berkeley rather than an Ivy League university.

Location matters in other ways. For instance, Chinese students raised in large, bustling mainland cities may feel more comfortable in large cities. On the other hand, some students who feel overwhelmed in China’s large, high-pressure cities may do well in college towns like Ann Arbor, Michigan — home to the University of Michigan — or even small towns hosting a high-quality liberal arts college like Amherst, Massachusetts (Amherst College) or Middlebury, Vermont (Middlebury College). I know a student from Shanghai who went to Oregon State University in Corvallis; after he adjusted to the initial shock of the quiet, he found that walking in the woods around the campus helped to steady his mood and sharpen his concentration.

Those prone to homesickness may find that visiting a local Chinatown or having an excellent Chinese meal may take the edge off of these longings. This would steer students to the Los Angeles area, the San Francisco Bay Area, Vancouver and its suburbs, New York City (especially Queens), and Toronto.

While food works as a reliable form of attitude adjustment, sometimes deeper and rangier contact with Chinese culture helps to keep students on track. West Coast cities such as Los Angles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver tend to have older, more established Chinese communities than East Coast cites. Also, professors in universities on the West Coast are often more experienced in working with Chinese students than their East Coast counterparts. This can help with in-class communication and sociocultural coordination.

Finally, if, after making a well-considered choice, things don’t work out, change schools! Students will learn all kind of things about themselves wherever they go — particularly how they respond to the collegiate environment. With this new body of information in hand, they can make a more informed choice.

While university application is a complicated process and a single article doesn’t cover all possibilities, this piece introduces some key considerations to help you choose more effectively.