Housing and meals

Most American students live away from their parents in student housing on the campus called dormitories. Many schools require students to live on campus and eat in the college cafeteria at the beginning of their college years before possibly moving off campus into apartments or houses in later years.

Entertainment

There are wide varieties of activities on college campuses. A few of these include: movies, sports events, concerts, plays, and parties. Swimming pools, basketball courts, and other athletic facilities are available for general student use. At many US universities there is a system of social clubs known as fraternities and sororities. These are often large houses where members of the club will sleep and attend parties. Participation in these clubs is optional but the importance of them varies widely by university and sometimes the social life at a school revolves around them.

Location and transportation

Some schools are in the heart of major cities where a car is more of a headache than a help. Cities offer tremendous cultural resources but can detract from the sense of a traditional college campus and the university may get lost in the overall bustle. Many schools are located in traditional college towns with numerous bars, restaurants and other businesses catering to students. In these towns the school is often the focus of the community and a car is not necessary. Other schools are far from towns and offer little on campus. Geography is important!

Culture

The United States is a huge country, with some of the 50 states larger than European countries. There is not one culture in the US. People in the North, South, East, West and Midwest having very distinct ways of speaking, interacting and working. In the case of universities, the difference in social customs, dress, and values can be dramatic. If at all possible, a visit to schools before enrolling will be valuable.

Weather

Some regions of the United States are warm all year long, some have normal change in seasons, and some have long and extremely cold winters. Many of the best teams are located in the southern and western states, but the growth of indoor tennis has lessened the traditional gap. Teams such as Minnesota and Michigan, which play indoors most of the year, have relied on outstanding indoor facilities to develop top programs. They do not have very good tans though.

Diversity and student population

Universities in the US differ greatly in their student composition. Some are dominated by an ethnic group, have skewed percentages of men or women, or have a specific religious element. Some schools have a high percentage of foreign students while others have almost all the students from part of that state. It is important to understand how the student population is composed and why American students choose that school.