Where in America Should I study?

Now that you’ve made the (correct 😎) choice to study in the U.S., you need to figure out where in the U.S. you want to be! Each of the 50 states in America is different, not only in size, weather, and population, but in culture too! Did you know that it is a 6 hour flight or a 5 day road trip from Boston to Los Angeles? Or that people in different states speak with different accents? Or that each state has their own flag!? The point is, America is HUGE! 

You may have already read Choosing Where to Study Abroad: 7 Thoughts to Guide your Decision, but as you narrow down your choices, it is important to consider them again, and more specifically this time. 

Half the battle is choosing where in the U.S. you want to study, but we'll also have another post soon on how to choose a specific school. Hopefully this summary of the culture and geography of America will help you to get your bearings!

Size and Population

You may be surprised to find out just how big and diverse the U.S. is. To get a handle on the geography of such a huge country, you can think of it in four general parts:

1. The Northeast: The eastern shoreline, along the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Delaware.

2. The West Coast: The western shoreline, along the Pacific Ocean, from California up to Washington and Oregon.

3. The Midwest: the north western part of America, bordering Canada, including Illinois, Wisconsin, and Kansas, just to name a few. The Pacific Northwest also blends into the west coast, and the midwest with states such as Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.

4. The South: The states below the Mason-Dixon line, located between the West Coast and the Atlantic Ocean, including Texas, Louisiana and Alabama.

Here’s some math for you that hopefully won’t break your brain. There are almost 4 million people living in Los Angeles (L.A.), with a large land area of 1,200 km2. On the other hand, San Francisco, another big city in California, has only about 884,363 people, but has a much smaller land area of 121 km. What this means is that you will see a lot less people walking down the street in L.A. than in San Fransisco because even though the population is much larger, so is the land, so it is much more spread out city. If you love a big, bustling city with people everywhere and crowded streets, you would love San Fransisco, but if you prefer a quieter city with a lot of trees and peaceful streets, L.A. might be more your speed. Check out this wikipedia article for various city sizes and decide which size is right for you!

Culture

If you choose to go to school in a northern city on the West Coast, like Portland Oregon, or Seattle, Washington, be prepared for comfortable temperatures, and lots of rain, which means green parks everywhere! In California, there is typically less rain, and in fact, some people say that San Diego has the most perfect weather in the world! People in these cities, much like on the east coast, tend to be more open minded and liberal. There is a great music scene, lots of good seafood and ample outdoor activities such as hiking, boating, rock climbing, etc. 

In cities on the East Coast, such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia or Washington, D.C., you will be surrounded by the bustling city life. You will get to experience a solid four seasons, especially the more north you are. People are friendly, but fast moving, however these cities have hundreds of colleges in them so making new friends won't be a problem! You can get just about any food you can dream of from a Philadelphia cheesesteak, to a New York City slice of pizza, or a New England lobster roll. 🤤 You will be close to the ocean, so you can take advantage of the beaches on Cape Cod or the New Jersey Shore during the summer!

The East and West Coast are fairly similar in terms of culture and people, but where you really start to feel a difference is in the South and the Midwest. If you go to school in a city in the South, such as Miami, Atlanta, Austin, or New Orleans, life will be a little slower. You will find great southern food, such as a Po'boy sandwich, shrimp and grits, or a nice big Texas steak. In many of theses cities, especially New Orleans there is a huge historical Jazz scene which can easily transport you back 100 years just by stepping into an old bar! People in the south tend to be more politically conservative, super friendly, and family oriented. Be prepared for high humidity in the summer, and lots of sunshine year round. If you hate snow, the South might be the place for you!

The Midwest is where you will find sprawling fields full of wheat, corn, and other various crops. If you go for a drive, you might reach Big Sky Country in Montana, which is named appropriately because the sky seems as if it could go on forever. There is a big focus on farming, wildlife and the beauty of nature in this part of the country, so life is a little slower and quieter. If you are looking to study agriculture, this is the place for you! People in the Midwest have a great accent, and are extremely friendly! 

If farming isn't for you, Chicago is one of the most popular cities out here, with many great schools for you to choose from, great city life, and is also packed full of good food. Make sure you try out some Chicago deep dish pizza and their famous hot dogs and cheese curds! The four seasons are very intense here, so be prepared for a ton of snow in the winter, and hot summers! 

Weather

The U.S. is so big that the weather can be completely different from one state to another, and especially one coast to the other! There are some places that experience a very intense four seasons (Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer), but other places that are warm all year round. If you're someone who is greatly affected by the weather, you'll want to take this in to consideration.

For example, If you were to visit Boston in March, you will most likely find it still freezing with 2 meters of snow on the ground, and this is after a longggg winter that started back in November! However, if you went over to the west coast in Las Vegas during the same time of year, you would find it hot and sunny. Even the summers are different, especially from north to south!  Summer in Vermont, which is in the northern part of the country, is very beautiful, breezy, sunny, and not too hot. Summer in New Orleans, in the south, is very humid, which can make it very sticky and uncomfortable. (Can you tell that I’m more of a New England girl? 😉)

What's your preference? 

City or town?

In the US, you will notice that there are many different types of areas to live and study in. There are over 50 large cities, but that doesn't mean you necessarily need to study in a city if you want to study in America!

Going to school in a city can be a great experience because not only are you getting the experience of studying at an American institution, but you're also experiencing life in an American city. Living in a city, you'll see something new everyday, and be surrounded by the excitement and hustle and bustle of the city culture. Of course, like in any country, living expenses are higher in a city. Finding an apartment to rent might be a little bit more of a challenge because city college students are usually expected to be more independent. Your college campus might be spread out throughout the city, so you'll get the fun of exploring the city as you walk to class! Here is a fun and informative quiz to help you find which American city is best for you!!

We often use the term "college town" to mean a small town that is built around a college. A college town can be an extremely fun place to go to school! In a college town, you can usually walk everywhere, and you will be surrounded by your fellow students wherever you go, There will be a ton of restaurants, bars, cute little shops, and theaters and most of them are built to cater to the college students. In a college town you will have no problem finding houses or apartments to rent with other students, and will usually get more for your money because there is a lot more space than in a city. In general, your money will probably go further if you study in a town because the cost of living is much lower than in a city.  Here is a list of some of the most popular college towns in America.

Lastly, this is a list of the best colleges according to their location. These are all just general resources to get you started!

I think it's safe to say that no matter where you choose to study in the US, you will find something amazing. However, the choice can be very overwhelming, so stay tuned for more Ginseng English blog posts to help guide you in your study abroad process!

Hi! My name is Sarah and I have 8 years of experience working with international students studying in the United States, most recently at Berklee College of Music in Boston. I share your passion for adventure, and am currently traveling through Asia as part of the Ginseng English Anywhere tour! I’ll be writing many blog posts about studying abroad, so if you’ve decided to study abroad in the US, then this is the place is for you!

If have any questions about studying abroad, or are interested in scheduling an advising appointment with me, e-mail me at sarah@ginse.ng

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