I really regret not taking full advantage of the American college experience

[Anonymous]

I was really sad speaking to European colleagues and realizing that they didn't go away for college like this. (They were mostly French, but a few Austrians) They seemed to just go to the local university and lived at home. The French guys in particular were very interested in US college drinking games like flip cup, beer pong, fraternity parties, and asking how accurate movies were.

I went to a university in a college town, so I'm sure my experience was different than those who went to college in big US cities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a foreigner and NO, this is not why so many foreigners try to get into undergrad or graduate school here in the US.

Universities are generally considerably cheaper in their own countries than here - no sane family is going to pay extra for social purposes or dorm living. Most students in the world do not need to share a bedroom with someone when they attend universities in their hometown or elsewhere (they live at home and commute, or they rent a room somewhere), and that lifestyle is quite shocking to most foreigners when they learn that a lot of college students here have no choice but to live in close intimacy with a stranger.

There are two reasons why foreigners come here to study:
1. Greater professional opportunities, either here or elsewhere in the world, because American degrees are recognized.
2. Too much competition for seats in their own country's universities - this is true for Asian countries in particular.

Don't be absurd, OP. Most people only spend money to get more money down the road. No one cares about "campus lifestyle". It's not attractive to a lot of students, and even if it were, they're not paying an arm and a leg just for that.

Another reason that we hear "striver" comments and that people are calling for reduced foreign admittances to top US schools. Many feel that foreign students should be noting but a revenue source for lesser schools and not be admitted to competitive schools. You reap what you sow.

[Anonymous]

Is it worth the tens of thousands it costs though if it means going into debt?
I moved here at 18 and never went to college. Im sure it would have been nice but not worth years of crippling debt.
I would like DD to go, shes a teen now, but if she gets in somewhere local and can commute and save us thousands that would be great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget rushing. Greek members have higher GPAs, graduation rates, and starting salaries than independents. They dominate leadership positions on campus and often control the social scene.

Even if the Greek participation rate at a school seems low, that low percentage of students has outsized importance on campus and ends up with the best opportunities. If more than 20% of the student body is Greek, forget about staying independent and having a robust college experience and social life, especially if you're male. [/b]

[b]People will respond "that's silly, 80% aren't Greek" but when you strip from that 80% the nontraditional students, commuters, shut-ins, antisocial weirdos, and straight-up dorks, you're left with almost no one to socialize with and certainly no high-quality dating prospects. Trust me, you want to rush.

Ignorant, elitist position. Of course you can have a wonderful, full college experience with the 80% of “dorks” who choose not to pledge. My UVA kid had a fantastic four years involved with friends, debating society, political groups, clubs, and internships and never once set a foot on Greeek row, nor did his friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a foreigner and NO, this is not why so many foreigners try to get into undergrad or graduate school here in the US.

Universities are generally considerably cheaper in their own countries than here - no sane family is going to pay extra for social purposes or dorm living. Most students in the world do not need to share a bedroom with someone when they attend universities in their hometown or elsewhere (they live at home and commute, or they rent a room somewhere), and that lifestyle is quite shocking to most foreigners when they learn that a lot of college students here have no choice but to live in close intimacy with a stranger.

There are two reasons why foreigners come here to study:
1. Greater professional opportunities, either here or elsewhere in the world, because American degrees are recognized.
2. Too much competition for seats in their own country's universities - this is true for Asian countries in particular.

Don't be absurd, OP. Most people only spend money to get more money down the road. No one cares about "campus lifestyle". It's not attractive to a lot of students, and even if it were, they're not paying an arm and a leg just for that.

This is correct. OP is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget rushing. Greek members have higher GPAs, graduation rates, and starting salaries than independents. They dominate leadership positions on campus and often control the social scene.

Even if the Greek participation rate at a school seems low, that low percentage of students has outsized importance on campus and ends up with the best opportunities. If more than 20% of the student body is Greek, forget about staying independent and having a robust college experience and social life, especially if you're male. [/b]

People will respond "that's silly, 80% aren't Greek" but when you strip from that 80% the nontraditional students, commuters, shut-ins, antisocial weirdos, and straight-up dorks, you're left with almost no one to socialize with and certainly no high-quality dating prospects. Trust me, you want to rush.

Ignorant, elitist position. Of course you can have a wonderful, full college experience with the 80% of “dorks” who choose not to pledge. My UVA kid had a fantastic four years involved with friends, debating society, [b]political groups, clubs, and internships and never once set a foot on Greeek row, nor did his friends.

Let me guess: woke, right?

[Anonymous]

NP. I feel similarly to OP. I went to college in the evening while working for a company that was paying the tuition. Never had the live on campus experience or any friendships from college. It took 7 years for me to get my bachelor's degree. I have may friends who still maintain their college friendships, and I am so envious of that. My oldest has already graduated from a T20 school with lots of school spirit and he had an amazing time with friendships for life. I have my youngest who will be deciding on a school this spring. I am pretty much living vicariously through them, which is probably not healthy, but it is what it is. I just feel fortunate to be able to afford to give them that experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget rushing. Greek members have higher GPAs, graduation rates, and starting salaries than independents. They dominate leadership positions on campus and often control the social scene.

Even if the Greek participation rate at a school seems low, that low percentage of students has outsized importance on campus and ends up with the best opportunities. If more than 20% of the student body is Greek, forget about staying independent and having a robust college experience and social life, especially if you're male. [/b]

People will respond "that's silly, 80% aren't Greek" but when you strip from that 80% the nontraditional students, commuters, shut-ins, antisocial weirdos, and straight-up dorks, you're left with almost no one to socialize with and certainly no high-quality dating prospects. Trust me, you want to rush.

Ignorant, elitist position. Of course you can have a wonderful, full college experience with the 80% of “dorks” who choose not to pledge. My UVA kid had a fantastic four years involved with friends, debating society, [b]political groups, clubs, and internships and never once set a foot on Greeek row, nor did his friends.

Let me guess: woke, right?

Let me guess: asleep, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget rushing. Greek members have higher GPAs, graduation rates, and starting salaries than independents. They dominate leadership positions on campus and often control the social scene.

Even if the Greek participation rate at a school seems low, that low percentage of students has outsized importance on campus and ends up with the best opportunities. If more than 20% of the student body is Greek, forget about staying independent and having a robust college experience and social life, especially if you're male.

People will respond "that's silly, 80% aren't Greek" but when you strip from that 80% the nontraditional students, commuters, shut-ins, antisocial weirdos, and straight-up dorks, you're left with almost no one to socialize with and certainly no high-quality dating prospects. Trust me, you want to rush.

Dh and I met in college. Neither of us were Greek. We are happily married and some of my friends who were in sororities are miserable and/or divorced already. It’s certainly not causation that they are miserable, but don’t assume that “dorks” are antisocial, unsuccessful, and unhappy. What a limiting viewpoint you have. I encourage you to expand your horizons before you pass that elitist viewpoint onto your who may not be (gasp) as cool as you were, then they feel like they dissapointed daddy just by being their true self.

[Anonymous]

American college experience isn’t that unique at all except for the Greek stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The American college experience of living in dorms, eating in the cafeteria, dating, hanging out with different people with different interests and skills in close proximity, and have so many student organizations and opportunities on campus is a really unique thing. No other country has it, which is why so many try to study in America. Within America, only a small fraction of the population who are lucky enough to get admitted, are at the right age, and can afford university get to see this lifestyle. Out of the 8 billion people on this planet, only like 2 million people get to experience this lifestyle.

It’s frustrating how so many people dismiss this experience and truly miss out on a unique time. If you are lucky enough to get this experience, please make the most out of it. I didn’t, and I regret it so much

Every college in the developed world has a similar college experience, a little different at the margins but the tokyo university experience is not that different from the harvard experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a foreigner and NO, this is not why so many foreigners try to get into undergrad or graduate school here in the US.

Universities are generally considerably cheaper in their own countries than here - no sane family is going to pay extra for social purposes or dorm living. Most students in the world do not need to share a bedroom with someone when they attend universities in their hometown or elsewhere (they live at home and commute, or they rent a room somewhere), and that lifestyle is quite shocking to most foreigners when they learn that a lot of college students here have no choice but to live in close intimacy with a stranger.

There are two reasons why foreigners come here to study:
1. Greater professional opportunities, either here or elsewhere in the world, because American degrees are recognized.
2. Too much competition for seats in their own country's universities - this is true for Asian countries in particular.

Don't be absurd, OP. Most people only spend money to get more money down the road. No one cares about "campus lifestyle". It's not attractive to a lot of students, and even if it were, they're not paying an arm and a leg just for that.

Another reason that we hear "striver" comments and that people are calling for reduced foreign admittances to top US schools. Many feel that foreign students should be noting but a revenue source for lesser schools and not be admitted to competitive schools. You reap what you sow.

The compet5itive schools are really the only opnes they want to come to. Remember, they want a pathway to a job and a visa. And frankly we should give it to them. brain drain has always been a competitive advantage for our country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:when you strip from that 80% the nontraditional students, commuters, shut-ins, antisocial weirdos, and straight-up dorks, you're left with almost no one to socialize with and certainly no high-quality dating prospects.

Your writing reveals so much about you and how you look at the world. Congrats!

This is the pro-Greek troll. Ignore.

+1

The aging frat bro on this site never seems to realize he’s a walking anti-advertisement for Greek life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:when you strip from that 80% the nontraditional students, commuters, shut-ins, antisocial weirdos, and straight-up dorks, you're left with almost no one to socialize with and certainly no high-quality dating prospects.

Your writing reveals so much about you and how you look at the world. Congrats!

Just report the troll, don’t engage.

[Anonymous]

Two of my kids attend VT and are having such wonderful experiences. Not interested in Greek life, along with the 80% of other students who don’t bother with it. Too many other things to be involved in! I went to a tiny college and when I see all the opportunities available to them, I regret that I didn’t also go to a large school. Happy for them to be experiencing the “traditional college experience.”