Semester In Lock Haven next year

LovexxLife

Hi, theres an exchange programme with a university in Lock Haven in Pennsylvania thats be opened up to my course. Theres 5 spaces in the exchange I think I may be the only student from my course going to it as my class is very small and mainly made up of mature students. Do you think that would put be a disadvantage? We got told student accomodation is around 1800 dollars and its for the second semester of the year. So how long does it normally take for the student visa to go through? Oh I know we have to get health insurance too cos its America, so should VHI insurance do you think?
Another question is since it be the second semester of the year i be goin and on a student visa, I was thinking staying for the summer in America too because like I probably would have very little hope of trying to get job when I come back in may or June, so could I apply for the J1 while In America?
I kinda keep changing my mind about going, due to family stuff and leaving my friends behind, but would it really be a brillant opportunity as ever says it would be?

pow wow

Wow, lots of questions

1. What kind of disadvantage do you mean?

2. The visa takes a couple of months altogether, including the interview at the embassy. The visa you'd be on is a J1 (F1 is for longer-term students) and I don't know if you can apply for an additional J1 if you're already in the US. I know you can change visa status (go from F to J etc.) but I don't know about getting a subsequent J1.

3. Re. the health insurance - the bigger schools tend to have student plans that they'd be willing to enrol international students on (oodles cheaper for you and the coverage is usually wider than one of the international policies). I don't really know about VHI coverage (their new international product seems to be for stays in excess of 6 months).

4. Everyone is different but I have never heard of anyone saying it was a bad decision to have done a year/semester abroad (and for some of us it was the best year of college ). Lock Haven looks quite a small campus and town though which may or may not be your kind of thing. At the end of the day it's 4 or 5 months out of your life and your friends will be here when you get back - unless you've something else keeping you here I'd say go for it!

LovexxLife

Sorry! Should put my questions must clearer sorry!

1. Disadvantages as In making new friends and that Kinda thing? I was also wondering when international students go to America do they Mix in with just the other international students?

2. I know we have to send off some D something form and wait for that to be comfirmed kinda thing. Hmmmm Maybe I come home for the summer =/ Seems too difficult.

3. Yea I have to a bit of more research on that. Lock haven quite a small university as it was orignally a teaching college and has about 4,000-5,000 students

4. Yes I think that if I go it would be one of thoses thing you never forget, and would make one so much more independent as I still live at home. I was trying to get a job to fund it myself but no lucks so just doing bits of work experience but Im lucky that my dad said he would pay it for me! So I guess I have no reason to say no!

pow wow

No worries - apologies from here too as I only just saw your reply.

1. My own experience was at a school with over 20,000 students with a huge athletics department and a reputation as one of the best 'party' schools in America As a result social life there was intense and there was never a dull moment. People were generally very welcoming, though most conversations started with either 'you talk funny' or 'your accent is like, sooooo cute'. Most schools regardless of size have a fairly active social scene with loads of clubs/events organised on campus so there'll be plenty of opportunities to meet locals. It's really up to you how much or little you hang out with the other 'internationals' - we were talked out of it at orientation as it can kind of limit your experience. They may or may not house you all together which affect how much time you spend with them, and some people do go and study in America just to hang out with other Europeans 24/7 so you will have that option if you want it!

2. The DS2019 is your golden ticket both before and after you arrive. It's basically the form which supports your visa so it's just as important as the visa itself. Once you have it from the college you apply for the visa interview yourself and it's pretty straightforward from there.

3. Nothing to add on the health insurance front

4. Do it! Seriously! If you hate it you can come home but it's really really unlikely you'd hate it. There are opportunities to get an on-campus job on the J1 up to 20 hours per week (great for the social side of things too ) and even if you decide not to work while you're there, it's a place you can have a lot of a fun on not a lot of money.

LovexxLife

Thanks for all the advice! Yea i be staying in the international building but My plans are to join a good few societys as the ones in my college are crap and oin a sports club too! Yea Im hoping to get some on campus work when I get over there so fingers crossed! And like it only for about 4 months and like thats not much In a lifetime! So Im pretty sure Im going alright now Just have to wait to September to get more details from the lecturer and get the go ahead from her. Oh my last question is did you find like the actual college work much harder than the system back home??

pow wow

Not harder but they keep you much more on your toes with surprise quizzes and the like, so you can't just veg for the semester and then cram for the final/essay. The grading is also different (As, Bs, Cs etc. and 70 is considered bad as opposed to it being the top rung mark at home). I found the professors much more approachable and friendly and they really made sure you knew the stuff backwards rather than just talking at you for a couple of hours at a time. People talk a lot more in class there too, so be prepared to shrug off any shyness you have about that too

LovexxLife

Aww they do surprise quizzes!? =/ So if 70 bad whats a good mark then?

pow wow

Well there the work is graded on a 1-100 scale so where here you'd never hear of someone getting 95% on an essay (because 70% is the holy grail of the 1st class honour), there it's normal, so to them a 70% in their terms is a C which isn't a fail but isn't a glowing pass either.

When we were translating back our grades my uni here equated the American 100% (which is an A) to 70% or 1st class here, somewhere in the Bs was a 2:1 etc.

LovexxLife

Okay Thanks think I get it, Thanks for all your help, think thats all my questions for now