The United States of America is a large country with over 5,000 universities and colleges. To narrow down which schools you might want to apply to, we’ve broken down the six major regions:

 

Northeast

Many international students are attracted to the Northeast. This is where many Ivy League schools are located such as Harvard, Columbia, Yale, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Princeton, and UPenn. These schools have been around for generations. 

There are many benefits to studying in the Northeast both academically and socially. The Northeast consists of four seasons: summer, autumn, winter and spring. In the fall, the tree leaves change color and display hues of red, orange and yellow. This is the most beautiful time of year and many people come from all over the country to experience it! The weather cools down in the fall and temperatures are usually around 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). The summers are fairly mild, aside from a few hot weeks in July and August. The temperatures are typically around 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius.) During the winter, you can expect immense amounts of snowfall. Many people like to go skiing and snowboarding during this time of year. The temperatures can drop to 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-15 degrees Celsius). During the spring, temperatures warm up to around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius). 

 

The Northeast also houses three major cities, New York City, Philadelphia and Boston, well known for their food, lifestyle and sport teams such as The Boston Red Sox and The New York Yankees. New York City is known for its thin crust pizza and Philadelphia is known for its cheese steak sandwiches! 

 

Connecticut, a smaller state in the Northeast is home to the largest casinos in the country; Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun. Success Pathway is located in Connecticut so we have many great suggestions for things to do here! 

 

An average monthly rental will run around $1,500 in this area and around $2,500 in any major city. The cost of living is high in the Northeast especially close to New York City in a town called Greenwich. You can find many rich and famous people living here.

 

The states in the Northeast include Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. 

 

Mid Atlantic

Typically overlooked, the Mid Atlantic also offers many great schools. There are a few notable state schools such as Ohio State University which offers a great education with slightly lower tuition. Case Western Reserve University provides a reputable medical program. 

 

The climate in the Mideast is fairly mild and not as cold as the Northeast. Their winters consist of fewer snowfalls, but their summers tend to be slightly hotter than in the Northeast. In the winter the temperature is just below freezing at 30 degrees Fahrenheit (-1 degrees Celsius). The summer’s are at about 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius.) The spring and fall months are typically 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). 

 

Washington D.C. is home to the United States Capitol and the President of the United States! This is a great part of the country to study a law or anthropology degree. 

 

This region is also home to a few religious schools, including Loyola in Maryland and Georgetown in Maryland. The states in this region are Maryland, Delaware, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee. 

 

The average monthly rent is about $1,600 which is slightly higher than some other parts of the country. 

 

Southeast

Home to the famous Disneyworld, the Southeast houses the University of Florida and several smaller Ivy League schools. These schools include Wakeforest and Duke. 

 

The weather in the Southeast is fairly warm because it is closer to the equator. Their “winters” consist of rare snowfalls and an average of 60 degree Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius.) Sometimes, during the summer months this area is prone to hurricanes. The summer can be very hot, most days about 91 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius.) The spring and fall tends to be around 68 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius). If you like warmer temperatures, the southeast is the best place to be! 

 

South Carolina is home to Charleson, a small quaint city with cobblestone streets, horse drawn carriages and antebellum homes. This part of the country has many beautiful beaches, especially located in Florida and South Carolina. Another tourist destination is Miami and the Florida Keys located at the southernmost point of Florida.  

 

Some smaller but well reputed schools include Clemson University in North Carolina and Georgia Institute of Technology. Average monthly rent in this region is about $1,000, slightly lower than the average of other areas. This region includes South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. 

 

North Central

Another area of the United States that is typically overlooked, the North Central or sometimes called the MidWest has many favorable attributes. They have many well known state schools, which offer a slightly lower tuition cost, such as Michigan State University. Other schools worth mentioning include University of Chicago and Milwaukee School of Engineering. 

 

The climate in the MidWest/North Central is similar to the Northeast’s. The winters have a few heavy snowfalls and temperatures around 37 degrees Fahrenheit (2.7 degrees Celsius). The summer months can be quite hot with temperatures up to 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius.)  Like the Northeast, the temperature during the spring and autumn months are quite mild. The spring is about 58 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) and the fall drops to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius.) However, this region is apart of “Tornado Alley”, an area where tornadoes are most frequent from March until June. 

 

You can expect to pay about $1,200 each month for rent. 

 

The states are Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa. 

 

South Central

This region houses Texas, one of the largest states in the United States, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico. Their most notable attribute is their traditional BBQ food such as pulled pork and beef brisket. Additionally, since it is so close to the Mexican border, there is a lot of Mexican food here too. 

 

New Orleans is a city heavily influenced by French culture and jazz music. This is a fun place to visit for music fans alike. This area of the country loves football and is a great place for sports fans. The Dallas Cowboys are one of the most historic football teams in the history of the NFL. Texas is also known for its country music. 

 

During the summertime, the temperatures can be above 100 degrees fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius). The winter brings temperatures of 37 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius.) The rest of the year tends to be fairly mild, with temperatures ranging from 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius.) This area is also a part of “Tornado Alley”, a term used to describe the frequent tornadoes from March until June. Similarly to other regions, athletics is very important to the South Central. 

 

This region also offers a few religious schools, like Baylor, or privately owned schools like Rice University. 

 

The median monthly rental is about $1,000. 

 

West

Another well known area of the country, is the West’s with its most recognized state, California. It has many attractions such as the Golden State Bridge, Los Angeles, and Hollywood. 

 

It’s important to note that California is known for having fairly frequent earthquakes, most of which are mild and last a short period of time. The summer can be very hot with temperatures around 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius). The winters are very enjoyable with lows of 48 degrees Fahrenheit (9 degrees Celsius.) Many people that reside along with coast enjoy surfing during the warmer months. Parts of California such as Napa Valley are known for its wineries. Notable schools in this region are Stanford which is a Mini Ivy League, University of Southern California at Santa Barbara, and the University of Southern California at Berkeley. 

 

Other states include Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii. The southern part of this region can be very hot, with temperatures nearing over 100 degrees fahrenheit. The states in the north can be cooler and quite rainy. 

 

Hawaii is an island off the mainland and is very tropical, however it is fairly expensive to live there. The weather is very warm and the temperature is almost always above 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius.) 

 

Alaska, which is located near Canada, can have very long hours of sun during the summer but constant darkness during the winter months. The southern cities can expect winter lows of 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-2 degrees Celsius) while the northern cities can expect -10 degrees Fahrenheit (-23 degrees Celsius.) The highest temperature during the summer is 88 degrees Fahrenheit (31 degrees Celsius.) 

 

The monthly rent here is quite expensive, running about $2,000 or more. In major cities such as Los Angeles, you can expect to pay upwards of $3,000 a month.  

 

The United States has several regions, each with its own distinct characteristics. Whether you enjoy the warmth, the snow, exploring new cities and trying new food, each part of the United States has so many wonderful things to offer!