[Adrenaline]

Going to an American college has always been a dream of mine. I wouldn't mind studying at one, but the reality of it is that I can't afford the tuition/boarding fees. Here in Australia, I've only been paying about 5 grand a year (the government pays the rest) but university life sucks. Nobody lives on campus so they just go to their classes and go home and the closest thing you'll get to a party is the pub crawl once a semester. In the US I would have to pay around 30 grand a year plus accommodation on top of that and I wouldn't even be able to get a student loan like I do here.

So what is the best way to experience the party side of college life for a month or two without actually studying at a college?

I was thinking about staying in a hotel close to a college campus but never having been to the US have no idea how this will turn out. I guess I could just walk into random lectures and pretend to be studying that topic lol.

Which are the best states/colleges to stay near for these intentions?

Is there a particularly good time to make the trip to the US?

I'm getting on a bit now by college standards (23) so if I can't experience the real thing, I just want as close to it as possible on a budget.

[Deluge]

Go on exchange to America. You won't have to pay your host universities tuition fees, just the $5k you're already paying to your Australian university. The cost of living in the U.S is a joke compared to Australia as well. American exchanges are the most competitive to get into though due to high demand but low supply of partnerships, you will need a HD average to have a realistic chance especially for anywhere fun or reputable. Canada is a bit easier, exchange to Europe is a lot easier especially the U.K. Check your university's exchange page. Just make sure you don't choose an Australian style commuter school.

Alternatively you could just move to Res. It would cost 2x more than rent in a sharehouse in the same area but it includes all your bills and maybe even food and you won't have to share a room like you would in America. Res wouldn't be American level crazy by any means but it'd be a boon for your sex life and half the people in your hall would be exchanges from Europe.

[Adrenaline]

Yeah HD's are way out of the picture. I've got a semester left on my current degree and average somewhere in between a credit and distinction.

Sorry, what's Res?

[Deluge]

(10-20-2014 05:40 AM)Adrenaline Wrote:  

Yeah HD's are way out of the picture. I've got a semester left on my current degree and average somewhere in between a credit and distinction.

Sorry, what's Res?

Residence halls. The on-campus housing.

[Adrenaline]

Wasn't aware that was even possible without being a student at the college!

Any idea where to check that option out? Everything I find is solely for students, graduates or future students.

[Marmite]

Is there any possibility of you getting a scholarship to attend a U.S. university? What about attending for post graduate study?

There is always spring break.

[Deluge]

(10-20-2014 06:27 AM)Adrenaline Wrote:  

Wasn't aware that was even possible without being a student at the college!

You didn't read what I wrote properly. I meant at where you're studying right now, not in America.

(10-20-2014 06:28 AM)Marmite Wrote:  

Is there any possibility of you getting a scholarship to attend a U.S. university? What about attending for post graduate study?

He wouldn't have the grades.

[Captain Gh]

Not speaking from experience, but with the whole Campus Rape hysteria that's currently going on, I wouldn't bother with Uni life at all.

[Brian Shima]

^seriously dude!?? Don't target crazy or fat girls and you'll be fine!

Theres many college towns and small cities where the school is the main priority going on. A lot of these places have blocks and blocks of houses and apartments close to the block of bars and clubs. Anyone could definetly get an apartment close to all of this and do damage! These places are usually pretty cheap as well.

[Rang off the Pipe]

(10-20-2014 09:07 AM)Captain Gh Wrote:  

Not speaking from experience, but with the whole Campus Rape hysteria that's currently going on, I wouldn't bother with Uni life at all.

I disagree. The fun schools with great nightlife and lower academic standards will likely not be affected. It's the upper schools that will be perhaps worse off, but even then, those schools weren't good places to game to begin with for a variety of reasons.

[Deluge]

(10-20-2014 09:07 AM)Captain Gh Wrote:  

Not speaking from experience, but with the whole Campus Rape hysteria that's currently going on, I wouldn't bother with Uni life at all.

[Blue Streak]

(10-20-2014 05:12 AM)Deluge Wrote:  

Go on exchange to America. You won't have to pay your host universities tuition fees, just the $5k you're already paying to your Australian university. The cost of living in the U.S is a joke compared to Australia as well. American exchanges are the most competitive to get into though due to high demand but low supply of partnerships, you will need a HD average to have a realistic chance especially for anywhere fun or reputable. Canada is a bit easier, exchange to Europe is a lot easier especially the U.K. Check your university's exchange page. Just make sure you don't choose an Australian style commuter school.

Alternatively you could just move to Res. It would cost 2x more than rent in a sharehouse in the same area but it includes all your bills and maybe even food and you won't have to share a room like you would in America. Res wouldn't be American level crazy by any means but it'd be a boon for your sex life and half the people in your hall would be exchanges from Europe.

Deluge has it right.

If you aren't able to experience a good party life at an Australian university then you aren't doing it right. Live on Res, or at least make friends with people who do and you will be able to go to their parties. Hell, even just joining some of the bigger social clubs on campus would do the trick, as they generally run heaps of parties. Making friends with kids here on exchange is also a good idea as they are mostly just here to party.

[Travesty]

If you want to go without enrolling:

1) Look for college guys or girls lookin to rent out a bedroom in their house.

2) Tell any random girl outside your social circle and that won't get to know your social circle you are a full time student.

3) Tell any inner social circle friends you are taking an online extension course, or online community college courses and are looking to transfer in soon for your last two years.

4) Join the largest campus social clubs with the most girls and drinking again with the story you are taking some extension courses and will transfer in soon. Show up to every meeting. Befriend all the kids that coordinate everything President, VP etc... act like you want to become a leader of the club.

Among the social clubs, your hopefully cool roommates, and cold approach you should have something to work with.

[Deluge]

Living in a student sharehouse as a non-student gets you access to the sharehouse party scene (provided your housemates are party people) which is great, but in Australia specifically I don't think going out of your way to do that is worth it unless the university is located in a hip area with a lot of uni's like Sydney's Inner West or Melbourne's Inner North where there is plenty going on outside the university. Living in a student sharehouse in the suburbs (where most universities are) just to get keyed in to the uni scene makes no sense in Australia, you're much better off living somewhere with logistics and proper nightlife.

[Captain Ahab]

Get a job in a college town.

[horn]

(10-21-2014 09:21 AM)Captain Ahab Wrote:  

Get a job in a college town.

This is the correct answer. Ann Arbor, Austin, Chapel Hill, Madison, Gainesville, et al.

[Carlos100]

(10-21-2014 12:23 AM)Travesty444 Wrote:  

If you want to go without enrolling:

1) Look for college guys or girls lookin to rent out a bedroom in their house.

2) Tell any random girl outside your social circle and that won't get to know your social circle you are a full time student.

3) Tell any inner social circle friends you are taking an online extension course, or online community college courses and are looking to transfer in soon for your last two years.

4) Join the largest campus social clubs with the most girls and drinking again with the story you are taking some extension courses and will transfer in soon. Show up to every meeting. Befriend all the kids that coordinate everything President, VP etc... act like you want to become a leader of the club.

Among the social clubs, your hopefully cool roommates, and cold approach you should have something to work with.

I believe schools differ in how many credits you have to take at one time in order to get full student access privileges (library, gym, clubs, fraternities, etc). So, find a school, if possible, in which you can be considered a regular student while only taking one or two classes a semester and that also has a reputation as a party school. Get a job in the local community (or with the school) and share a residence with other students, as Travesty suggests. I worked in the career center at my university and it was a good place to meet people because everyone came in there to research internships and jobs.

[Deluge]

(10-21-2014 04:47 PM)horn Wrote:  

(10-21-2014 09:21 AM)Captain Ahab Wrote:  

Get a job in a college town.

This is the correct answer. Ann Arbor, Austin, Chapel Hill, Madison, Gainesville, et al.

There is no such thing as a college town in Australia like there is in America. Almost all the universities are in the big cities, which is where everyone already lives anyway.