Ash1

Hi can anyone help, we originally from the uk and have been living in New Zealand for over 6 yrs, our daughter is off to america on a four year volleyball scholarship.
Can anyone give me advice on the following universitys and the areas they are in.
1. Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond Virginia.
2.Mcneese State University Lake Charles Louisiana.
3.Armstrong Atlantic University Savanah Georgia
4Southeastern Oklahoma state University Oklahoma.
5.Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Florida.
6. Nova Southeastern University Ft Lauderdale Florida.
We have been to Orlando, st petersburg and Tampa before in Florida.
Any advice greatly appreciated, hard to decide on a uni and area without seeing them.

Englishtart

My advice would be to get your daughter to look on Facebook for the Uni's page, she will be able to chat to students at the Uni's and get some idea of what they are like and the areas they are in.

retzie

Not this one. Rednecks, meth - SE Oklahoma has got it all!

Mind you, they all look to be in the middle of nowhere. If she's very good, you may be able to convince the schools to chip in for her to go over and do a tour of all of them. That way she can see the facilities/town/campus first-hand. Even if they don't, I would consider doing it off your own bat, if you have the resources.

I would also strongly suggest she get in touch with other internationals on the teams to hear some first hand experiences. I have a good friend who came over here on a vball scholarship and the coach was very nasty to the imports

penguinsix

Hi

Congratulations on the scholarship. That should certainly save quite a bit of money for the university expenses.

I should note that none of these schools really have a 'national' reputation--they aren't exactly on the tip of the tongue when you ask an American to name "the top 100 universities" for example. Some may specialize in a particular field of study that interests your daughter, but I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the specifics of the different schools. What is she hoping to study?

You haven't mentioned your daughter's passport and citizenship, but I'm gathering it is not USA and after school she'll have to return or fight for a visa. If she wants to try and stay, either by marriage or by finding some form of job willing to sponsor her, which will be tough, she should be looking ahead to what area she wants to live in / work in. In addition, what she wants to study and the availability of that career NEAR THAT UNIVERSITY will be of great help.

These schools are generally regional in their reputation, placement and alumni. If she wants to stay and try to find a job / live in say Florida than she shouldn't take the spot at Oklahoma. Depends on her career and job opportunities for graduates with this job. Of course if she is coming home to NZ or the UK than it won't matter all that much.

Do you know what she wants to do post-university?

slummymummy

I live in Boca Raton, it's nice here, "affluent", green, clean, etc. The FAU is on Glades Road, fairly close to a beach and also close to the Boca Mall. It's meant to be an ok uni but definitely not ivy league or anything. Sorry I couldn't be of more help! Do ask if you want to know more about living in Boca.

yellowroom

I don't know anything about VCU but Richmond itself seems to be a reasonable place to be a student. Big enough to have all the facilities. Not too big to be too overwhelming compared to somewhere like Auckland. Close enough to coast, mountains and "big" cities like DC and New York.

The campus is downtown next to the historic area (bits of the film Lincoln were filmed there), plenty of museums, bars, restaurants etc. I've only driven through the campus, but it seems nice enough.

ian-mstm

I'm working on my PhD at NSU. What would you like to know? It's a lovely campus in a relatively nice area of town. Lots of shops and restaurants. Ft. Lauderdale consolidated its various higher education facilities into an "education corridor", so around NSU there are 4 more universities - all within walking distance of each other. The Miami Dolphins have their training facility at NSU... if she fancies American football. And perhaps best of all, NSU is only about 10 miles from the Atlantic Ocean and some very nice beaches!

Ian

Ash1

Hi thanks for the info she has dual nationality UK and Nz, and has interest in Foresics and Sports management. She has represented New Zealand for the last four years in Indoor and Beach volleyball and competed at the jnr world championships for beach last yr in Cyprus

Ash1

Thanks Ian I will pass this on to my daughter, she also has an Interest at Florida Atlantic Uni which is Div l for the volleyball as well in Boca Raton prob not for from Nova Southeastern and is Div ll for volleyball.

Ash1

Hi Thanks for the info there is also interest from Nova Southeastern too Ft lauderdale.

Ash1

Also anyone in Alabama, had a interest just through from Auburn University in Aluburn Alabama which is Div l for volleyball any info would be great

Ash1

Hi Thanks for that, getting that in motion all ready talking to other volleyball girls in the team

Ash1

I am sure she will have some question for you do you live on the campus? how long have you been there?

Michael

If she wants to be competitive in volleyball, she needs to go to a division 1 college. The following is the current NCAA rankings of all division 1 schools for women's volleyball.

http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/volleyb...volleyball_rpi

Stanford University has probably been the overall best women's volleyball team for the past 30 years either winning or being runner up to the national title nearly 50% of the time.

Ash1

Hi yes done that got the list for NCAA Div l and Div ll, inc confernce/regional and national results her aim is for Div 1, a lot depends on is they can offer the full scholarship and her position as OH or OPP/RT, or need someone in that position. Done the Stats applied to the area she would like to be in and uni's that do the degrees she is interested in, which so far leaves us with 3 in Div l Virginnia commonwealth Richmond, offered full sholarship, Florida Atlantic Div l Boca Raton saying yes to offering full scholarship speaking to again tomorrow. an Auburn uni Alabama the rest are Div ll , with offers still coming in but need the full scholarship thing, yes tried Stanford have no scholarships left contacted them last August 2012, so been a ongoing thing