Amherst College (AC)

Pay attention to your visa status. If you come on J-1 ( foreign exchange student), after the completion of tyour program, you might be forced to go back to your home country and stay there for 2 years. It is almost impossible too waive this requirement, although it is possible to exchange your visa temporarily for another type (F-1)if you want to continue your studies. But eventually you have to fulfill this home residency requirement. While it should not discourage you from going, PLEA-EA-EA-SE pay lots of attention to it!!!! P.S. Also, do not always trust the school's person in charge of foreign students. Some of them don't know a thing, some know it, but will not tell you because it is their job; some will be too lazy to do extra paper work for you. For them, an echange student is often too troublesome. Amherst person was all of the above. Check all the statements they make with experienced friends, Iagora, and immigration authorities. If you find a friendly foreign students dean, s/he is worth her weight in gold.

A truly world class opportunity. Small place (1600 students) where anonymity is difficult = true sense of belonging (65% of alumni give money to the school every year, the highest in the USA). NOT a particularly international place, but a good sample of the USA's talent pool.

Many internationals at Amherst make connections with their compartriots in the Five College area. Mount Holyoke and Smith College are both nearby and have active international student associations, with many non-Americans on campus.