When applying to universities in the US, minds are often drawn to the big names on the east and west coasts. When this happens, international students miss out on the significant land mass and opportunities found in the Midwest.
But with even native “coasters” falling in love with this forgotten region, the universities in the 12 Midwestern states could be some of the most underrated schools in the country.
With walks like this, who needs beaches? Source: Shutterstock
Here are four additional reasons why international students should consider studying in Central America:
1. Large universities
World-class education in the US is not limited to the Ivy League.
The University of Chicago, ranked ninth in QS World University Rankings 2019 is in Illinois, while the 20th University of Michigan is in the next state.
Many Nobel Prize winners have worked closely with the university, including Milton Friedman (Economics, 1976), Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (Physics, 1983), Saul Bellow (Literature, 1976), Charles Huggins (Physiology or Medicine, 1966) and Willard Libby (C , 1960).
The Midwest is also home to the “Public Ivies” – US universities said to provide an Ivy League college experience at a public school price: Indiana University, University of Miami, Michigan State University, Ohio State University, University of Illinois, University of Iowa , University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin.
2. The heart of America
The coasts are known for their diversity, hosting an international population of hundreds of different nationalities.
How the US foreign-born population grew from 14 million to 41 million in 30 years and in which States. pic.twitter.com/eGYF5ovu5Y
— Paul Kirby (@paul1kirby) August 25, 2016
In America's heartland, the Midwest is where most locals live. States like Florida and California reportedly have a foreign-born population of up to 74.4 percent and 49.1 percent respectively. Compare that to Ohio, where some cities like Toledo and Cincinnati have foreign-born populations of less than 4 percent.
3. Lower cost of living
While there are ultra-rich international students who drive Ferraris, the rest of the international student population would still be the ones pinching the pennies. In the Midwest, these kinds of stings are easier to come by with lower rent and other living expenses. Midwestern cities like Missouri, Tennessee, and Ohio dominate Forbes' ranking of America's Most Affordable Cities in 2015.
Analyzing this further we can see, using of Expatistan calculator, the cost of living in Los Angeles, California is 39 percent higher compared to Toledo, Ohio. A dozen eggs in Toledo cost just US$1.92 on average, a fraction of the US$4.17 charged in Los Angeles.
Likewise, utilities, transportation, and other commodities are also on the lower side in the Midwest, meaning you can live (almost) like a king even on a student's budget.
4. Large international student population
According US newsIllinois, Michigan, and Ohio are home to some of the largest international student populations in 2016-2017.
Moving to a new country can be a difficult transition, and while you'd like to get to know the local population better, being in these states would mean better pastoral support from your universities to ensure a smoother transition to university life of the USA. (That's not to say the locals aren't great – researchers have found that people from the Midwestern states display friendly and agreeable traits more often than any other region of the US).
And with so many nationalities on the same campus, your experience abroad would be truly international.
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