moving & college

Someone should put together a list of threads for Islander to sticky for questions like this.

Good luck Kaylynn, I'm sure many here will help you with your search for information. I am just coming from the direction that your questions are very broad and have been answered in detail before, here. I realize that it is hard and time consuming to find the information you are looking for here. 🙂

hi!

i currently live in missouri and have just finished my associate's degree at a nearby community college. i would like to obtain my bachelor's degree somewhere else, so i thought what better place than the caribbean? go big or go home? or maybe i'm crazy? i have been doing some research and it seems doable as far as the cost of living etc. however, i am not sure how easy it is to find a job. i assume st. thomas would be the easier of the islands to find work being that it's the most populated and touristy (that's what i read, anyway).

i'm open to any advice whatsoever. where to live, how much money i should save, what island, what the community is like, ANYTHING! i understand visiting first would probably be ideal, but, i don't mind just jumping in head first. thanks for your help guys!

k

Read this message board completely. You'll find everything you need right here. I suggest you research the crime stats first. If you can deal with it then move on to other subjects like cost of living etc.

The ease or difficulty of finding a job in the in USVI's depends on many factors such as what type of job you are seeking, your skill level and qualifications, your demeanor and, for certain jobs, the time of year. There's no set answer. Also, finding a job and finding one that pays enough to support yourself in the manner to which you've become accustom may be another matter.

You've indicated that from your research you've determined living and going to college in the VI's is "doable as far as cost of living" is concerned - if by that you mean you have a steady source of income that can be used to pay your tuition, rent, food and other general living expenses then you should be OK. If, on the other hand, you need income from a job in order to live and you are assuming from your research that costs for those items "seem reasonable" compared to what you are paying where you now live you should know that wages in the islands are often significantly lower than they are for comparable positions in mainland US and you'll probably have to spend significantly more to maintain the same lifestyle in the islands as you do back in the states. That's the Catch-22 of island life - Lower wages coupled with higher living costs.

How much money you'll need to save is something only you can determine. It depends on the type of lifestyle you want. Most people seriously underestimate how much they will need. For starters, (assuming you plan on renting rather than buying) you'll need enough cash to cover three months rent (first month, last month and 1 month security deposit). You'll also need deposits for utilities plus money for incidentals, transportation (are you thinking of buying a car?), food, etc. Most people will tell you to bring enough to cover your living expenses (whatever they may be) for at least 6 months while you search for employment.

The best advice is to read through the all relocation information on this website as well as review the hundreds upon hundreds of threads on this forum that deal with relocation, housing, rents, schooling and job hunting so you have a complete understanding of what it will take to live in the islands.

You are a college student so you should know that doing research is more than just posting a question on a forum and reading a few replies. Do your homework and at the very least use the links at the top f this page and read EVERYTHING find there (it will take you days if not weeks). The information is there in great detail. Every one of the questions in your post has been asked and answered numerous times - it's all there if you take the time to look.

afriend,

i truly appreciate your advice and intend on researching and reading past forums. however, i found your last small paragraph somewhat sarcastic and cutting. yes, i am a college student but i am very new to this forum. unknowingly i posted a question that has been butchered with answers. you are correct, i should have done my homework before posting such a broad question.

in any case, your reply came packed with an annoyed undertone that i, a college student, would ask such a question. but, remember, it was your choice to answer the post.

thanks again for the suggestions.

kaylynn: What are you planning on studying? Some majors at UVI are very good and some are not so much. The Marine Science program, for example, is very competitive.

Also, I may be mistaken, but I don't think every UVI program is available on both islands. Might be that your field is better served on St. Croix.

My experience was not good with UVI-STX. The housing director, particularly, came in with the assumption that I would be racist because I'm white (though I'm actually biracial--my father's family is Native American, Cherokee on one side and Catawba on the other) and nothing I could do would convince her otherwise. In addition, I have food allergies, and the people in the cafeteria told me something didn't contain the allergen, when it did. The supposed 24/7 health service wasn't available, so I had to go to the ER. UVI was supposed to pay the bill, but they didn't, and now the collection agency is hounding me for money I don't have. I declined to have cable in my room and was charged for it anyway. The library lost one of the books I had returned, and since I was the last one to check it out, they tried to charge me for it, refusing to release my transcripts for transfer until I paid $75 for a book that costs $9.99 on Amazon. A fellow student tried to physically force me to stay in the cafeteria while there was a religious service going on, knowing that I'm not Christian and had no interest in having their beliefs forced on me. I loved St Croix once I was able to leave UVI, but that semester was a nightmare. Every time I turned around, it was something.