University of the VI's

Hello Jenna,

What do you want to know... be more specific - if you have 20 questions about UVI ask all 20 - its easier for us to answer and give opinions when you are specific otherwise I could just say "UVI is great"... and you would have no more information then when you started. I am an alumni of UVI St. Thomas campus so ask away and I will try and help.

For example... some info on your plans What major, you going to live on campus or off, do you plan to stay there all four years or just a semester or two, and then what do you want to know.... do you want to know if its a party school or not, want to know if the food at the caf is good or bad, teachers, library, clubs ect ect. Ask away.

--Islander

Islander-
I plan on majoring in business and then getting into hotel management. I have been accepted to UVI-St. Thomas. I plan on living on campus. Is that a good idea to live on campus or do you suggest living off campus? I am making a 1 year committment and if I really like the school and the area I will stay longer. Is St. Thomas a party school? Are there many young students who move down from the states to go to college at St. Thomas? How do you suggest meeting new people while still in the states before I move down? Is it wise for an me (im18) to move down on my own? I am very independent, but I just need to meet some people before I make the move. What did you think about the school in St. Thomas? Are you originally from St. Thomas? If not what made you decide to go to school there? Well hopefully you can answer some of my questions. Thank you
Jenna

im curious as to where in iowa you live? what you are planing to do for work? my boyfriend and I attend the university of iowa and are planning to move in August it's nice to know there are other iowans that will be there.

Hello Jenna,

The business program is OK-Good. If you are going to be a freshman and if things have not changed since I was there - UVI has required courses you take as a Freshman like Freshman Science, Freshman Development, Freshman English and Caribbean Literature course, Speech ect. Some of them you have to take the first and second semester - so you will be taking some Freshman required courses which may or may not transfer if the college you go to doesn't have such courses - so look into this. You will likely take these courses with some beginning business courses. If UVI sent your a catalog look in it for Business and Freshman courses - and see what the outline has as courses you have to take and in what order. Regular courses like Economics, Calculus, Geography - they will transfer, but these Freshman courses are different.

Living on campus I think is a good idea. You will have a social group automatically because you can talk to and meet folks in your dorm. Many of the students are from on-island or from other islands so you can learn about the islands from these students. And also meet other transfer students, most stayed on campus when I was there. At least for the first semester that you are there you should stay on campus. If afterwards you feel like you want to get an apartment you can do that.

You one year plan and then decide sounds good.

UVI is not a party school in general, there social nights and gatherings from time to time though. In my opinion the group that partied most while I was there were the transfer students (camping, beach parties, sundays to St. John, bar hopping, having fun....)

Transfer students and new students from the US mainland - there are usually about say 25 to maybe 45 students from the US every semester - some come for a semester or two - a few stay and graduate and then stay on island. Some semesters there were a lot and others not as many - thats why my quess is a big range. These kids often sat all together in the cafeteria and often all hung out together outside of school.

Meeting people from away - don't know how you would do that - you won't have a problem meeting people while living on campus (you will meet kids in your dorm, in your classes, in the library etc etc and then you can grow out for there. I see you said its important for you to know people before moving - well the only thing I can think of is if there are other students transfering and using this board you can keep an eye out for their questions and maybe e-mail them and that way you know of someone else transfering to UVI, otherwise have confidence in your social skills and that you will make new friends once at the school.

Wise for you as an 18 year old... thats the age most go to collge so it might be tough at first - but be smart, be careful, enjoy the experience, don't get caught up in the drinking and bar scene the island offers - remember you are here for school and thats about it.

I enjoyed UVI, I thought some courses were easy, the majority were sufficienty challenging and interesting. The teachers were overall good to great. The small class size was a plus. The environment was nice. The lights in the library were to dim - easy to fall asleep - LOL, and the chairs in the back are pretty comfy. 🙂 Some courses are way down the hill and some way up the hill - makes for a tough run up or down to get to class in some cases - you get your excercise. Downpoint - I would have liked more out of the classroom, hands-on work for some of the courses I took. Yes I am from St. Thomas.

Hope that helps - and if there are more questions, feel free to ask.

--Islander

To add to what Islander said... the dorms are NOT co-ed and there are no men allowed in the women's dorm rooms (this was 2 years ago anyway). You may get extra points from the folks for that one!!! Also re: the exchange students and the permanent students- the exchange students get pass/fail for their classes, which apparently makes them pretty bullet-proof when it comes to partying. It is pretty easy to fall off the end of the world here if you wish.The regular (serious) students keep the exchange students at arm's length as their grades count! My contacts are in Marine Biology and they seem to have fantastic out-of-the-classroom experiences: diving, visits to Puerto Rico, experiments and summer placements around the world. The small class size is a big plus- they all know each other, have professors as instructors instead of TAs, etc. Their freshman year they hung out at John Brewer's Beach between classes- tough, tough life! You might want to spend your first semester in the dorm, then decide if you want to try to work on resident status for the lower tuition charge...

I just wanted to know from the Islander (or anyone else that has information), I'm in the process of applying to UVI for grad school. I need to know, is the University near any businesses(need a job) and more importaantly, how about places to live (apts)?

I will have (In May) a bachelors, plus I have a computer background as well as a resturant background and Direct Care background.

Can anybody point me in the right direction. Maybe e-mail me some phone numbers of companies/resturants to contact. I plane to move in the last week of June.

Also, I know there is a Best Western near the airport and not too far from the University (at least thats how it appears on a map).

Help some one help

Thank you

David

David: There are restaurants in Frenchtown and town- both not too far from the university. Many of the students live on the north side, some west of the university. If you have a car, the world will be your oyster. For restaurant work, they are going to want to see you in person. You will need a health card, too. What do you mean by Direct Care?