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Just came home from our trip to STT to tour the campus of the University of the Virgin Islands. I wish I could have afforded to stay longer because the trip was hectic and frantic.
My daughter and I were at cross purposes. This was my third time visiting STT and I was essentially trying to do a PMV to see if she could get by as a student. It was her first visit to STT and she wanted to be a tourist. I wanted to check out where McDonald's, Kmart and Banco Popular were. She wanted to spend two days at Coral World and eat at Senor Frog's because some classmate of hers happened to be in town aboard the Carnival Sunshine. Any hope of sticking to a budget went out the window as soon as we landed.
I would have done a lot of things differently to cut corners. We spent almost no time in our room at Emerald Beach, so staying in a beachfront resort was a huge waste of money just to be close to both UVI and the airport. I also realized we didn't need to rent a brand new Jeep Compass to get around once I saw cars like Toyota Tercels all over the roads. I would have stuck to my guns and eaten more fast food instead of whatever high-end tourist restaurant I could pull into without getting into an accident (the left-hand driving thing didn't bother me in the Bahamas, but driving in STT was another thing altogether). Oh well, live and learn...
I was quite impressed with the tour of the UVI-STT campus. I know UVI is not an Ivy League school by any means, but it offers a lot of unique opportunities through international exchange programs that make it extremely appealing. Their website was completely accurate; everything looked just like the picture. We bombarded the staff with questions and everything was answered in a frank and open way. This is certainly not the only university my daughter will be touring this year, but I have a feeling that after seeing UVI-STT, everything else will seem dull by comparison. I'm pretty sure we'll be back to take a second look at some point in the future.
The mission was accomplished, and now we can move on with our college search. Thanks so much to everyone who responded to our previous discussion thread prior to our trip. Your help was greatly appreciated!!
Posted : April 26, 2014 3:20 am
Just be aware that money will go just as fast if she does go to school here and plan accordingly.
Posted : April 26, 2014 8:14 am
glad you had a good visit. looking forward to her decision
Posted : April 26, 2014 10:18 am
LOL! Now you can see why some UVI students are seduced by the activities here: beaches and snorkeling, drinking at 18, etc. If she liked Coral World, maybe she will consider the Marine Science program.
It is not unusual for people to spend a PMV doing tourist stuff. Heck, residents do tourist stuff, too!
There is a difference between the international exchange students and the "regular" students. Because the exchange students are here for a short while and because they are on pass-fail grading, they tend to hit the party circuit a bit more intensely. Many of the degree-seeking students will hold them at arm's length because they know that they have to get grades and show up for class. Obviously, not all exchange students are like this...
Posted : April 26, 2014 2:09 pm
I'm glad it went well for you. But my main concern rather than choosing a college would be towards what she plans to take and will she be able to find a job when she finishes school. Good luck in your search.
Posted : April 26, 2014 3:22 pm
