buzzyhaha

Maybe it's a bit late to still be pondering on this, but I'm currently having a very hard time choosing between Brown and IRC for my first choice. Brown has the best location, and I really liked the idea of living in a close community. However, rumors says it houses strange ppl, and I've never met anyone who lives in Brown to prove me whether this is right or not. Besides, I was told that there were not too many intl' students in Brown, so I'm scared that it would be hard for me to adjust to life there.

IRC is good to me in a way that I'm an international student, and it would be nice to meet other intl' students there as well and everyone from IRC had told me it was great!!

So any suggestions? and Brown ppl, please feel free to correct me about the rumors I've heard:P I really really wanna hear from you guys what Brown is like

Globalist

I lived in Brown College. (Smith portal to be exact. The dorms are called portals at Brown.) I wouldn't call Brown residents strange; artsy perhaps. I know I enjoyed living there though I didn't hang out with that many Brown people. By the time I moved to Brown, I already had my core group of friends from the Asian organizations, University Programming Council, and the Spanish Language House (called La Casa Bolivar), where I lived my 2nd year.

I think the IRC might be the best fit for you, but living somewhere like Brown where there aren't that many international students shouldn't be daunting. It might be a great eye-opening experience. Besides if you want to meet other international students, it's pretty easy. I believe that you're from Hong Kong, right? Well, you should contact the Hong Kong Students Association at UVa.

http://www.ciocent.student.virginia....php?org_id=101
http://www.student.virginia.edu/~hongkong/

Globalist

This might be interesting for you to check out if you haven't done so already. Here are the websites for the IRC and Brown.

http://www.web.virginia.edu/irc/
http://www.brown-college.org/

shellimimi

buzzyhaha,
i am also from HK and I hv chosen IRC as my first choice, but i hv not yet sent in the supplemental app, how abt u? Also, do u know which is the most popular choice for intl students aside from IRC? cos i really wanna meet diff ppl from diff areas

Globalist

Though you can't apply to these places as an incoming 1st year student, here are other options you should consider for next year:

The Mosaic House
http://www.web.virginia.edu/irc/mosaic.htm
http://www.cavalierdaily.com/CVArtic...21687&pid=1229
http://www.web.virginia.edu/irc/moho/index.html

The Foreign Language Houses:

La Casa Bolivar (Spanish)
http://www.virginia.edu/span-ital-po...asa%20Bolivar/

La Maison Francaise (French)
http://www.student.virginia.edu/~mai...ex.php?lang=en

Russian House
http://www.virginia.edu/slavic/russi...ian_house.html

Max-Kade House (German)
http://www.virginia.edu/german/under...rgradhouse.htm

Shea House (Arabic, Chinese, Hindi-Urdu, Italian, Japanese & Farsi)
http://www.virginia.edu/housing/stud...php?pass=upcls

buzzyhaha

Wow thanks for all that info Globalist! It's so nice to finally hear from someone in Brown

Well many ppl told me IRC is the best option too, and many of my friends who are going to UVA is also choosing IRC as their first choice. But I kind of decided to step out of my safety zone and try something new, so I would still go for Brown.

I'm just being curious, how did u guys know I'm from HK?? Do I really sound like a HKer?? ( haha I know I'm a typical HKer)

anyways, shellimimi, I haven't started anything on the application essays yet, provided that I got 10 essays ( 5 for brown, 5 for IRC) to finish in less than a week.......and wait till u see the Brown application, it's insane:P

Globalist

I have a pretty good memory for who types what on CollegeConfidential. It's part of my obsessive compulsive nature, I guess. LOL! I remembered you mentioning that you were from HK a while ago.

Untilted

hey man.......brown>IRC

good choice

Globalist

Shellimimi,

Check out this link. It lists all the "Undergraduate Student Ambassadors" from China & Hong Kong. These are students from foreign countries who are willing to be contacted by people from their homeland re. UVa.

http://www.virginia.edu/iso/issp/worldmap/china.htm

BTW, I love Hong Kong. It's such an exciting and vibrant city. I also really like Macau. What a beautiful and interesting place w/ its Chinese and Portuguese architecture and history. I was afraid to gamble in Macau's casinos though, because everyone there was so hardcore. LOL!

Ah Asia, how I miss you so!

Globalist

Here's another link. I don't know what it says since I don't know Chinese.

http://www.people.virginia.edu/~dw7d/

VirginiaAlum

I had a few friends who lived in Brown and I didn't really view them as any different than the rest of the student body. Actually, many people in Brown are more involved with University organizations than the rest of the student body. Remember, however, whether you are in the College, E-School, or Education School, Brown is close to all of them as well as the Corner (a set of shops / restaurants right outside the University). Furthermore, you are also right next to Newcomb Dining Hall which is also good. Lastly, if you have friends who are first-years, most of them will live in Old Dorms / New Dorms - and Old Dorms is a 5 minute walk from Brown. The IRC is near the Architecture School however. Hope this helps.

Untilted

"Here's another link. I don't know what it says since I don't know Chinese.

http://www.people.virginia.edu/~dw7d/"

HEY GLOBALIST, thanks.....
it's a webpage to all Chinese students in UVA

shellimimi

Globalist,
thanks a lot for posting the links!
By the way, I love my place( HK and asia ) too! I think I am going to miss it a lot when I have to leave for uva!!
I will be very willing to be a tour guide when you come here and lead you to the many delicious cusines around!! haha!!