As you narrow down your list of schools, consider the location of each institution. While some schools are located downtown in major cities, many independent schools in the United States are located in the mountains or the forest. In some cases, however, you don’t have to choose. At schools like The Cambridge School of Weston, you get the best of both worlds. Even though our campus is only about 12 miles from Boston and Cambridge, our campus and surrounding area are beautiful and safe.

You’ll want to make sure that the school you choose has systems in place to help you with the transition from your home country to the United States. Remember, it’s completely normal to feel a little homesick at first, and being surrounded by people who genuinely care about getting to know you and supporting you will make a big difference. At The Cambridge School of Weston, your dorm parents, dorm leaders, and fellow boarding students are committed to helping all students feel at home on campus. Through family-style dinners, holiday celebrations, community events, and conversations with others who understand what you’re going through, CSW will soon be a comfortable home-away-from-home.

If you want to get the most out of your time in the U.S., you’ll want to make sure that your school provides opportunities to engage with the local culture. As you talk with students and faculty, ask whether their school offers off-campus excursions. The Cambridge School of Weston is located just outside of Boston, which is one of the oldest cities in the United States. Boston is world-renowned for its colleges and universities (i.e. Harvard University, MIT, Boston University, Wellesley College, Tufts University), its highly competitive professional sports teams (i.e. Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, Bruins), and amazing food from every cuisine imaginable. The Cambridge School of Weston provides regular transportation to shopping malls, movie theaters, sporting events, various cultural performances and fairs, as well as community service opportunities.

Anyone will tell you that the best way to understand a foreign culture and the nuances of the language associated with it is to be fully immersed in the host culture. At some schools, international students are housed in separate dormitories and taught in separate classes from the rest of the students, and may have access to fewer electives as a result of International Student Program requirements. At CSW, all students live together, take classes together, and participates in clubs and leadership opportunities together from the start, so you can be sure that you are fully integrated into the daily life of our school.

One of the best parts about international study is the exchange of ideas, beliefs, and traditions that takes place. The experience shouldn’t be only about you learning American culture; you want to be in a place where people are equally as interested in learning about where you come from! Try to find out what opportunities each school provides for cross-cultural learning. At CSW, we have special days dedicated to celebrating the many cultures and ethnicities that make up our diverse community. At such events, students regularly put on cooking demonstrations, musical performances, fashion shows, and more! In addition, dorm life offers many opportunities to share food and holiday traditions from around the world.