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I am a high school student from Indiana, and I am planning to go to the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (RUM) in 2016. I have a lot of friends from PR and I have done A LOT of research, but I want to know more about what to expect if/when I go to college there. Does anyone have any experience with the university or the west coast area? On another note, how well do I need to speak Spanish? We are going to go visit next month (April 2015), is there anything you would recommend I do/see/ask about? Thanks so much in advance!
Try searching for "Lee Nation" and "Puerto Rico" on Youtube. I came across her channel when I was researching schools in PR. I think she is in college now in PR. If you contact her, she may be willing to share with you. I think the following is her link but I'm not sure if the link will be allowed: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC62...a_CsczToQqvnsA
I am originally from Miami, FL and went to UPRM. It was a great experience and I am very glad I made the decision. Besides the obvious benefits of being on the beautiful west coast of Puerto Rico, it is actually a great university academically especially for Engineering. I received several great job offers both in the USA and PR coming right out of college.
If you have never been to PR before (actually even if you have), you may be in for a culture shock. Mayaguez is very different from San Juan, and PR in general is very different from the states. You will very much feel like you are in another country. I say this in a good way as it makes for a great learning and growth experience. Virtually all classes are in Spanish. Occasionally you will get an American or foreign professor and the class will be in English. But in general, being able to speak Spanish is a must. Most of the students will speak pretty good English, but all everyday conversations and exams will be in Spanish (books are mostly in English though). My parents are from PR and I already spoke good Spanish before getting to PR and was able to perfect it pretty quickly. If you don`t speak good Spanish I think they have programs for students from the US to help ease the transition.
Most of the students are from other town in Puerto Rico, so they travel home on the weekends. The day to go out for a drink is therefore Thursday. Mayaguez can kind of be a ghost town on weekends. I myself would got o San Juan and stay with my family over there. However, you can also spend your weekends exploring other parts of the west coast such as Rincon, Aguadilla, Cabo Rojo, etc. Take a look around Mayaguez when you visit, alot of students live on la Calle Bosque which is about a 5 min walk from the university.
Overall, it will be a great experience. It make take a little getting used to, but I loved it. I would recommend it to anyone.
Location: Tampa Bay`·.¸¸ ><((((º>.·´¯`·><((((º>
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This is one of the videos another poster is talking .
My daughter went to the Colegio in Mayaguez as it's called for 5 years for an enginnering degree and then she went to an Ivy League school in US for a Master's . She really enjoyed Mayaguez .
Thank you very much! Please keep the advice coming! I should add that I am hoping to get/planning on getting a swimming scholarship so I will be living in the athletes dorms. What should I do about a car? If I buy a car could I store it over the summers at a storage place? What is the best way to go about buying a car in PR? How much should I expect to spend?
Thank you very much! Please keep the advice coming! I should add that I am hoping to get/planning on getting a swimming scholarship so I will be living in the athletes dorms. What should I do about a car? If I buy a car could I store it over the summers at a storage place? What is the best way to go about buying a car in PR? How much should I expect to spend?
Cars are used are cheaper. but new ones are not as much selection as US. but it probably the same price as the mainland for certain cars. puerto rico is pricey everywere. oh yah and learn spanish for reals! but its ok if you already know peoples down their and u speak ingles the people doen theire will understand. speak spanglish. and Mayaguez is ok. hey why do you want to live in PR?? i do to and everybody says im crazy for wanting to be down there but its pretty! and enjoy ur visit also.
Thank you very much! Please keep the advice coming! I should add that I am hoping to get/planning on getting a swimming scholarship so I will be living in the athletes dorms. What should I do about a car? If I buy a car could I store it over the summers at a storage place? What is the best way to go about buying a car in PR? How much should I expect to spend?
the dorms are next to the swimming pool and on campus so you'll easily get around to class. there's a supermarket outside the main gates, maybe 20 minute walk from your dorm.
mostly you'll hang out in town, where all the bars are like el garabato, outside the old main gate past the india brewery.
so you dont really need a car. just a friend with a car so you can go to the beach
as a student you get a white sticker to park in the student parking places. i suppose you could leave your car on campus. not sure. also not sure if you get them as afreshman.
Cars are used are cheaper. but new ones are not as much selection as US. but it probably the same price as the mainland for certain cars. puerto rico is pricey everywere. oh yah and learn spanish for reals! but its ok if you already know peoples down their and u speak ingles the people doen theire will understand. speak spanglish. and Mayaguez is ok. hey why do you want to live in PR?? i do to and everybody says im crazy for wanting to be down there but its pretty! and enjoy ur visit also.
I want to go to Puerto Rico for a variety of reasons, the first and foremost being free college thanks to my swimming. Additionally, I absolutely love the people I have met from there (in fact, my best friend is Puerto Rican) and I love the culture and weather there. Finally, I want to teach agricultural education in Spanish to migrant farm workers someday so UPRM is a logical choice to prepare me for that. What about you? Why do you want to be in PR?
I want to go to Puerto Rico for a variety of reasons, the first and foremost being free college thanks to my swimming. Additionally, I absolutely love the people I have met from there (in fact, my best friend is Puerto Rican) and I love the culture and weather there. Finally, I want to teach agricultural education in Spanish to migrant farm workers someday so UPRM is a logical choice to prepare me for that. What about you? Why do you want to be in PR?
I love pr becasue im part prican. and i think the island has much potential but its the governemt which is a mess. I try to go there but im stuck here in mainalnd USA and really no opprtunity down there for me. im glad you have a plan and good luck with your future. enjoy the isla del encanta!
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