Looking for a warm city, low/med. humidity, low living costs, decent area, with a community college in it! (Houston: apartments, rent)

[Josh5]

Hello everybody!

I'm an international student who has been in the US for 1 year. During this year I have attended a community college in Southern California, which was quite expensive. Not so much the tuition costs, but the living expenses have been very high for me.

For this reason I am looking to relocate and take the 2nd year of college at a community college located somewhere else.

I have been looking around on the websites of different community colleges (located in smaller cities around the mid-states), and I have seen some colleges that offer full time tuition for international students (non-citizen and non-resident tuition, 12 units) for only 1100-1500 dollars per semester! This seems to me as a very good price, since I paid 3500-4000 dollars per semester in tuition fees at the community college I attended in Southern California.

I have a few criteria for where I want to move - and the price of college tuition is not the most important, as long as it is offset by lower living expenses in the area.

What I'm looking for is a place:
-That is hot much of the year round, with not too much rain
-That is low in humidity (medium humidity is OK too, just not too humid)
-Where living expenses, and preferably also community college tuition fees for international students, are low
-Where there are health food stores, such as a whole foods market, in the area

The size of the city is not that important, as long as it's not a small town of like 5000 people. State doesn't matter. I'm posting here in the Texas forum because I know Texas is one of the hotter states - even though I have heard east of Texas is extremely humid..

As I'm looking to find a place of my own, I'm also wondering if it's common to find decent quality studio/1 bdrm apartments for a rent of around 600-700 dollars, anywhere in the US. Would this price be enough for living in a good neighborhood, or what would be a realistic price for that?


Thanks!

[loves2read]

summers are very humid here in DFW area despite the fact it is far inland--and the months we have high humidity stretch from May into October at times
you are not an in-state resident--that is probably why you pay high tuition fees--
most of what you found about CA is true for TX in the metro areas anyway

you probably could find an apt that was in that price range but you are probably going to be paying as much or more for tuition/fees
TX is not cheap for community colleges

[Squirl]

You should look into Angelo State University, which is located in San Angelo ..... a town that meets your criteria. It is not a community college but accepts transfers and is reasonably priced

[Squirl]

Oh, another good one to research is McClellan Community College in Waco. Waco is a medium sized town about 1.5 hours' drive south of Dallas. $82 p c/h.....

McLennan Community College - Tuition & Fees

[loves2read]

McLennan posts fees for INTERNATIONAL students at 144 an hour--that is about twice what a resident is charged

as long as that student is here for student visa he is INTERNATIONAL student and not US resident I believe

[RooCeleste]

Tyler, Texas - with Tyler Junior College - might be an option for you. The school is good, cost of living is reasonable, and Tyler is just a nice city. Weather is probably the most neutral of any area of Texas.

[Westerntraveler]

Midland/Odessa

[Backintheville2]

Tarleton State University in Stephenville is an excellent school with an enrollment of 9,000. Stephenville, with a population of 18,000 may be smaller than what you are seeking. In which case, I agree with others who said San Angelo or Waco.

[Mark Senior]

Yes, Tyler Junior College. With about 12,000 students has much to offer. Undergrad courses will transfer to most any college. 10 to 20 years ago, many Junior College were allowed to call themselves a "college". Many changed their names to get more attention or presitge. Tyler did not, it's really well known and has been for more years than I know. I've been familiar with it for 50 years. Before community colleges "popped up" everywhere, 70 or 80% of the students at TJC came from DFW or Houston areas. It was that well known.

[debzkidz]

Check out Midland, TX and Midland College. Low humidity. Nice town with a reasonable cost of living and Midland College is good and has international students. Unlike most community colleges, they even have some dorms.