You could stick a pin in the map. Perhaps go back to where you had that fantastic holiday. Choose the name you've heard of in a film. You could buy an instantly out-of-date book of the top 500 colleges. You could search the interweb and read the profile of all 3874 colleges, universities and junior colleges in the country.
Alternatively, you can check out the weather forecast. It's as good a start as any. Pick a state that has the weather you want and there's likely to be a suitable institution in it. Big, small, urban, rural, private, state-run, expensive or cheep, it'll be there. This is precisely the advice of the Fulbright Commission.
Dan wanted hot initially, but eventually felt he'd like four seasons with proper hot in the summer, reliable snow in winter and nice leaves in between.
Saturday, 26 February 2011
All about ball?
You can't just turn up and play. Not unless you're content to play whoever shows up at the hoops on the street corner. College, or rather university, is where it's all happening. You can't just turn up and play there either.
They call them student athletes in the USA, with the emphasis on 'student'. You have to study and you have to study hard or you can't play. It's a kind of symbiotic relationship between professors and coaches. Good coaches make for good sport that people want to watch. Thousands turn up to pay and watch every week at every college. Sport brings in vast sums of money to the college. Money is spent on facilities, staff and research to provide a good learning experience and prestige for the college.
The student athletes have to maintain their accademic performance to be allowed to play. Professors want the students to succeed to keep the money coming in so they devote extra time to ensure they do so. Coaches want to ensure they keep the players on the court so they ensure they attend their classes. Voila. Everyone's a winner!
They call them student athletes in the USA, with the emphasis on 'student'. You have to study and you have to study hard or you can't play. It's a kind of symbiotic relationship between professors and coaches. Good coaches make for good sport that people want to watch. Thousands turn up to pay and watch every week at every college. Sport brings in vast sums of money to the college. Money is spent on facilities, staff and research to provide a good learning experience and prestige for the college.
The student athletes have to maintain their accademic performance to be allowed to play. Professors want the students to succeed to keep the money coming in so they devote extra time to ensure they do so. Coaches want to ensure they keep the players on the court so they ensure they attend their classes. Voila. Everyone's a winner!
Starting dream
Dan plays basketball. Not just a bit. He lives and breathes basketball. This is good. No standing on windy touch lines or steamy swimming pool stands, no raquets, sticks, pads or engines to buy. The kit drys quickly, balls are cheap and the game is respectful. He gets better and better until he announces that the place to be is the USA if he has any hope of getting to the top.
This isn't too good if you live in the UK. So, in spring 2010, we began our voyage of discovery of how to get to the USA so he can realise his dream.
This isn't too good if you live in the UK. So, in spring 2010, we began our voyage of discovery of how to get to the USA so he can realise his dream.
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