College Admissions Consulting College Breaks: An International Student Guide to Taking Time Off Written by Zaragoza Guerraon February 13th, 2019 Prior to joining College Coach, I spent part of my career as director of admissions for the Boston Conservatory, where I oversaw overall recruitment and auditions for students interested in music, theater, and dance. I spent most of my admissions career, however, as an admissions officer for two institutes of technology. As an associate director of admissions at MIT, I directed overall recruitment and yield activities as well as international, transfer, and special student admissions. I also served as an assistant director of admissions for Caltech, where I handled specialized student recruitment and reviewed domestic and international student files. Learn More About Zaragoza applying from abroad, college admissions advice, international students, Once an international student has decided upon their set of undergraduate studies in the U.S., there’s often a lot of planning that goes into making their stateside academic journey a success. But the academic calendar isn’t the only aspect of U.S. collegiate life that needs plotting. Don’t find yourself unwittingly caught off guard by the academic breaks your American peers might more easily fulfill at a moment’s notice by virtue of their proximity to home. Some university breaks aren’t long enough for a complicated international trek to see family and might, instead, require some thoughtful alternatives. Here’s a quick primer on the breaks an international student might encounter while studying in the U.S. and a few quick ideas for taking full advantage of them. The big holidays. Thanksgiving and winter breaks aren’t simply time spent away from school—they’re often imbued with familial and cultural meaning. So, if a roommate or classmate invites you home for the holidays, give it serious consideration and think of it as an eye-opening opportunity to get a firsthand glimpse of life in the U.S., its customs and celebrations. Even if you don’t manage to snag such an invite, your school might offer the opportunity to celebrate the holidays with families of professors, administrators, or alums. And if your main consideration is making others feel less glum over the holidays, there may be opportunities to lend a smile or a warm heart to those in a retirement home, hospital, or homeless shelter. At the very least, get a sociological feel for the U.S. during the official holiday portion of your break, even if the rest of your school vacay is dedicated to me time. Mid-semester downtime. While fall and spring breaks aren’t considered national holidays, most U.S. students consider them to be rites of passage. Not every college offers a fall break but, if they do, it’s usually in October or November, while spring break is more common and typically occurs in March. There’s no right or wrong way to spend this time, but still, aim to get away from campus if you can. These breaks are opportunities to ski, swim, hike, lie on a beach, visit a national park, take a road trip, visit another region of the country, volunteer, or do whatever else you’d like with your newfound group of college friends. See if your school’s outdoor adventure club is planning a camping trip, or if your roommates are aiming to bum around on a beach. If you feel less like bumming around and more like giving back, know that most colleges offer “alternative” spring break options, which typically connect student to volunteer opportunities domestically and abroad. Related Resources Read | Posted on April 10th, 2024 Acceptance by Emi Nietfeld; Why You Should Fill out the FAFSA Read | Posted on April 9th, 2024 Community Colleges with Campus Housing Read | Posted on April 3rd, 2024 All about Community Colleges
