r/Alabama • u/ArturLothbrok21 • 1d ago
Advice International Exchange Student (Spring Semester) deciding between Western Michigan (WMU) and South Alabama. Need advice!
Hi! I'm an exchange student from Portugal coming to the US for the Spring semester (Jan - May). I'm majoring in Cybersecurity and I have to choose between WMU (Kalamazoo, MI) and South Alabama (Mobile, AL).
Which one would be better? I love warm weather and originally I was going to FIU in Miami, so Mobile sounds great for that. However, I heard Mobile is more of a commuter school and WMU has a much better traditional "college town" vibe. Which one would I have the best college experience and has the more stuff to see and do? Mobile or Kalamazzo are cool cities?
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u/morethanababymaker 1d ago
Definitely South Alabama, you'll be able to be in Mobile for Mardi Gras!
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u/gubbygoobyqt 1d ago
If you choose to go to South Alabama, look up Friends of Internationals! It’s an on campus organization for international students (Americans are always welcome too of course) and they do activities and trips together. I went to South and had a great time. If you want to DM me for more details, you can, I know the people who run the organization even though I don’t live nearby anymore.
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u/ArturLothbrok21 1d ago
Yeah I would appreciate that, I'll dm you if the university accept me, thanks a lot!
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u/talyakey Dallas County 1d ago
Did you ask in the Michigan subreddit too? Alabama is friendlier:)
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u/ArturLothbrok21 1d ago
I did but they don't know since they don't live in Alabama so they could only tell me about WMU and michigan in general
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u/Past-Giraffe-2392 Mobile County 1d ago
I'm a student at USA and I think you'd absolutely love it here!! I'm in my 3rd year, and everyone has been so lovely and kind always. South is constantly doing things to improve and actively investing money in the school (we just got a new band facility!), and I'm so happy I chose to come here. I think you'd find an amazing community here!
Let me know what you decide!
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u/ArturLothbrok21 1d ago
I'm definitely leaning more towards USA, I just have to see if they accept me
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u/Frigate_Orpheon Jefferson County 1d ago
Hard agree. I lived in Wemo for 7 years (just moved a little over a year ago). The campus is growing so fast, and really it's a very pretty campus. Mobile has it's own vibe, and there's lots to do! Art walk, Mardi Gras, the museum, etc. I did my nursing degree at USA, fantastic program.
Go Jags!
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u/TheValueLurker 1d ago
I live in Mobile. They call us the Little Easy. Great food like New Orleans less crime. Come on down.
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u/r7908 1d ago
Michigan had 5 miserably cold months. Mobile Alabama had 4 hot months but we have air conditioning. South Alabama is a good and growing school with Medical and Engineering Schools. Mobile is a nice small city with an inferiority complex with New Orleans which is about 2 hours away. Very nice beaches are about an hour away from Mobile. I’d pick South Alabama. I have a masters degree from there a long time ago. It’s a much improved campus since then.
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u/pinkpictureframe 1d ago
I graduated from South and really liked it. Like someone else said, it’s turning into a more traditional university campus. It’s beautiful. Plus, the Gulf of Mexico being an hour away is what took me there.
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u/Odd-War-6052 1d ago
K zoo winters are brutal. that alone would make me advise towards South Alabama.
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u/opa_zorro 1d ago
Heat in Mobile mixed with the high humidity can be hard to get used to. I’m sure Portugal has hot humid regions, but Gulf of Mexico heat hits pretty hard.
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u/What-Outlaw1234 1d ago
Not that time of year. January through May is mostly lovely, albeit wet in January.
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u/ArturLothbrok21 1d ago
I'm in the Algarve which is the south of Portugal so I'm really used to extreme heat, so I think I would fit nicely in Alabama. I just think that since it has beaches close, New Orleans I could visit, Florida close too, even Atlanta kinda close, that it would be a better experience, my only concern is that it would be missing that college and academic lifestyle and vibe
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u/larrod25 1d ago
There are three 4 year universities in Mobile. I think you will find that it has a pretty active student life.
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u/spaceisourplace222 1d ago
As someone living in Mobile who went to Alabama, no. It’s nothing like Tuscaloosa. I’d recommend Michigan.
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u/larrod25 1d ago
Have you been in Michigan in the winter? It may not be Tuscaloosa, but USA has a very active student life. It has long been known as a party school.
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u/Arctic_Meme 1d ago
I will say that I think you are likely used to the heat, but not the humidity. You will be sweaty and sticky much more of the time in Alabama than Portugal because your home climate tends to be much dryer. Also WMU will tend to have a a slight advantage in most things except food, mardis gras, and beaches.
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u/Artistic_Relief_485 1d ago
The OP won't be here for the majority of the heat and humidity. Through May we tend to have mild weather.
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u/Artistic_Relief_485 1d ago
South has a very a robust and acticeuniversity community. There are hundreds I'd clubs to choose from, sororities/fraternities, robust athletic program, an active arts scene, and some fantastic faculty with many having attended ivy league schools themselves.
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u/PrestigiousAd2644 1d ago
As a South Alabama grad, personally I think you will enjoy South more. Michigan is going to be very cold when you get there, snowing, and you will likely be inside a lot. South Alabama, has a large population of Catholics in the surrounding area, and is going to closer to your accustomed climate (at least until mid April). I don’t know about western Michigan, but South Alabama has a large international student population…and it has a very beautiful well kept walkable campus. What area are you studying in?
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u/ArturLothbrok21 1d ago
Cybersecurity, I saw that the university of south alabama is recognised by the NSA and homeland security in that regard which is definitely a plus
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u/TradeLoud5463 1d ago
If you don’t want snow and bitter cold then pick USA 😂
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u/Plus-Doubt4541 1d ago
Did you forget the 12 inches last year. I know it’s a once a decade thing.
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u/TradeLoud5463 1d ago
But did Mobile get 12 inches 😂😂😂 I have property across the bay on the gulf and it saw maybe 3 lol
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u/Artistic_Relief_485 1d ago
More lik once in a century. It was 120 years before that we had snow like that.
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u/FuzzyComedian638 1d ago
You will likely get a better educational experience at Western Michigan. But if other things are more important to you for that year, then ???
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u/mckulty 1d ago
Mobile is more cosmopolitan for its size. It's been an international port since the early 1700s. But it's Aveiro, not Sines.
Kalamazoo is a college town with a strong arts scene.
Mobile is more religious (73% vs 39% churchgoers.)
Kalamazoo has a slightly better cost of living, but both are below US national average.
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u/bigbyandsnow 1d ago
Depends on what you want to get out of it. This is only for 5 months, as a southerner I say go to Mobile. You get Mardi Gras, good food, the beginning of beach season, and southerners are a good time. Jan-May is beautiful weather before swamp-ass season of Jun-Sept.
I don’t know shit about Michigan. I am sure you will have fun there but, they have snow which as a southerner is not in my wheelhouse. Either way enjoy your time!
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u/ALmommy1234 1d ago
I don’t know about the school, but being that close to the beach on the Gulf of Mexico would definitely have its advantages!
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u/iamtimb 1d ago
I used to live in Michigan and now I live in Alabama. Western is a great school; Kalamazoo is a fun town, close to Grand Rapids and Chicago and Detroit. It will be cold for a few months but will warm up nicely. Michigan politics may be more welcoming too. Mobile is a cool town but small and not much to do IMO. Crime is also an issue from what I hear. Closely to Gulf of Mexico beaches and New Orleans. My vote: Kalamazoo. Good luck to you!
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u/SevenPair 1d ago
Depends where they are from… hard to be South Bama in Spring, Michigan in winter has its charm… and yes they have snow in the Spring ☃️
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u/Artistic_Relief_485 1d ago
I'm currently a student at South Alabama and I love it. It's a great school and the weather will be better than winter in Michigan. You will also be here for Mardis Gras and all of its parades and balls. Our weather is better too.
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u/Erollins04 12h ago
WMU grad here - Kalamazoo is a really cool city and you are 2 hours from Chicago, 1 hour from Grand Rapids, can head up to Traverse City… the Great Lakes and the UP are amazing. Nothing bad to say about South Alabama, but don’t sleep on Kzoo.
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u/StacyBlack 10h ago
I’m from Michigan and now live in Alabama. You’re going to love the weather in Alabama! Mobile is close to beaches and Kalamazoo will be freezing and miserable in the winter LOL
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u/What-Outlaw1234 1d ago
South Alabama used to be a commuter school, but it is transitioning to a more traditional residential state university. I think it has a nice campus with a lot of new buildings. It is in the western suburban part of the city, but Mobile is not very large so it's easy enough to get downtown where most nightlife is. It's about an hour drive from Gulf of Mexico beaches and a two-hour drive or a short train ride from New Orleans. It's in a politically conservative state, but the university community is full of all types of people. I know nothing about Kalamazoo in comparison except that it will be quite cold for most of the time you're there.