Visiting Minnesota? Everything you need to know here!

[Mathradio]

Hi all! Very good chance I might be attending the U next year. I'll be in town on April 9th for a day. Where should I go for lunch?

If you feel that you need to take physics classes next year at the U, then there is a chance that you may have me as a TA... because I will, in all likelihood, attend Minnesota for my PhD, that is, unless Carnegie Mellon takes me off their waitlist.

And, if I TAed at Minnesota, then there is also the off-chance that I would TA a physics course to some football or hockey player.

Plus the physics department seemed to have trouble recruiting PhD students from Canada (other than from perhaps Manitoba and Saskatchewan) in the past ~6-10 years or so. I am perhaps the first Canadian matriculant for the physics PhD program that does not come from a Prairie province in years. And perhaps the first ever from a francophone Quebec school; physics graduates from francophone Quebec schools tend to avoid US schools entirely unless they stand a chance at Cornell, Princeton and the like (and Minnesota is in the tier just below Cornell, Princeton as far as physics is concerned)

 

[Louie the Blue]

So I visited yesterday. Didn't have time to stop in Dinkytown(though in hindsight I would have if I'd known my flight would be delayed).

The U's campus is, shockingly, IMO, compact. I thought it would be more spread out. It also seems separated from downtown Minneapolis, so I got a college "feel" from going there.

 

[00xtremeninja]

So I visited yesterday. Didn't have time to stop in Dinkytown(though in hindsight I would have if I'd known my flight would be delayed).

The U's campus is, shockingly, IMO, compact. I thought it would be more spread out. It also seems separated from downtown Minneapolis, so I got a college "feel" from going there.

the tour that you got (assuming you did the official U of M tour) is only on the one bank. don't forget you have other parts of the campus across the Washington Ave bridge as well as a whole other campus in St. Paul. If these were all combined into one section, it would be a massive amount of buildings and stuff.

Glad you liked your visit! Come be a Gopher!

 

[gphr513]

So I visited yesterday. Didn't have time to stop in Dinkytown(though in hindsight I would have if I'd known my flight would be delayed).

The U's campus is, shockingly, IMO, compact. I thought it would be more spread out. It also seems separated from downtown Minneapolis, so I got a college "feel" from going there.

It is nice in the sense that it's not right downtown. It's very different from when I graduated just a year and a half ago, but I think it's still a cool campus. Was talking to my uncle about it, he went to the U in the 60's, so I can only imagine how different out is for him now

I'll be biased for the rest of my life because I absolutely loved my time there; it has its flaws, but I think it's a great school.

Let us know if you decide to come here.

Ski-U-Mah

 

[00xtremeninja]

I graduated from the U in 07 and it looks frigging different. So many student apartments, tcf stadium, etc

 

[SupremeNachos]

I graduated from the U in 07 and it looks frigging different. So many student apartments, tcf stadium, etc

2011 here. I think the biggest thing that changed from the time I started til I finished was the light rail.

 

[Dakota Sioux]

Had breakfast at Hells Kitchen when I was there for the Final Faceoff. Damn good and the Bloody Mary was probably the best I have ever had.

 

[00xtremeninja]

Had breakfast at Hells Kitchen when I was there for the Final Faceoff. Damn good and the Bloody Mary was probably the best I have ever had.

I loves Hells Kitchen. That Cinnamon pull apart and their peanut butter is amazing

 

[tomgilbertfan]

Hells Kitchen has the best Huevos Rancheros I've had in the cities. Pretty sure their serving size has gotten smaller though, still delicious.

 

[00xtremeninja]

I also concur on the rancheros there. As close to what I had in Mexico. Delicious

 

[JRJRJRJRJR]

Anyone starting their college life in 2017? St. Cloud OR U of M? One Finn, (that is me) is going to do exactly that AND is in need of some serious advice of where to live my 4 years of college life in Minnesota. Duluth and Bemidji are out of the "competition", because getting into Wild games would get so much harder. Maybe even some Finns here sharing the same thought?

please. List me some of the pros and cons of those places.

 

[gphr513]

Anyone starting their college life in 2017? St. Cloud OR U of M? One Finn, (that is me) is going to do exactly that AND is in need of some serious advice of where to live my 4 years of college life in Minnesota. Duluth and Bemidji are out of the "competition", because getting into Wild games would get so much harder. Maybe even some Finns here sharing the same thought?

please. List me some of the pros and cons of those places.

The U of M, because it's awesome.

Signed,
U of M class of 2013



But in all seriousness, the first question you need to ask yourself when considering these two schools is: do you live the hussle and bustle of big city life? Or do you like the slower, small town feel? Because those two campuses have VERY different feels to them.

 

[Generic User]

Anyone starting their college life in 2017? St. Cloud OR U of M? One Finn, (that is me) is going to do exactly that AND is in need of some serious advice of where to live my 4 years of college life in Minnesota. Duluth and Bemidji are out of the "competition", because getting into Wild games would get so much harder. Maybe even some Finns here sharing the same thought?

please. List me some of the pros and cons of those places.

The U of M, because it's awesome.

Signed,
U of M class of 2013



But in all seriousness, the first question you need to ask yourself when considering these two schools is: do you live the hussle and bustle of big city life? Or do you like the slower, small town feel? Because those two campuses have VERY different feels to them.

I would say the first question you need to ask is regarding the budget. If you've already been accepted into both schools, what can you afford? If money isn't an issue, I would go for the U of M, no doubt.

Also, I wouldn't say necessarily say that SCSU has a slower, small town feel. It's more concentrated but the energy is still pretty high. Definitely not as much culture as the U and its surrounding areas. Tons of chain stores and restaurants in St. Cloud. If you're into local and/or unique food/variety, advantage Twin Cities.

Second question you should ask is what you are planning on doing with your college education. SCSU has certain colleges/programs that have an advantage over the U of M's and vice-versa.

The U of M is also a stone's throw away from Wild games. Can't really put a price on that (other than the ticket )

Let us know what you end up deciding or if you have other questions!

 

[tomgilbertfan]

St. Cloud feels like a suburb with no city to go into.

 

[Generic User]

St. Cloud feels like a suburb with no city to go into.

lol. That's a good point. Still has stuff to do if you like to drink.

 

[llamapalooza]

Yeah I spent my college years about an hour outside the cities and kind of wish I'd gone somewhere in Minneapolis or St. Paul proper. Too much going on in the Cities not to live in them during that period of your life. U of M is also just generally seen as a much more prestigious school (especially outside the state--nobody here has even heard of St. Cloud State) and will probably open a lot more opportunities.

 

[Slick Willy*]

Anyone starting their college life in 2017? St. Cloud OR U of M? One Finn, (that is me) is going to do exactly that AND is in need of some serious advice of where to live my 4 years of college life in Minnesota. Duluth and Bemidji are out of the "competition", because getting into Wild games would get so much harder. Maybe even some Finns here sharing the same thought?

please. List me some of the pros and cons of those places.

None of the above.

St. Thomas - has the most beautiful women on the planet. (Plus it's a bike ride away from the X if that's your thing)

Concordia, Hamline, and Macalaster are also great schools in the same area.

 

[Minnesota]

None of the above.

St. Thomas - has the most beautiful women on the planet. (Plus it's a bike ride away from the X if that's your thing)

Concordia, Hamline, and Macalaster are also great schools in the same area.

Should always be the #1 deciding factor when choosing a university.

 

[Paul Bunyan]

Should always be the #1 deciding factor when choosing a university.

It doesn't hurt. It's Minnesota though, we have beautiful girls much more so than other places I've lived.

If that's your main point though, then you go South, since they get half of our hot chicks who go to schools down there for the weather plus their regular selection of hot girls.

 

[Slick Willy*]

Should always be the #1 deciding factor when choosing a university.

Naturally.

 

[gphr513]

It doesn't hurt. It's Minnesota though, we have beautiful girls much more so than other places I've lived.

If that's your main point though, then you go South, since they get half of our hot chicks who go to schools down there for the weather plus their regular selection of hot girls.

My cousin, originally from MN, lives in Arizona. According to him, the ASU campus is ridiculous in the female department.

 

[Paul Bunyan]

My cousin, originally from MN, lives in Arizona. According to him, the ASU campus is ridiculous in the female department.

Oh yeah dude.

Party School + weather = girls.

However, my scientific theory is that every area has whatever number of hot chicks. You take out say 18-25 or so which is the key demographic of eye candy for most men, which are college aged females.

1/2 of them will leave the state for school, and they will go to schools.....in the South. So they get our girls + their girls.

ASU has become a big destination school in the last 20 years or so and that's one of the main reasons (weather / drinking).

 

[Slick Willy*]

Should always be the #1 deciding factor when choosing a university.

St. Thomas will also set you back another 8-15 grand a year though as well, I reckon. However, I know people that have graduated from that university and they are making a handsome penny more than people I know that graduated from the U. (Not saying that's in every case, but STU does carry a certain amount of prestige with it).

 

[Mathradio]

St. Thomas will also set you back another 8-15 grand a year though as well, I reckon. However, I know people that have graduated from that university and they are making a handsome penny more than people I know that graduated from the U. (Not saying that's in every case, but STU does carry a certain amount of prestige with it).

STU's prestige will only take you within a region or within a few fields (Physics, math, ChemE are not).

If you want to do a STEM major (and especially math, chemistry or ChemE, physics to a lesser extent) then the U has a significant academic advantage. However STU is the more undergraduate-focused of the two. The U is perhaps better reputed in general outside the region of influence of STU.

Disclaimer: I was advised to apply to the U (and attend) because of some condensed matter professor that earned his PhD there.

Ski-U-Mah...

 

[Slick Willy*]

STU's prestige will only take you within a region or within a few fields (Physics, math, ChemE are not).

If you want to do a STEM major (and especially math, chemistry or ChemE, physics to a lesser extent) then the U has a significant academic advantage. However STU is the more undergraduate-focused of the two. The U is perhaps better reputed in general outside the region of influence of STU.

Disclaimer: I was advised to apply to the U (and attend) because of some condensed matter professor that earned his PhD there.

Ski-U-Mah...

I agree with your sentiments.


Although a person like Kofi Annan (Macalester graduate) can and have come from MIAC schools.