Moscow Information needed - Hopeful U of I student (Boise: apartments, rent)

[cp1]

Hi,

My 17 year old son is looking at the possibility of attending U of I. I've been following the thread about U of I very closely. In addition to getting information about the school, I would like to get some additional information about Moscow. Since I do not plan on getting my son a car when he attends school I have some questions along the lines of transportation as well as some other questions about Moscow:

- Is a car really necessary if you are attending U of I? Can you survive without a car in Moscow?
- How is the public transportation in Moscow?
- What is the earliest and the latest buses run in Moscow?
- How many grocery stores are close to campus?
- Are there any grocery stores within walking distance of campus?
- Are there any movie theaters within walking distance of campus?
- Are there rides from campus to the airport (either Pullman or Lewiston)?
- Are there good dental/medical facilities close to campus in case of a serious emergency?
- My son was born in the US but we are immigrants with dark skin, will the people in Moscow be tolerant of minorities? Will the kids on campus be tolerant of minorities?

Thank you very much for your time. Appreciate any responses.

CP1

[C_ferreira]

Well, I go to the U of I, so let me answer your questions:

- Is a car really necessary if you are attending U of I? Can you survive without a car in Moscow?

A car is definitely not necessary. Moscow is very bike friendly

- How is the public transportation in Moscow?

It is okay, not great, but okay. It shouldn't be a problem though, anthing your son could wanna do in his free time is accessible by a (max) 15 minute walk. There are buses that go hourly between Moscow and Pullman (WA) from 7am to 11pm. From Pullman you can transfer to a bus that will take you to Spokane, WA

- What is the earliest and the latest buses run in Moscow?

I am not sure about the Moscow area, but the Wheatland Express runs from Moscow to Pullman and back every hour from 7am to 11pm

- How many grocery stores are close to campus?

There is one 24 hour one across the street. That is all he'd ever need. There is also the Palouse Mall across the street, and I must say, it is a pretty decent mall. In the Moscow/Pullman area, Moscow def. has the better shopping.

- Are there any grocery stores within walking distance of campus?

There are entire malls and shopping centers within walking distance

- Are there any movie theaters within walking distance of campus?

I think so, but honestly, most college students rarely visit the movies.

- Are there rides from campus to the airport (either Pullman or Lewiston)?

Better, there are rides to Spokane, which has a much better airport. However, there are of course rides to the Airports in Pullman (the Pullman airport is actually closer to moscow...) and Lewiston. But carpooling and bumming rides off of friends is probably more common.

- Are there good dental/medical facilities close to campus in case of a serious emergency?

There is a medical center (hospital) within about a 15 minute walk from campus, and it has everything you'd need.

- My son was born in the US but we are immigrants with dark skin, will the people in Moscow be tolerant of minorities? Will the kids on campus be tolerant of minorities?

Moscow is VERY tolerant toward minorities. The fact that your son is ethnic is embraced in Moscow, you and your son are very much welcome here. There are lots of Asians from WSU and Hispanic/Latinos from UI always walking about in Moscow. My specific residence hall is about 35% Latino, fyi.


If you have any other questions, let me know. I go to the UI and it is a very open campus, very tolerant. As is Moscow. I can't say it is the school for everyone, and maybe not even for myself, but the morale on campus is very positive and your son will likely have an awesome experience here.

[cp1]

C_ferreira,

Thank you very much for taking the time to respond.

I can't say it is the school for everyone, and maybe not even for myself
Would you mind elaborating on the above comment....in your opinion which type of kids may not fit at U of I?

Thanks,
CP1

[C_ferreira]

Well, every university is not suitable for every student. If you are looking for a true college experience, UI is the perfect place for you. UI feels like how you see colleges on TV, and honestly, it is a nice campus and atmosphere. Moscow and Pullman are college towns in every sense of the word.

When I say it is not for everyone, I mean that if you are looking to get out into the real world, or like a big-city atmosphere, or are a nontraditional student (25+) UI may not be the best choice for you. I should say that Moscow isn't the best choice for you. Even though Moscow-Pullman houses 2 major universities, and offer many cultural amenities, the area still is only at about 100,000 people including students, and at times may seem kinda isolated (being that most students down there are from Boise, Cd'A, Spokane, Portland, or Seattle, all areas far from Moscow/Pullman).

So basically, unless your son wants to get out into the real world and hold down a job while in college, or he craves a big city atmosphere, your son should like it here.

[bean1498]

Originally Posted by cp1

C_ferreira,

Thank you very much for taking the time to respond.

I can't say it is the school for everyone, and maybe not even for myself
Would you mind elaborating on the above comment....in your opinion which type of kids may not fit at U of I?

Thanks,
CP1

Like the other poster said, Moscow and UI may not be for everyone. If you want to go to a big city, Moscow definitely wouldn't fulfill that desire. Moscow has a population of something like 25,000 people, which cuts nearly in half during the summer. I love Moscow more than any other city I've ever lived in. The people are very friendly and the community is very close. During the warmer months there is a farmers market downtown (just at the edge of the campus) where much of the town shows up. There's music, food and crafts. It's really great! Lots of people go there and then eat at the Breakfast Club or head to the Camus Winery (when they're old enough). The mall is pretty good and right across from the college, though with the campus taking up a good chunk of the town, that's fairly common for all businesses in town. Most people shop at WinCo, which is right across the street from campus and open 24hrs. There are lots of restaurants to chose from. There are also several theaters, though most people head to Pullman and their newer theater (A Regal I think). There are some decent theaters in Moscow though, two or three I think. The campus also has a theater, which gets some pretty good movies.
The campus is really nice and has had a lot done to it over the past ten years. I started there in 1999 and left in 2004. During that time two buildings went up (Business building and Rec Center) and one of the main lecturing buildings was completely revamped. The grounds are really peaceful and well kept. There are several dorms, if that is what your son wants to do, or tons of apartments nearby. I think rent usually runs in the $440-$600 range for a 1-2 bedroom, more for the really nice places. I had a two bedroom for like four years and we paid about $438 I think. The dorms are nice because you can make more friends and there are usually lots of activities to do. He could also join a frat, since, I think, there are something like 30 houses on Greek Row. My sister was in a sorority and really loved it. It's a great way to meet other people with similar interests.
Another great thing about UI is it is fairly affordable, especially if you're in state. The whole city is that way. It is really geared towards young people, being that half the population is probably under 30. I love Moscow so much I'm seriously considering moving back there within the next year. Everyone is welcoming and fairly open minded. It's a bit of an old hippie town, so that whole 'peacefulness' has stuck. If your son wants a nice, relaxed, enjoyable place to live, Moscow is great. If he wants fast a paced, lots of clubs, exciting sort of city, Moscow is really not it.
The colleges are all really great too. I don't know which college he's thinking of joining, but there are lots of choices and, for the most part, I believe that the faculty and staff are all pretty good and helpful. There are a few odd balls, but that's expected I suppose. I hope that all helps you out.

[Idaho_Vandal]

- Is a car really necessary if you are attending U of I? Can you survive without a car in Moscow?

A car is not necessary, I had several friends who did not own cars while attending the UofI. I often didn't drive my car until it was time to go somewhere or buy groceries.

- How is the public transportation in Moscow?
So so, but if your son has a good bike the need for public transpo is very limited.

- What is the earliest and the latest buses run in Moscow?
I have no idea.

- How many grocery stores are close to campus?
Winco is very close, my college friends who didn't have cars walked there for groceries.

- Are there any grocery stores within walking distance of campus?
- Are there any movie theaters within walking distance of campus?
There is one and it is ok. When I lived there I drove over to the movie theater in Pullman which is only a few years old.

- Are there rides from campus to the airport (either Pullman or Lewiston)?
Getting rides from airports isn't too difficult, especially once he meets some people with cars. I believe the Wheatland Express offers an airport bus service to/from the Spokane Airport. I don't know if that is year round or just during major holidays.

- Are there good dental/medical facilities close to campus in case of a serious emergency?
Yes, the hospital is close to campus. I used a dentist up there that was also within walking distance of campus.

- My son was born in the US but we are immigrants with dark skin, will the people in Moscow be tolerant of minorities? Will the kids on campus be tolerant of minorities?
It is hard to find a more tolerant place than Moscow.

I loved my time at the University of Idaho and think your son would love going to school there. Moscow is a great place to learn and be surrounded by college students.

[cp1]

bean1498 and Idaho_Vandal,

Appreciate you taking the time to respond.

My son has just completed the application to U of I. As of this time it is his #1 choice. Based on what you've described, U of I will be better suited for him.

Thanks again.

CP

[Idaho mom]

Hi cp1 - The minority students I know who attended U of I in the past have had many good things to say about the college and student life in general. You didn't mention details about your immigrant status, (which is fine) but just so you know the University has a wonderful program to help assist children of migrant families. The hispanic students I know did not have problems being a minority on campus.

http://www.students.uidaho.edu/camp (broken link)

If I'm way off base, I'm sorry, best of luck to your son. He's lucky to have a mom who cares about the important details of college life.

[cp1]

Idaho mom,

I am the dad !!!

We are all US citizens and bot my kids were born and raised in LA. My older son attends Uinversity of Washington in Seattle. I was afraid my son would stand out if he was one of a very few minorites at U of I. I feel a lot more comfortable now after reading the posts here. He has already applied, so we shall see how it goes.

Thank you for your response.

CP