Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The museums here are pretty good - the Institute of Arts is very large while the Walker is top notch in the nation for contemporary art. I don't really do theatre so I can't comment on that at all.
I would have to say that shopping in this area does lack for the cuter boutique scene and you really have to work to find (and drive to) interesting and unique shops scattered around the metro whereas in NYC you can practically fall into them on accident. Mall of America is NOT a good substitute and now that Bloomingdales is moving out, the only reason to go there is for the Nordstroms.
Re: business school, when you say a good school, do you mean like top 14? There can be quite a few people in corporate positions here in town who went to Kellogg (Northwestern) or other T14 schools, especially if you work for a Fortune 500 company. I would do the two years here, tough it out, save the cash, and see what you can work from inside the company to help you on your way.
I grew up in the Twin Cities and have lived in DC for over a decade now. It's hard for me to recommend one over the other to you without knowing more about you, so here are my general comments.
DC has a lot of career opportunities. A lot of opportunity to move up quickly within companies and take on a lot of responsibility within a short time. You have people in their twenties being managers in the federal government. I was able to start a successful company with two others when I was 27 here. It wouldn't have been as easy in the Twin Cities. A lot of the jobs in DC are also pretty interesting. Even if the job you are in happens to be boring, it's often in an agency or company that's doing some pretty cool things that make you feel proud to be a part of. And because there are so many jobs here, if you don't like yours, simply jump to the next job. In Minnneapolis you may not have the same opportunity until you gain a lot more experience. I think DC is also better out of the two for a young person not knowing anyone in the new city. Many people who work here are in the same boat. So it can be easier to make friends. Additionally, as a young person, if you can get a job in DC itself or in one of the close-in suburbs along the metro line, it makes for a better experience feeling part of a community. So many jobs in the Twin Cities are in the suburbs and it can add to the isolation as a new person in town.
That said, it is expensive here. I was making $50K 10 years ago when I first moved here and it was a little tight then. I rented a studio apartment but most people in that salary range will share an apartment or house with others to keep costs low.
Overall, I think DC is a great place for a young person to establish themselves and focus on their career. But as other posters have said, it is easy to just focus on your career and have little time or energy for anything else. People work a lot here and people also spend a lot of time commuting. It's very easy for time to fly by. So I think it's a good place to quickly advance your career, but then leave after that in order to live a more balanced life.
The other reason for you to consider DC is that there are a lot of people from Atlanta here, so you will have that connection with some of the people you meet. If you like Atlanta, DC will be a closer feel to that than Minneapolis so that might help as well. If by chance you are black, then DC will feel more at home as well. Not to say that Minneapolis is racist, which, on the whole it is not, but if you are black and feel more at home within a larger black community, DC will be better for that. There just is not a large middle class black population in Minneapolis.
If you are huge on the arts, definitely Minneapolis. DC is kind of stale when it comes to that department. Sure it's here, but has NOTHING like the vibe that Minneapolis does. If you are huge on down-to-earth, authentic, unassuming, chill people -- Minneapolis.
Good luck with your decision. Each one is going to take you down a completely different path.
I'm a young professional in Atlanta, who graduated from college last year and has been working at a private company since graduation. I recently received two job offers that require relocation to Minneapolis and Washington DC respectively. The job at Minneapolis is at a fortune 500 company that offers $60+k, whereas the Washington DC job is at a consulting firm with $50+k salary.
As I really LOVE the lifestyle in big cities, I will pick washington dc location wise without hesitation. I also personally value the consulting job (washington dc) experience more, but I think it's somewhat underpaid. On the other hand, the Minneapolis job is in a fortune 500 firm, so the experience could not be bad, and the pay is 10k higher!!
I'm really torn between these two choices. (fyi. staying in Atlanta has been ruled out.) Which one would you suggest please? Could you also give me some ideas in the following criteria for both cities:
- young adult lifestyle/entertainment
- food and shopping
- people: young processionals and networks
- career opportunities
- estimated monthly cost of living with roommate(s) in a safe neighborhood
- crime
To help you understand my situation better, I'm hoping to get into a good business school, after another 2 years of work experience at the new company. So working in the company and the city (in terms of experience and networking, etc.) that is helpful with my mba preparation/application is also very important.
So all in all, do you think I should choose Minneapolis with a higher income or Washington DC with a more preferable lifestyle? Your honest advice is truly appreciated!!
I have recently relocated to the Twin cities from the East Coast. It is much slower here than in DC from a social standpoint. Not even close and anybody that would suggest otherwise is clearly showing Twin City bias.
The $60k in Minneapolis will go MUCH further than $50k in DC, so it may be worth the social shortcomings in order to put away some money for the lean years of business schools. Speaking of B-schools, im sure you have already looked at this, but if not here's the link to the latest US News ranking of Bschools.
I grew up in the Twin Cities and have lived in DC for over a decade now. It's hard for me to recommend one over the other to you without knowing more about you, so here are my general comments.
DC has a lot of career opportunities. A lot of opportunity to move up quickly within companies and take on a lot of responsibility within a short time. You have people in their twenties being managers in the federal government. I was able to start a successful company with two others when I was 27 here. It wouldn't have been as easy in the Twin Cities. A lot of the jobs in DC are also pretty interesting. Even if the job you are in happens to be boring, it's often in an agency or company that's doing some pretty cool things that make you feel proud to be a part of. And because there are so many jobs here, if you don't like yours, simply jump to the next job. In Minnneapolis you may not have the same opportunity until you gain a lot more experience. I think DC is also better out of the two for a young person not knowing anyone in the new city. Many people who work here are in the same boat. So it can be easier to make friends. Additionally, as a young person, if you can get a job in DC itself or in one of the close-in suburbs along the metro line, it makes for a better experience feeling part of a community. So many jobs in the Twin Cities are in the suburbs and it can add to the isolation as a new person in town.
That said, it is expensive here. I was making $50K 10 years ago when I first moved here and it was a little tight then. I rented a studio apartment but most people in that salary range will share an apartment or house with others to keep costs low.
Overall, I think DC is a great place for a young person to establish themselves and focus on their career. But as other posters have said, it is easy to just focus on your career and have little time or energy for anything else. People work a lot here and people also spend a lot of time commuting. It's very easy for time to fly by. So I think it's a good place to quickly advance your career, but then leave after that in order to live a more balanced life.
The other reason for you to consider DC is that there are a lot of people from Atlanta here, so you will have that connection with some of the people you meet. If you like Atlanta, DC will be a closer feel to that than Minneapolis so that might help as well. If by chance you are black, then DC will feel more at home as well. Not to say that Minneapolis is racist, which, on the whole it is not, but if you are black and feel more at home within a larger black community, DC will be better for that. There just is not a large middle class black population in Minneapolis.
If you are huge on the arts, definitely Minneapolis. DC is kind of stale when it comes to that department. Sure it's here, but has NOTHING like the vibe that Minneapolis does. If you are huge on down-to-earth, authentic, unassuming, chill people -- Minneapolis.
Good luck with your decision. Each one is going to take you down a completely different path.
Thank you so much for the valuable advice!!
I think I kinda like the dc job more, as after staying in atlanta for 4 years, I hope to have a more fast paced, bigger city lifestyle. May I ask if you think 50+k is enough for me to live in dc with a car and without student loans? The company is in metro dc and I was told arlington/shirlington area is a good place to live with 1-2 roommates. The lifestyle I envision is I will have a social life (dinner, happy hour, theater, museum, etc.) after a day of hard work, without worrying too much money wise. Will 50+k be too tight for a young professional in dc?
And I actually do like the down-to-earth feeling of minneapolis. I just need more reasons to choose the job, other than it's 10k better paid. For example, do you think if the work experience in a top30 fortune 500 company would be better than a top30 consulting firm, for me to get into a top10 business school, and my career afterwards?
I think I kinda like the dc job more, as after staying in atlanta for 4 years, I hope to have a more fast paced, bigger city lifestyle. May I ask if you think 50+k is enough for me to live in dc with a car and without student loans? The company is in metro dc and I was told arlington/shirlington area is a good place to live with 1-2 roommates. The lifestyle I envision is I will have a social life (dinner, happy hour, theater, museum, etc.) after a day of hard work, without worrying too much money wise. Will 50+k be too tight for a young professional in dc?
And I actually do like the down-to-earth feeling of minneapolis. I just need more reasons to choose the job, other than it's 10k better paid. For example, do you think if the work experience in a top30 fortune 500 company would be better than a top30 consulting firm, for me to get into a top10 business school, and my career afterwards?
Thanks a lot!!!
The best thing you can do to get into a top b-school and be attractive coming out of it, is to excel at your pre-business school jobs regardless of industry. So, try to figure out which company provides more opportunities to shine/get promoted between when you start and when you plan to leave for school.
Thank you for the reply!! As I heard two extreme opinions towards minneapolis among my friends, I would really appreciate more information/examples on the lifestyle in minneapolis. Why do you think Minneapolis would possibly fall short of your expectations, moving from atlanta?
Actually the reason I'm determined to move out of atlanta is that though it has its attractions, I want to be in a city with richer cultures.. For example, when I think of the fun parts of nyc, I immediately think of its theater plays and shopping; dc would be its free museums~ Could you share with me some highlights of minneapolis please?
To answer your first question: I can't say for sure, but Atlanta is sort of known to be a "party city", and Minneapolis is not (even though it's actually one of the better nightlife towns around). If your criteria were strictly based on (warm) weather and flashy nightlife, Minneapolis would be a disappointment. For anything else, Minneapolis should exceed most of your expectations, IMO.
Again, the culture of Minneapolis is largely based on outdoor activities and water activities (hockey, swimming, beaches, tanning, cabins, etc.). This is an outdoorsy city, believe it or not, and almost everyone here parttakes in outdoor activity day in and day out. You were asking what the culture of the people are like (after work, dinner, winter, etc.)....people will go for a jog or play a game after work many days of the week. For instance, most of the people my age (30) play intramural sports a few days a week, and others weightlift or jog around the lake. On the weekends, many people own cabins and spend their weekends "Up North" doing all kinds of cabin-related stuff (I'm sure you can imagine), essentially emptying 25% of the metro! During winter people who don't want to be outside have just about the same options indoors as they do outdoors. For one, downtown is connected by skyways, so you never have to step foot outside if you really don't want to. Also, there is a large indoor water park near the Mall of America if you really miss swimming. There's even a golf dome in case you want to go to the driving range in January. If you don't mind the cold but aren't into sports, there's TONS of outdoors winter activities and festivals that are entertaining, like the St. Paul Winter Carnival, the Pond Hockey Tournament or the Hollidazzle Parade during December with lots of lights and people....daily! The best way to put it is that the culture and the people never really stop or slow down in Minneapolis -- they just continue chugging along all year round no matter the season or the weather. I've never seen anywhere else quite like that!
There are PLENTY of young professionals like yourself who either are from the area or, like you, moved here for work, and if you are single and meet other single people just like you, you'll have no problems meeting new people. I've lived in 6 different places in my life, and there is not one place that I found it impossible to meet new people. The one thing about MN and the culture of many of the people here (primarily Scandanavian) is the more conservative/reserved/passive aggressive personality that can come off as cold or unfriendly. It's not a problem if you understand that it's a cultural "tick", not people with a vendetta against you. It's like my mom told me once: "the world is not out to get you". I'm sure that seems obvious but it's things like meeting new people that remind you that nobody has an agenda to make your life miserable....except maybe you -- think positive!
I think I kinda like the dc job more, as after staying in atlanta for 4 years, I hope to have a more fast paced, bigger city lifestyle. May I ask if you think 50+k is enough for me to live in dc with a car and without student loans? The company is in metro dc and I was told arlington/shirlington area is a good place to live with 1-2 roommates. The lifestyle I envision is I will have a social life (dinner, happy hour, theater, museum, etc.) after a day of hard work, without worrying too much money wise. Will 50+k be too tight for a young professional in dc?
And I actually do like the down-to-earth feeling of minneapolis. I just need more reasons to choose the job, other than it's 10k better paid. For example, do you think if the work experience in a top30 fortune 500 company would be better than a top30 consulting firm, for me to get into a top10 business school, and my career afterwards?
Thanks a lot!!!
So you are working for UnitedHealth Group? I worked there if you have any questions about the culture or even the position (if you got a job in real estate). Seriously, if you got a degree from Carlson School of Business that would be all you'd ever need to be ANYTHING....especially in the state of MN! The last I heard they were turning down candidates with 3.9 GPA's and 650 GMAT scores -- EXCLUSIVE! It's a great school, that's all I want to emphasize there.
One of the key phrases you said was "I like the consulting job more", and I think that might just be the straw that broke the camel's back. Yeah, DC is bigger and probably more fun, yeah the weather is warmer (almost too warm!) and it's blacker (unsure if that's important), but the best way to be successful at ANY job is to love what you do. THAT's going to be the defining characteristic of the person who is happy and paid well vs. the person who is stressed out and paid pretty well -- which do you want to be? If the MN job doesn't interest you at all compared to the DC one, go to DC.
The best thing you can do to get into a top b-school and be attractive coming out of it, is to excel at your pre-business school jobs regardless of industry. So, try to figure out which company provides more opportunities to shine/get promoted between when you start and when you plan to leave for school.
Why is everyone pushing this graduate degree? I haven't found that getting a masters is all that more effective at moving you up the corporate ladder than having experience. However, I'm interested in getting a higher education at some point but I want that education to cater to my career.....I don't want to get a masters just to be competitive (HUGE mistake that is becoming a new economical bubble -- tuition loans!). Is anyone able to explain the concept of experience vs. a degree in terms of being able to succeed?
Why is everyone pushing this graduate degree? I haven't found that getting a masters is all that more effective at moving you up the corporate ladder than having experience. However, I'm interested in getting a higher education at some point but I want that education to cater to my career.....I don't want to get a masters just to be competitive (HUGE mistake that is becoming a new economical bubble -- tuition loans!). Is anyone able to explain the concept of experience vs. a degree in terms of being able to succeed?
You're kidding right? It's about improving your chances of getting your foot in the door. It's about separating yourself from others. Bachelor degrees are commonplace, MBA's from top programs aren't. Also, there are the networks that you become a part of by attending some business schools.
Specifically to your question, a degree doesn't necessarily make you better equipped to succeed in every instance. IIRC the recently ousted CEO of Best Buy didn't have a degree and his career was fine, same with the CEO of Merrill Lynch (the one before Stanley O'Neal), but I believe those examples will become fewer and more far between as we head further into the 21st century.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
On the other hand, the Minneapolis job is in a fortune 500 firm, so the experience could not be bad, and the pay is 10k higher!! 
Could you also give me some ideas in the following criteria for both cities:
