Transfer to SCSU or University of Minnesota? (school, farmer)

[knke0204]

Originally Posted by Slig

For me this is a no brainer. Go to the U of M.

But it's really not a "no brainer" type of a situation. If money and city life arent issues for you, then I guess obviously it is a no brainer.

However, to a lot of people entering college (and transfering) have the financial rain cloud over head. It all depends on how much debt you want to incur. Yes, you will pay more at the U over time, but also over time you'll probably make up the difference from a possible better position, or even advancement -simply from the degree.

For many, the "young lifestyle" is the same anywhere. Just because a student is in a large city doesnt mean that they are reaping the benefits. Other than shuffling from classroom to classroom to library to computer lab to part time job to dorm/apt/crappy house, college students are busy. So recreation and socializing is often the exact same amongst college students - rec leagues, intramurals, and parties. A party is a party is a party, whether you're in Dinkytown, Mankato, UMD, SCSU, NDSU, NMU...They are all the same.

Cost of living is notable higher in Dinkytown, for rental properties mostly.


If i could do it all over again, I'd probably have lived at home and commuted to the U of M everyday, which would have offset the money i spent from living at SCSU.

But in no way shape or form do I regret going to SCSU. It was a wonderful experience and it was intimate enough where I had the opportunity to become close with Professors and faculty. I also met a wide range of freinds that i still keep today- from Athletes, to hippy experimental kids, to typical dbags, to people from small towns to people from large cities to international students and anywhere and everywhere between.

[mintygreen]

Thanks for your input. I think I actually may like SCSU better mainly because I'm a lot more used to the campus and the area. I'm not at all used to the big urban setting. I think that If I have the chance I should probably step out of the box and go to the U.

[knke0204]

Originally Posted by mintygreen

Thanks for your input. I think I actually may like SCSU better mainly because I'm a lot more used to the campus and the area. I'm not at all used to the big urban setting. I think that If I have the chance I should probably step out of the box and go to the U.

Just do whatever 'feels' right. Honestly, that's all you can do. Picture yourself with a Husky sweatshirt on walking around SCSU, and picture yourself with a Gopher sweatshirt on walking around the U. Whatever feels good will be the best shot.

SCSU's campus is going under a major overhaul. The Library is state of the art and just beautiful and only 7 years old. Centenial Hall was just totally revamped, turned into the College of Business Building. Riverview is an Old HIstoric building that was just revitalized. The Wick Science building just got totally redone, with an addition to the backside. Husky Stadium was built 5 years ago, along with the brand new Recreation Center. A new parking ramp was built last year, and is adjacent to the brand new Public Services office.

[mintygreen]

Thanks again for your advice I really appreciate it.

[Wingfoot]

U of M is several orders of magnatitude above SCSU. Out side MN no one ever heard of latter,anywhere in world people know of the former.

That said, only you know how good a student you really are and how hard you want to work(not the same thing).
And if you can handle being a small dot in a large sea.

[knke0204]

Originally Posted by Wingfoot

U of M is several orders of magnatitude above SCSU. Out side MN no one ever heard of latter,anywhere in world people know of the former.

That said, only you know how good a student you really are and how hard you want to work(not the same thing).
And if you can handle being a small dot in a large sea.

You're extremely wrong, stop giving false information. St. Cloud State University is a well known school within the Midwest and around the country. The school has students from EVERY state, as well as nearly 1300 international students from over 80 countries. So, I think many people know about SCSU outside of Minnesota.

Also, you're wrong about 'anywhere in the world' knows about the U of M.

[knke0204]

http://www.stcloudstate.edu/oie/rese...University.pdf

this is interesting....

[Wingfoot]

Originally Posted by knke0204

You're extremely wrong, stop giving false information. St. Cloud State University is a well known school within the Midwest and around the country. The school has students from EVERY state, as well as nearly 1300 international students from over 80 countries. So, I think many people know about SCSU outside of Minnesota.

Also, you're wrong about 'anywhere in the world' knows about the U of M.

Nope, you can go to any university in this world and people will know of the U and usually of something/somebody from there in their field.

99% will have never heard of SCSU.

[Slig]

I don't want to downplay the praise given to St. Cloud State, especially since I didn't attend there while Knke did. However, just going by measureable statistics such as average ACT score and % of entrants that are accepted and turned down the U of M is clearly superior. That doesn't mean you can't or won't get a solid education at St. Cloud nor does it mean that it won't provide some students with a preferable living and studying environment, but in my opinion comparing these two schools is like comparing a Cadillac to a Crysler. The U is bigger, offers more of pretty much everything, is more reknown and has superior facilities.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by Wingfoot

Nope, you can go to any university in this world and people will know of the U and usually of something/somebody from there in their field.

99% will have never heard of SCSU.

I agree. And, like Slig says, that doesn't mean that SCSU isn't good, or can't provide an excellent education, but to say that SCSU has the same national or international reputation as the U of MN simply isn't true. Whether or not that matters will vary by person. It would have mattered in my field; having the increased opportunities and the chance to work with some top professors did, I think, help me to get into a very competitive graduate program.

Just as an example of how the U's name pops up internationally: Singapore offers a one-year visa/pass to go live there while looking for jobs. It's available for those with "recognized educational qualifications," (or some such terminology); basically, they put together a list of schools from around the world that the Singapore government considers sufficiently "known" and high quality. The U of MN, Twin Cities is on there; SCSU is not. The point is not that the U is automatically superior (you can petition them if your school isn't on the list, as many smaller but certainly high-quality colleges aren't on there, either) but rather that the government (advised by HR people, their university faculty, and others) has heard of the U, but have not heard of SCSU.

If you're going by reputation alone (which, I think, is just one factor out of many to consider), then yes, go with the U of MN.