Boston vs minneapolis- please help (living, best, cost, state)
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My son got accepted to University of Minnesota, computer science. His girlfriend got accepted too.
He also got accepted at Northeastern University.
Major decision for us. I am European, live in California, i was in Boston(short time, liked it, felt European) , but have never been to Minneapolis.
Why would be Boston a better choice?
Please advise, need help
Thank you
Boston is more European-influenced, and an older city. Both cities certainly have snowy winters (especially this year in Boston), but Minneapolis can definitely get a bit colder, with many January nights below zero, Farenheit. Northeastern University is a big school, and fairly expensive, while the University of Minnesota is in Minneapolis, and is a HUGE school. Minneapolis, for what it matters, is much less expensive than Boston, and the entire state of Minnesota is doing very well economically right now. And while Boston has all the colonial history, and is fairly close to NYC, Minneapolis-St. Paul is a very pleasant metro area, pretty safe, and very affordable. Boston/Cambridge have many colleges, including Harvard and MIT, while Minneapolis-St. Paul has the U of M, and a few smaller private colleges.
Both are fine, and I have the feeling that you're leaning towards Boston, but Minneapolis is quite nice, and very affordable, while Boston is quite expensive, either for dorm rooms or especially apartments. Just don't overlook the capital district of the state of Minnesota--you might be pleasantly surprised...
Thank you for all your answers. I would like to add, money is not an issue, but BIG BIG high school love is. My son will be soon 18 and deeply in love, he has pink glasses right now. His girlfriend did not get accepted to any Boston schools, her grades are not as good (not because she is not smart, she is very smart, but had some other private problems), but the truth, she is a wonderful girl. My son took the hardest classes, he is highly gifted. She will go to Minneapolis.
I used to live in a big, classy, European city. When i went to Boston, after six years California, i felt at home. It felt so European, i loved it. Yes, i am leaning towards Boston, I would love to visit him there or invest in a property there. I have only one child, situation complicated right now :-(. I do not want him miserable in Boston, because i separated him from his love. College time is supposed to be an amazing experience, a very important chapter in life.
Last edited by Europeaninusa; 02-24-2015 at 07:02 AM..
Just let him pick his own school, if he wants to be with his gf, I guess that's fine. It's not as if University of Minnesota is a diploma mill. May I ask why someone from California (whom I assume both you, your son, and his gf are from) would apply to a school out in Minneapolis? Is there a reason?
I would stress to him that he's making choices. If he ends up marrying this girl, then a move to Minneapolis for her wouldn't seem bad in the long scheme of things. However if they fizzle out, especially while he's in university in the middle of the frigid midwest, then ....
U Minnesota is definitely the better school, but Boston is the better city in my opinion. I wouldn't make any choices for higher education based on a city alone. The better choice is whichever location has the better school and the better prospects for job placement, assuming other factors are equal (e.g. cost of tuition isn't prohibitive, there's no dire need that can be met in one city but not the other, etc.).
If money is no object, let him choose. Personally, I don't think a high school relationship should determine where anyone goes to school either (everyone's different, but the odds are against high school couples transitioning to college). That being said, if not being with his sweetheart would impact his studies, then it could be an issue.
As SDPMiami said, let him pick. That's the best bet. He may not love his decision, but at least it was his decision. That's important at that age. If you push him toward Boston and he hates it, he'll resent you and that could be worse. Coincidentally, my sister was accepted at Northeastern and my parents pushed her toward UMass Amherst (my father didn't like the idea of his baby girl in the city). She was miserable there and ended up transferring to Northeastern which she loved (she's in California for graduate school now). It's hard to go wrong with either school. If we were talking about purely the experience of living in either city, it would be hard not to choose Boston. However, there are other circumstances at play and your son should get the final word.
I'd like to echo what others have been saying: Boston's most likely the best choice for you, and it's a fantastic place to experience college, but you should let your son choose his own place. However, try to make it clear to him that he should choose what's best for him and not necessarily what's best for his current relationship. Young love often fizzles out, and so in a situation as important as college/living location, it's best he make a choice that's a bit self-centered.
ahh cripes, you'd think it was the OP that was going off to school with some of the responses here
You bet, she wants to talk to Bill Diehl over at Norstar to get a "sweet deal" on colleges. After all, CD is not a bank, Jerry....er..Ghengis.
Any more clever responses from you, and I'll be forced to bring out my worst Gary Cuozzo jokes.
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