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Well, there are others on the list but only those 2 in Idaho and if its an easy choice, what would you pick? Why are the cities different and what are the atmospheres like?
U of Idaho has the classic college feel. Huge fraterny and sorority houses. Wet campus, lots of drinking. Some people say this reputation has died down, I don't know. But from what I've heard from people I know that went, this isn't the case. UI is generally regarded has better academically as well. And has a law school. I was originally enrolled to go there, but for all the wrong reasons (partying). So I don't regret staying in Boise even I'd probably have a degree if I went there by now, and not dropped out. The town of Moscow is pretty cool, with a cool little downtown area. Moscow pretty much exists for UI.
ISU is a bit more like BSU. With lots of commuter students, with less campus life, and the town isn't centered on ISU. Pocatello is over twice the size of Moscow. I've spent a lot of time in Pocatello with family and it honestly doesn't impress me. The scenery is bland and it isn't worth the cold. It is a blue collar union town, which might give you a feel for it. It is super bleak in the winter. There are a lot of LDS, but I can't really tell, so it isn't that bad. My uncle who lives there says people in Pocatello either support BSU or BYU, and that ISU is generally ignored even though it is in Poky. That said, ISU has a really good science department. Great nursing, biology and lots to do with nuclear stuff. The INL is not too far away from campus. I say nuclear "stuff" because I'm way too stupid to describe why it is good, I just hear about it. They also have a partical accelerator which I hear is pretty rare, again I don't know what that means though. Another advantage to Pocatello is if you run short of money, there are two casinos within 20 miles.
A lot has been said here that is true. Pocatello is a blue-collar/union town that the rest of the state looks down on. I fid the people to be a little more down to earth and less uppity, but that's just me. The average wage in the city is less than $30k. It has about 60k+ population if you include Chubbuck. It hasn't always had the best shopping, although that is improving. Quite a few communities were upset when Costco chose Pocatello over them. I, personally, think the town is beautiful surrounded by the foothills of the Rockies. We can be up in the mountains camping in about 15-20 mins. We are about 20 minutes away from one of top rated snowboarding mountains in the west. If you are outdoorsy in any way, you could really love pocatello. Mtn Biking, hiking, skiing, camping, fishing, etc. I run into a lot of doctors' wives at storytime at the library where they have moved here from overseas or the east coast and they end up staying here because they love the outdoors options.
I don't know a lot about Moscow and UofI. UofI has the law school. I would probably base your decision on what program you're looking in to. ISU has more medical programs. Medical, pharmacy, nursing, dental hygiene are great and extremely competitive. They have a great business program (their accounting college consistently scores in the top 20 in the nation with CPA pass rates). We also surprisingly have a large contingents of students from the middle east; they tend to major in business and computer engineering. Nuclear engineering is cutting edge. The rest of engineering programs are great - mechanical, etc. They have a great votech college - radiological science, auto and welding, and new energy programs. They have a two year degree in wind/solar power where you can specialize to be a engineer or tech and have 99% job placement with a $50k salary when you are done. Most of the student body are not under 22. ISU has a <i>large</i> non-traditional student population, more so than the average university.
Most students live near the university where it's a little more run down but they can make it without a car. Most people who come down here for school stay in that area and base their opinions of the whole city on the area. Then again they likely didn't like the city before they came and didn't plan on changing their opinion. Every city has their pros and cons. I would love to raise my kids here, but it can be a frustrating place to live as an adult (it's not a very forward-thinking, invest in the future, sort of place).
ISU grad here. Very happy w/ the education that ISU provided. Not a big party school, but the degree in Health Sciences took me a long way to a successful career. But I didn't go to Pocatello for much other than dedicated studying, drinking a few beers now and then, and some skiiing or golfing nearby.
Both schools are in cold weather areas where the primary entertainment is outdoor activities and the roads home can be perilous in the winter. U of I is more business, engineering, and law and Poky is more health sciences. U of I has strong Greek system and a diverse, involved, loyal young population. Poky has more off-campus and non-traditional students. While Poky is fine my family prefers U of I. Both schools are what you make of them - depends on your personality and your goals. If you are a big partier - you party anywhere. If you are serious about an education and make good choices, it's not a problem.
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pocatello and ISU
