U of M (Minneapolis, St. Paul, Dakota: law school, university, pros and cons)

[AT9]

Hey guys,
The University of Minnesota is one of my top choices for school next year. I plan to major in political science, and I was wondering what you Minnesotans thought about the University. How is it perceived within the state? How is the political science program perceived? Really, I just want to hear some opinions of the University.... good, bad, whatever. Thanks for the input!

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by AT9

Hey guys,
The University of Minnesota is one of my top choices for school next year. I plan to major in political science, and I was wondering what you Minnesotans thought about the University. How is it perceived within the state? How is the political science program perceived? Really, I just want to hear some opinions of the University.... good, bad, whatever. Thanks for the input!

It's great, perceived great, poli sci program is probably great. the only complaint i've heard from some is that it's "too big" - if you're looking for a smaller scale u of m experience there are several small u of m public liberal arts colleges in the outstate, mostly in smaller cities/ towns, that also have good reputations.

[3three3]

The U is a good school, but very much an impersonal experience due to its size. There are pros and cons to going to such a big school.

For a Political Science degree, you are going to study pretty much the same set of courses no matter what school you go to. Although, some schools will have more interesting elective class options. If you attend the UofM, or another school of its size, be prepared for many of your classes to have hundreds of students and to have classes where you never meet/see the actual professor (instead, you only have access to the Teaching Assistant).

Since it is one of the more general degrees to pursue, I would consider what kind of learning environment you want. Some people excel at big schools where they can do their own thing, get lost in the maze, and make use of internship/volunteer opportunities in the city. Others do better in smaller class environments where they can get personal attention from the professor and have greater access to class/campus resources.

With a degree in Poli-Sci, I presume you are planning on graduate school. Therefore, I'd suggest you focus more on choosing a school that will provide an environment you will excel in. The UofM is notorious for having the worst rates of 4-year graduation in the Big Ten...though, it is improving. Smaller schools have higher rates of getting students done in 4 years. Also, think about the opportunities you'll have for developing relationships with professors. The better the relationship, the better a recommendation letter you will get for grad school. Check out the internship/volunteer ops at each school, the class sizes, etc.

If getting school paid for is of no issue, than no worries (and lucky you). If you are going to need financial aid, I would spend some extra time researching the details I mentioned. It's harder to get financial aid these days due to the economy and you want to make sure you go someplace that you will a) do well, b) finish in 4 years, and c) will provide excellent support for your grad school plans.

That said, I'm a UofM grad and one of my favorite classes was a Political Science class I took (with a prof who is no longer there).

[Explorer John]

The U is definitely perceived pretty well I think. I have a friend finishing up his Political Science degree there right now and loves it. There are also plenty of chances to network in such a big school. Camden Northsider and 3three3 are certainly right about the size. If you want to ask questions in class and have a working relationship with your professors you might want to consider a smaller university or a school with a better student/faculty ratio for your major.

I just graduated with a bachelors in Political Science myself from UW-River Falls, which had about 6,300 students when I went there. I think there is certainly something to be said for the smaller university setting. I personally do not perform very well in larger class sizes. There are also a lot of great opportunities to easily get involved with extra activities that supplement your degree like student government or writing for the newspaper.

Because of my small class sizes I was able to have a relationship with every polisci professor at the school. They hooked me up with some really great opportunities like independent research and an internship in the State Senate in St. Paul (which is pretty good coming from a Wisconsin school).

There is certainly something to be said for the U. I respect it as a university and know a lot of people that loved their experience. That being said, I don't regret my decision to go to a smaller university out of state at all. I feel like I had just as much opportunity and with a MUCH smaller price tag.

[Sir Punk]

I just got completed a master in computer science at the U. My opinion is that on one side is great because it offers a huge variety of classes and majors. The downside is that it tries to suck every single penny out of the students. The bookstore has the highest prices I've ever seen, I never bought a single book there. Also if you are out of state your tuition is gonna be pretty expensive. Tuition keeps going up every year, but the teacher to student ration doesn't go down. Right now they are making the students pay for the new stadium. Anything from a financial point of view it's a rip off.

[uptown_urbanist]

The U is considered an excellent school, both within Minnesota and out. It's a major university with top-notch faculty and graduate programs. As an undergraduate you'll have access to all of this, too, but, as others have said, it's big. There's not a lot of hand-holding, although there is plenty of advice there if you are willing to ask for it. It is expensive but there are scholarships available, especially if you're a good student. Teacher to student ratio is a bigger deal in the big intro classes, but especially when you're a little more into your studies you can take small specialized seminars. Even in the big departments it's possible to have a close relationship with faculty, but it won't be as instinctively easy as in a smaller place.

I loved the U of MN. I thrived there, loved the course options, loved the mix of graduate and undergraduate students, and forged close connections in a big department. I had opportunities there that I would not have had at a smaller college. I also saw others who floated through, graduated late because they needed more social or college pressure to keep them on track, and had a more impersonal experience than what they would have received elsewhere. In short, it truly is what you make of it, so I strongly agree with the advice to keep your own personality in mind when you make your final choice. As far as reputation goes, you have nothing to worry about on that front.

[Clifford63]

Originally Posted by Sir Punk

I just got completed a master in computer science at the U. My opinion is that on one side is great because it offers a huge variety of classes and majors. The downside is that it tries to suck every single penny out of the students. The bookstore has the highest prices I've ever seen, I never bought a single book there. Also if you are out of state your tuition is gonna be pretty expensive. Tuition keeps going up every year, but the teacher to student ration doesn't go down. Right now they are making the students pay for the new stadium. Anything from a financial point of view it's a rip off.

I can't think of a college book store that does not gouge students. More like a universal thing than a U of M thing.

[AT9]

Thanks for the responses everyone, they are appreciated.

3three3, you are correct. I hope to go to law school afterword’s, and if I can't, I plan on going to grad school for something. Out-of-state tuition isn't an issue for me, because I got a scholarship that covers the difference between out of state and instate tuition. I just really love Minneapolis, and I loved the campus too... even though it was +4 degrees when I went on the campus tour haha. I'll be coming from Florida, but many of my relatives live in South Dakota, and my parents are both SD natives. So I know what true cold feels like, it will just take a little time to adapt to having it for such a long period of time.

[backstaber]

some of the out schools are okay -but you will not have any legal protection unless you are part of the old clan

[Harpoon]

Go, the U of M is a fantastic school, superior to any other in the state.