Applying from California? (Minneapolis, St. Paul, Mankato: dorms, buy, good schools)

[Vladimir8029]

Hi everyone! How y'all been doing? I'm a college student in California and would like to ask you few questions about the schools/places. Thanks in advance!

So there are couple schools I am interested in Minnesota, but am not sure how do I adjust to the weather once I get there. I'm just like any other typical So. Cal guys love to wear shorts and flip-flops to the beach. I am sure the dorms/classrooms will be warm and equipped with heater. What should I expect in terms of weather differences? I don't want this to be sugar-coated, so just tell me the truth, please.

Schools I'm going to apply, Math major

1) Carleton College
2) Macalester College
3) Gustavus Adolphus College

Also, if you know, how are the job perspectives for math majors people in Minnesota?

Could you tell me more about Twin-city, Northfield, and St. Paul?

Thanks, and Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. let me know if you need more info about me, I understand people have diff. reactions to coldness. Well, take it this way, I think anywhere under 50F is chilly.(But its bearable) I have never been to a place that below freezing point, so idk how would I react.

Ken

[golfgal]

Ok, first, the cold. If you don't like it under 50, MN might not be the best place for you. Sept/October for the most part you will be fine, but the rest of the school year until April/May it's going to be cold, very cold to you. We are having somewhat of a warm trend right now. It's 37 outside right now and us natives think it is balmy. It's going to get up to about 50 for the next few days, WELL above normal temps. Dress for the weather and you will get used to it.

Schools-

Northfield is a town of about 15,000 about an hour south of Minneapolis. It's a self supporting town, not a suburb. There are two colleges in town, Carleton and St. Olaf, both good schools. Cute town, great place to raise a family or go to college.

St. Paul is pretty much like any other major metro area. Macalaster is in a nicer area of St. Paul, nice campus, great buildings VERY difficult to get into, even moreso then Carleton which is also difficult.

St. Peter-for Gustavus--cute town, about 15 minutes north of Mankato (about 60,000 people there). St. Peter has about 9000 or so people. I love St. Peter. Similar to Northfield in that it's a smaller, college town. Gustavus is also a great school.

Math majors--well, it depends on what you want to do with your math major if there are jobs or not.

[uptown_urbanist]

Golfgal already covered the locations. I agree with her assessment; Northfield and St. Peter are both very nice small towns, and definitely not part of the Twin Cities. They're close enough that you'll be able to easily fly into the MSP airport, though, and you can still come into Minneapolis on weekends if you want a city fix. Northfield is also nice in that the college St. Olaf is also there. Macalester is in a very nice part of St. Paul.

Carleton and Macalester are both extremely competitive schools with national reputations, but you probably already know that. Gustavus is also a good school, but doesn't have nearly the same national reputation (and is also much easier to get a spot). No idea about the job prospects for math majors, specifically, but the economy here is doing pretty well compared to California, and with luck things will be doing much better (everywhere) in four years.

Yes, winters will be cold, but you'll get used to it. Just buy warm winter gear once you get here. You'll learn to live with it. (and -- former dorm resident here -- still bring the flip-flops. You'll want them for showers!)

[Vladimir8029]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

Carleton and Macalester are both extremely competitive schools with national reputations, but you probably already know that. Gustavus is also a good school, but doesn't have nearly the same national reputation (and is also much easier to get a spot). No idea about the job prospects for math majors, specifically, but the economy here is doing pretty well compared to California, and with luck things will be doing much better (everywhere) in four years.

Thanks for the comments.

I agree with you uptown, we are not doing really good here. Especially in education...I'm a formal UC student and this is the THIRD time they purposed a fee hike on us within a year. We students are protesting on every campus. If you have watched the news, two days ago at UC Davis, students got pepper-sprayed while they were sitting on the side way silently protesting. Two officers were immediately discharged. I believe they posted videos on youtu as well. President Yudof made an announcement about the incidents, which I found ridiculous.

Well, I am going too far about this matter and why I feel the urge of leaving Cali. Personal experience:

Just imagine 500 kids in a lecture hall and dozen of TAs. For god sake, I took my chem midterm on MY LAP. I'm not the only one taking the exam without a seat, the room can only accommodate 450 kids. And they put up with 500?? So I learned to get there half hour early for the final. (Sorry, someone have to suffer nonetheless.) Not to mention the after class discussion sections/tutoring are soo impacted students sitting on the floor and what? I don't want to **** my school, but these are the facts. I just find our school so impersonal that I ought to look for private as the only way to leave this mess.

Sorry, too much rant, but I am leaving cali for sure. So I looked up schools outside of cali, and there are few in MN, NY, AI, and Texas.

I figure my clothes not gonna be enough for northern weather then. I hate to wear hats, what about hoodies? When you guys say gloves do you mean the one use to handle oven? Can I wear sneaker during snowy days? Or something like rain boots?

Thanks, and sorry for the longass post.

[danielle_pal]

You will need a parka, boots, hat and serious gloves, not an oven mitt

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by Vladimir8029

I figure my clothes not gonna be enough for northern weather then. I hate to wear hats, what about hoodies? When you guys say gloves do you mean the one use to handle oven? Can I wear sneaker during snowy days? Or something like rain boots?

The clothing you will probably want/need appears to be outside of your experience.

For me, the key elements are:

(1) A jacket or coat. Many approaches here. The idea is to have a coat that is insulated and that also protects you from the wind. A hood can be a good thing if it's below zero and windy, mainly to protect the neck, ears, and face, but I rarely wore one.

(2) Gloves. Mittens tend to be warmer, but I like having the ability to use individual fingers. You will need gloves if it's windy so your fingers don't get numb and freeze, but also because things you touch (steering wheel, door handled, etc.) will be cold. DO a search online for "winter gloves" or "mittens".

(3) Boots. Only needed if you're actually walking around in an area where the snow hasn't been cleared, in my opinion.

[Vladimir8029]

The pictures are kinda, scary..Hopefully the classroom will be heated. So as long as I minimize skin exposure to the air I should be good? You know what bothers me isn't about the temp, but the clumsiness that I need to wear so much to school. Here what I will go: a regular long sleeve shirt+sweater+jacket, and jeans. How many layers do I really need, this depends on how my body resist cold weather. I also hear friends say I might need an extra pants, I don't wanna get sick. But is it true that everyone wear so much and when they get inside they just take them off? Cuz I don't see how can people work with this many clothes.

[uptown_urbanist]

I'd wait to actually choose a college before worrying too much about the details. Your current outfit is about what people here wear for class, just instead of a lightweight jacket they wear a warmer coat. You take the coat off in class. No need to wear extra pants.

[xandrex]

I suppose you might freeze a bit more than some Minnesotans, not being as used to the temp, but most of us don't bundle up TOO much. At the University of Minnesota campus, most students have jeans and a sweatshirt on, then throw a warm jacket and hat on. It seems every girl gets a pair of Uggs though, sadly, and wears them until it's flip-flop season. A lot of students don't even wear gloves. I know I don't...I just pull my sleeves over my hands and it works fine, or shove them in my pockets.

All of the schools you identified are great places to go though. One thing to think about is financial aid. Some of those schools are probably more generous than others, and that can make a big difference. Carleton is something like $50,000 now, I believe, so it's no small chunk of change.

[Vladimir8029]

Thanks for all the comments, folks.