Corvallis (OSU) or Eugene (UO)? (Albany, Green: apartment, rentals, houses)

[corcor27]

I'm looking to move to either Corvallis or Eugene. I'm 30 years old, married, no kids, and my main focus right now is going back to school. I have some time since I'm starting at a community college here in Colorado Springs and will be here until May of next year, but I want to end up at either OSU or UO. I'm leaning more towards OSU because it looks like they have more to offer than UO (as far as degrees and classes, especially in the areas of nature, wildlife, and environment), and OSU looks like it's more rooted in education rather than sports, but as an outsider I can only go based on my findings.

As an experienced adult, my priorities are not that of most teenagers fresh out of high school and I'm not looking for a party scene (would Corvallis be considered more of a party town or are most students serious about their education). I'm serious about getting out of my current employment rut, and getting a decent education. I'm looking for a place that will have reasonable rental options (not student housing, student rentals, or typical college town rentals) and so far Corvallis seems like it doesn't, mainly becuase the majority of the people that live there are in college. Albany sounds like a place I would not want to live (according to other threads), but what about other areas such as Philomath, Lewisburg, Tangent, Greenberry, etc.

I'm not looking for what most other people are looking for. I don't care about shopping or lots of things to do as far as the downtown scene, and I don't need to be constantly surrounded by people. I like the great outdoors and quiet surroundings. However, I'm not looking to be a hermit either. Even now I live in an apartment community surrounded by neighborhoods, but it's still quiet because of the specific part of town that I live in, and no, it's not expensive. lol

On the subject of UO and Eugene, it seems like there are more options for finding a place to live, and it seems like less of a college town and more like a regular small city. My only concern is the lack of academic programs and classes at UO, at least in the field that I'm interested. Eugene also seems like there are more employment oppurtunities, at least as far as entry level, low paying, part-time type jobs go, which I would need while in school.

I really need some help from somone that knows the locations and schools that I'm interested in as this will be a huge step in my, and my wife's, life. Thank you for taking the time to read and reply to my post.

Corey

[Silverfall]

OSU is the better choice for environmental/nature type of degrees. Both schools have strengths, but you need to go school that has the degree you want. The College of Forestry, the College of Ag, and The College of EOAS are considered good programs nationwide. If that is what you want, OSU is the better choice over UofO.

[Nell Plotts]

As an older graduate of UoO I describe the difference as applied vs abstract.

If you want to be a physicist, mathematician, programmer, or designer go to UoO, if you want to translate those tools into a something that works there are great electrical and materials engineering programs at OSU.

Future City Planners would attend the UoO, the people who translate those concepts into reality in the form of streets, bridges, sewer and water systems attend OSU.

You are a mature student, there is a difference between having an interest and an education that leads to a job. Focus on opportunities.

[GeorgiaTransplant]

Originally Posted by corcor27

I'm looking to move to either Corvallis or Eugene. I'm 30 years old, married, no kids, and my main focus right now is going back to school. I have some time since I'm starting at a community college here in Colorado Springs and will be here until May of next year, but I want to end up at either OSU or UO. I'm leaning more towards OSU because it looks like they have more to offer than UO (as far as degrees and classes, especially in the areas of nature, wildlife, and environment), and OSU looks like it's more rooted in education rather than sports, but as an outsider I can only go based on my findings.

As an experienced adult, my priorities are not that of most teenagers fresh out of high school and I'm not looking for a party scene (would Corvallis be considered more of a party town or are most students serious about their education). I'm serious about getting out of my current employment rut, and getting a decent education. I'm looking for a place that will have reasonable rental options (not student housing, student rentals, or typical college town rentals) and so far Corvallis seems like it doesn't, mainly becuase the majority of the people that live there are in college. Albany sounds like a place I would not want to live (according to other threads), but what about other areas such as Philomath, Lewisburg, Tangent, Greenberry, etc.

I'm not looking for what most other people are looking for. I don't care about shopping or lots of things to do as far as the downtown scene, and I don't need to be constantly surrounded by people. I like the great outdoors and quiet surroundings. However, I'm not looking to be a hermit either. Even now I live in an apartment community surrounded by neighborhoods, but it's still quiet because of the specific part of town that I live in, and no, it's not expensive. lol

On the subject of UO and Eugene, it seems like there are more options for finding a place to live, and it seems like less of a college town and more like a regular small city. My only concern is the lack of academic programs and classes at UO, at least in the field that I'm interested. Eugene also seems like there are more employment oppurtunities, at least as far as entry level, low paying, part-time type jobs go, which I would need while in school.

I really need some help from somone that knows the locations and schools that I'm interested in as this will be a huge step in my, and my wife's, life. Thank you for taking the time to read and reply to my post.

Corey

OSU has world-class engineering, science (including natural science), and business programs. UO has world-class liberal arts. For what you expressed interest in, OSU is the better choice.

Don't rule out Albany. It has some rough areas but also some decent ones, and 'rough' in the Valley isn't all that rough compared to Colorado Springs (I've lived in both Oregon and Colorado-Denver, but I spent a fair amount of time in the Springs). Philomath, Tangent, etc. are all very small; finding a rental is not at all impossible but they don't have a wide variety and basically you're looking at renting small houses if you can find one.

Eugene would have more part-time options, but any employment in Oregon is a little tough at the moment.

[Larry Caldwell]

Really? Moving to Oregon and paying out of state tuition is a better choice than going to school in Virginia? Run the Net Price Calculator at Net Price Calculator | Financial Aid and Scholarships | Oregon State University.

U of O is the party school. There are lots of humanities majors who don't have to think very hard. OSU is a better choice if you want to graduate actually knowing how to do something. Their forestry, marine science, wildlife and veterinary science programs all support each other, and offer a wide variety of choices.

[Nell Plotts]

Hey, I graduated from the UoO and did not 'party', sure I attended a party typically on a Saturday night but I, and my friends, were serious students. Heck, I was constantly over-loaded; my classes included honors physics, mathematics, and social science; graduated in 3 years with excellent grades.

That said, I should have attended OSU but women weren't encouraged to be engineers back in the day.

[jjpop]

I've lived in both towns, near campus, and I can say for sure that they are about equal from a partying standpoint. That is to say, not the level of partying you would find at most other universities (I'm looking at you, UCSB!).

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by jjpop

I've lived in both towns, near campus, and I can say for sure that they are about equal from a partying standpoint. That is to say, not the level of partying you would find at most other universities (I'm looking at you, UCSB!).

Ditto ...

OSU is just more reserved and UofO gets arrested more often.

I would go with UofO as you are going to pay a premium for housing in Corvallis.

But it depends on the Program you want too.

[GeorgiaTransplant]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

Really? Moving to Oregon and paying out of state tuition is a better choice than going to school in Virginia? Run the Net Price Calculator at Net Price Calculator | Financial Aid and Scholarships | Oregon State University.

Are you talking to me? I went to OSU as an in-state student. I moved to Virginia later in life....

this guy is currently in Colorado. Did you mean to say "a better choice than going to school in [Colorado]?", or am I missing something?

[christiner81]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

Really? Moving to Oregon and paying out of state tuition is a better choice than going to school in Virginia? Run the Net Price Calculator at Net Price Calculator | Financial Aid and Scholarships | Oregon State University.

this is a very valid point. do you have a plan for what kind of career you want to end up with? i have a degree in science and have found that generally many jobs in nature/environment/life sciences don't pay much at all. I was fortunate to have graduated with my BS debt-free, which is good because even 10 years out i don't make a high salary.

if i had to do it over again, i'd have gone to a state school for my BS, and then gone for an masters in applied science (Professional Science Masters). OSU has a really good program for that and can help network you into a higher paying career than just straight baccalaureate level natural science.