University of Minnesota Twin Cities Visit Report by flamacu3

Visit Activities:

Admissions Interview: No - but I got a hold of my admissions counselor over phone. He was helpful, not saccharine (then again, I was already admitted at the time), and answered all of my questions.

Information Session: Yes - I went to a few at the College of Biological Sciences (CBS) Reception and at Orientation.

Campus Tour: Yes - The guides are very knowledgable. Be prepared for a hike; it IS a huge campus.

Classroom Visit: Yes - There weren't any actual classes in session, but the facilities - even undergrad! - are amazing (such as the Foundations of Biology classrooms).

---

Campus:

---

Friendly, diverse student body. If you're lost, 99.9% of the time they'll help and point you in the right direction. (Did I mention that it's a big campus?)

---

At first they don't seem to care (they're dealing with thousands of students at a time), but if you make an effort to make yourself known or show an interest in what they're doing, it g

---

Cool, eclectic mix of architecture. Big parts of campus were under construction, but still well-kept for the most part. Lots of bike paths!

---

---

Standard, run-of-the-mill. Comstock has sinks. Freshmen can live in an area called the "Superblock." Middlebrook is the nicest dorm but near the shadiest area of campus. All a matter of pref

---

Stuff happens (it's an urban campus, after all), but they make an effort to make students feel safe. They have their own police force, blue light buttons, and "TXT-U." Beware of bike th

---

Took a second visit to really see everything. The campus and CBS definitely surpassed my expectations.

---

Off-Campus:

---

Okay safety-wise for the most part. Be careful around the West Bank. Dinkytown is a neat little neighborhood.

---

Minneapolis is where most of the action is and St. Paul is more chill. (Those were my first impressions anyway.) Both are cool cities and have a lot to offer.

Campus Visit Notes for University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Visit Description:

I attended the CBS Reception back in March. I couldn't stay that long, unfortunately (I had to fly back home to Chicago that day), so it was a lot to take in at once. I'll admit, I was a little intimidated by the size of the campus and a few of the professors. Come decision time, I knew the least about The U out of all 7 schools I was admitted to, but I enrolled there in the end (cheap tuition and highly reputed Biology program). I'm glad I did. I saw campus again during Orientation. It was good returning a little more familiar where everything is, but I learned a lot more this time around - I saw more of the campus, learned more about the CBS (definitely and up-and-coming college!), met more peers, and got to know more faculty. In short, really make an effort to know the place your first time there. It's definitely worth it.

Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:

If you're hailing from out of town/state (like me), I recommend getting a room at Frontier Hall. (My parents stayed at the Marriot.) It's cheap ($21/night!) and you get a taste of dorm life.

Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:

There's a lot of nice little places in Dinkytown. The Asian cuisine in the Twin Cities is really good overall.

Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):

There are a lot of bike paths and parking can be pricy, so bike, walk, or take the bus as much as possible. I highly recommend seeing the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Mall of America.