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University of Minnesota Twin Cities Visit Report by nickknack

Visit to University of Minnesota Twin Cities in August 2007 by nickknack
(Student, HS Class of 2007)
(Member since May 31 2007 with 78 posts)
 
2 of 2 people found this visit report helpful

Visit Activities:


Information Session: Yes - Very run-of-the-mill. I would, however, recommend the liberal arts info session if available.

Campus Tour: Yes - Hardly allows you to see facilities, prepare for a hike, but the sights are quite pleasing.

Campus:


Friendliness/Courtesy of Students:
4 - Very Good
4 - Very Good
Minnesota nice!


Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff:
5 - Excellent
5 - Excellent
Great admissions crew, particularly the liberal arts college staff.


Appearance of Campus:
4 - Very Good
4 - Very Good
Spacious, unintimidating.


Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness:
3 - Good
3 - Good
By the tour, the facilities look pristine. However, I would recommend checking out some of the less prominent buildings, some of them are much less showy.


Dormitories:
4 - Very Good
4 - Very Good
Quite nondescript. Your average, 10' x 15', prepare-for-your-future-in-a-cube kind of rooms.


Security/Safety:
4 - Very Good
4 - Very Good
Several times a question was raised about off-campus safety. I can assure you that the surrounding neighborhoods are quite safe, though it is never a bad idea to have a companion at night.


Overall Campus Impression:
4 - Very Good
4 - Very Good


Off-Campus:


Area Immediately Around Campus:
4 - Very Good
4 - Very Good
The Minneapolis campus couldn't be any closer to downtown Minneapolis. The St. Paul campus is not too far away from the action, either.


City/Town/Community:
5 - Excellent
5 - Excellent
The Twin Cities has experienced a cultural renaissance in the last decade: theaters and museums abound, all four major league sports teams in the metro area, clubs, and national music venues

Campus Visit Notes for University of Minnesota Twin Cities


Visit Description:

Well-kept, intellectually ambitious, and sub-cultures enough for everyone. Friendly student body, central location, and easy access to everything nearby via bus. However, as a local and former attendee, be wary, many of the older facilities have been disregarded. School does a good job catering to undergraduates, but there is also a heavy graduate research focus, the University strives to be "one of the top three public research universities in the country." Superb for business majors and agriculture enthusiasts, and the liberal arts college is respected, too. However, this is also a school where many do not live on campus, many are at home or in apartments, and to my mind, this detracts from campus community. (Get up, go to school, go home, repeat...sound anything like high school?) Prospective students should also check out the University of Wisconsin - Madison; it's a smidgen more prestigious school with slightly fewer local opportunities.

Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:

On campus: Baja Sol Tortilla Grill in Student Center. Off campus: The Dinkytowner, D'Amico and Sons, and The Lotus. For the cheap vegetarian/vegan: The Hard Times Cafe (on the West Bank)

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

Plenty of on-campus parking, but no guarantees, many students commute.