Hi guys! I am really having a hard time choosing a college. My top options are Ohio State and U of Minnesota Twin Cities for Agribusiness and Applied Economics.
City and campus safety is one of my top priorities as I am not from the US. Other important factors are good teaching quality, kindness of people and staff, studious environment and a supportive international students service.
One last thing… is being admitted to the Ohio State Scholars Program worth choosing OSU? Or 10k scholarship at U of M is more worthy? Considering all facts listed above. Please help!!! Thanks!!!
Both the campuses and their surroundings are safe. They are patrolled by campus police. Usually students are too busy in their campus environment that there is very little need to go to the city, at least in case of U Mn & OSU. Note that Columbus is nearer to downtown which usually has a higher crime.
St. Paul (MN) & Columbus (OH) have similar violent crimes, but property crime in Columbus is higher than St. Paul. (http://www.bestplaces.net/crime/?city1=52758000&city2=53918000).
U Mn may have an edge in so far as Agriculture and economics related economics program.
https://ideas.repec.org/top/top.agecon.html
https://ideas.repec.org/top/top.usecondept.html
Since both are state supported (public) universities, the first year classes will be huge, sometimes 200- 400 students in lecture hall. However, recitation sessions are much smaller, where the students meet with teaching assistants to clear their doubts. If you are from warm climate, Minneapolis will be much, much colder during winter, as compared to Columbus.
Minneapolis is a much larger cosmopolitan city, and has an European flair to it. People in both Columbus and St. Paul are friendly. You may want to see which university has a large presence of students from your home country. Initially much of the socializing will be done with students from home country.
Thank you very much for the information! I enrolled at OSU, although its ranking is not as high as UMN’s, I loved the major there it’s just what I have had in mind! Hope I made the right decision!
Congratulations. You will love it.