<p>I have lived in the chicago are for most all my life and i can conclude that if i never see snow or feel freezing winds again in my life, i would have absolutely no problem. </p>
<p>I cannot stand freezing weather and an ideal college for me would have VERY mild winters and rarely snow at all.</p>
<p>Should i let my possibly irrational aversion to the snow and cold weather eliminate otherwise good schools from my sites, such as Uchicago, northwestern, and schools in New England?</p>
<p>No, you shouldn’t.</p>
<p>Your education is going to last a lifetime. Four years worth of mildly bad weather shouldn’t be enough to disrupt your education. Plus, most schools in New England are in areas where winter weather is a bit more mild than that of Chicago.</p>
<p>A better answer would be “no, unless everything else of a higher priority between your prospective schools were comparable.”</p>
<p>A New Englander playing devil’s advocate: Cold winter weather can be hard to take. Everyone is a little more miserable when they’re surrounded by snow, can’t go outside without three layers of warm clothes, and get only eight hours of daylight. It’s sometimes difficult even for people who’ve grown up with it and enjoy it; if you have an aversion to it, you’re really not going to be happy. Worst case scenario, you could end up depressed and find that it seriously impacts your studies and your social life.</p>
<p>Don’t go someplace where you’ll be unhappy - that extends to the size of a school, the surrounding community, the type of students, and, yes, the weather. There are plenty of good schools in warmer parts of the country; you can set weather constraints without making educational sacrifices.</p>
<p>(This from a Vermonter who, hating warm weather, applied only to northern schools…)</p>
<p>If you don’t like schools with freezing weather, don’t apply. There are plenty of good schools with warm climates.</p>
<p>If you feel strongly enough about it, I think weather will make a difference in your overall experience. People tend to do best when they are in surroundings they find comfortable. Your OP already states what you consider “your ideal”, that is probably the best way to go. Trust your instincts.</p>
<p>Dude, I live in jersey and I hate the weather so I understand where you are coming from. Honestly, if you don’t like the cold there are ALWAYS equivalents to most schools in the south/west.</p>
<p>Examples:</p>
<p>HYP —> Stanford
MIT —> Caltech
Columbia/U Chi —> Duke</p>
<p>etc.</p>
<p>I really think you should choose where you are going to be happy, and if weather is a big part of your happiness then its logical to take that into consideration.</p>
<p>I let weather play a big factor in where I applied to colleges, and I couldn’t be happier! I went to high school in MA, but hate the cold, so I applied to all schools south of the Mason-Dixon line, and am currently going to school in VA. There are good schools all over the United States, so letting weather focus your search is as good as any other starting criteria. You want to go somewhere where you will be happy, and if warm weather makes you happy, go for it!</p>
<p>"I cannot stand freezing weather and an ideal college for me would have VERY mild winters and rarely snow at all.</p>
<p>Should i let my possibly irrational aversion…"</p>
<p>What is irrational about the fact that you cannot stand cold weather? Unless you’re clinically obese with a walrus like layer of fat insulation, your aversion is quite rational… just as an aversion to Death Valley type weather would also be rational. Freezing weather is uncomfortable and dangerous. Combined with fewer hours of daylight, some people get quite depressed in those climates. You may be one of them. If so, do NOT go to college in freezing weather!</p>
<p>P.S. I now people who thought the cold weather at Cornell would be no big deal. WRONG! For two months each year they were miserable.</p>
<p>I know people that chose their schools ( two in Fla ) they are from NJ and Ma and while they like the climate feel that their schools are not nearly as challenging as they expected and are disapointed by their choices.
Already thinking of either transfers or grad schools back in the northeast.</p>
<p>Beaches aren’t everything. I also know people that chose their schools because they love the snow and skiing.I think you have to find and environment where they have more than just weather to determine your happiness and ability to adapt.</p>
<p>Not irrational aversion at all. Chicago is like insane crazy cold in January, though, you could perish walking a block downtown without adequate covering. A lot of the NE schools are not like that at all, especially nearer to the coast. You might find them almost tropical coming from Chicago. I think the more you go inland the colder it is.</p>
<p>Yes, you should consider weather. Avoid the south. It is not what it is cracked up to be. It gets oppressively hot and humid. The climate is BORING. Every kind of insect and pest imaginable grows in warm climates. My brother moved to Arizona for three years and couldn’t stand it. He moved back to New York.</p>
<p>The northeast is best. Beautiful fall foliage. Lots of deciduous trees. Winter is beautiful, too. Fresh snow is great. Cold weather is invigorating. And fun for skiing. Everything blooming in Spring. Perfect summers. </p>
<p>Go somewhere that has four seasons.</p>
<p>Considering the weather is perfectly legitimate. Having a D in a fairly cold place, I’ll tell you that colds, flu and sinus infections are a lot less bareable and harder to get rid of in a really cold place. For what it’s worth…</p>
<p>Yes, you should. If you hate freezing weather, then it would be wise to apply to places with milder temperatures. Fortunately, there are many excellent colleges in the U.S. that are in much warmer places than Chicago.</p>
<p>Keep in mind, too, that when it’s time to get a job, you’ll be far more likely to get a job in some place relatively near where you went to college (due to connections, etc.) or in your hometown than in another part of the country where you may prefer working.</p>
<p>There’s no need to grit your teeth and experience weather that you hate for 4 more years when there are good alternatives available that won’t restrict your graduate or career options.</p>
<p>Weather should be a factor you consider, but don’t compromise travel time (you want to be able to get home in case of a family crisis, and your parents want to be able to get to you if you need them), or academic quality in favor of weather.</p>
<p>Having lived in both Chicago and Connecticut – there’s a huge difference in the climates. Connecticut winters are <em>balmy</em> compared to the four I experienced in Chicago. Now – admittedly they are not North Carolina balmy … but they are much more doable than Chicago.</p>
<p>I think weather is an important factor. If you’re going to be miserable in your climate, it’s just not even worth it.</p>
<p>Places like VA and NC for example, are much milder than the midwest, while still having four seasons. Worth looking into, I’d say. Or maybe CA? There are a number of top-tier institutions in each of these states, but because of the weather, you’d probably be happier.</p>
<p>Everyone has their quirks when it comes to campus choice. Weather is no more or less valid than “near a beach” or “Has a D1 football program” There are plenty of wonderful schools with warm winters so go ahead and limit your list accordingly. Good Luck!</p>
<p>coming from a cold region, i applied to almost all CA schools. if you’re going to strive for an “ideal” college experience then why not factor weather?</p>
<p>If it is a factor that is important to you, then you should take it into consideration when you apply to schools.</p>