University of Minnesota Class of 2015 Forum

[youngbuck]

That's awesome they cancelled the laptop program. I don't really want to make the move to the Mac, but Windows 8 seems atrocious (at least on a laptop), so it may be the only way to go.

Definitely down for the camping idea also.

[whatismylife]

I'm debating between a Macbook Air (I think they have a new one coming out this summer) and an Asus Zenbook UX31E

[woodscommaL]

So excited for all of our TLS outings haha by the time school starts anyone not native to Minnesota will be well acquainted with the best state in 'merica (arguments to the contrary are invalid haha).

Anyone considering a mac, I would highly recommend them. I've had my current one for almost 5 years and I've literally never had a single problem and it's still going strong. Realistically it would probably be fine to keep using for law school, but I like getting new things haha. And, their tech support is amazing. I made a minor mistake with a software update once, and when I called their support number someone in America answered right away and they rush shipped me new software for free even though the error was definitely my fault. Definitely worth the investment.

[youn0977]

Hey guys I'll be at the University of Minnesota for 2015! I'm really excited as I went to the University of Minnesota for undergrad and absolutely love the school. Any of you from Minnesota/where is everyone coming from? If you guys need any help with housing or general information about the school I'd be happy to help.

[youn0977]

Oh and also, I have to say you can't go wrong getting a mac. I have had two macs in the past and the apple support is fantastic. I've only had one issue with either of the macs I have owned in the last 6 years and the one issue I did have was fixed by apple support for free immediately. Plus, there are rumors that a new macbook air should be coming out this summer, so that's what I'll be getting!

[Nova]

Hey guys I'll be at the University of Minnesota for 2015! I'm really excited as I went to the University of Minnesota for undergrad and absolutely love the school. Any of you from Minnesota/where is everyone coming from? If you guys need any help with housing or general information about the school I'd be happy to help.

Hey. Congratulations on being admitted. Im from TX, and currently reside in Austin. I will be frantically looking for a place to live (with my fellow OOS 0L roomie) in early August, so ill probably hit you up for tips in a couple months.

[kalede]

Are there any women on here looking for a roommate? I had been talking with someone from the fb group, but it turns out we were looking for different things in an apt/house. I kind of want to live in the uptown area and my price range is up to $700ish per month.

[Jaeger]

Well, I just signed a lease and the fiance got a job in the cities so I guess I may as well withdraw from those waitlists. Anyone register for the lottery/driving to campus every day? I don't live terribly far but I love my car and couldn't bear the thought of getting rid of it.

Also, the end of the laptop program was like a message from God telling me to wait for the Windows 8 computers coming out. They look awesome.

[minnbills]

Well, I just signed a lease and the fiance got a job in the cities so I guess I may as well withdraw from those waitlists. Anyone register for the lottery/driving to campus every day? I don't live terribly far but I love my car and couldn't bear the thought of getting rid of it.

Also, the end of the laptop program was like a message from God telling me to wait for the Windows 8 computers coming out. They look awesome.

Uh oh, I forgot about the lottery. Hopefully it's still open.

Also, I think examsoft isn't going to be compatible with windows 8... I would look into that before you buy.

[BarcaCrossesTheAlps]

I just deferred. Going to get a job and save $$$. Good luck to you all, can't wait to be up North with you soon!

[youngbuck]

Well, I just signed a lease and the fiance got a job in the cities so I guess I may as well withdraw from those waitlists. Anyone register for the lottery/driving to campus every day? I don't live terribly far but I love my car and couldn't bear the thought of getting rid of it.

Also, the end of the laptop program was like a message from God telling me to wait for the Windows 8 computers coming out. They look awesome.

I'm not really a fan of Windows 8, but if you buy a new Windows 7 PC between now and January of next year, you can get a Windows 8 upgrade for $14.99 that you can install on any computer running XP SP3 or higher.

--LinkRemoved--

[Jaeger]

Well, I just signed a lease and the fiance got a job in the cities so I guess I may as well withdraw from those waitlists. Anyone register for the lottery/driving to campus every day? I don't live terribly far but I love my car and couldn't bear the thought of getting rid of it.

Also, the end of the laptop program was like a message from God telling me to wait for the Windows 8 computers coming out. They look awesome.

Uh oh, I forgot about the lottery. Hopefully it's still open.

Also, I think examsoft isn't going to be compatible with windows 8... I would look into that before you buy.

Yeah, it isn't compatible yet. So I'll hold on to my old laptop for a while longer. And the lottery is open until July I think. I shouldn't have told you guys, so I could increase my chances, haha.

[Jaeger]

Well, I just signed a lease and the fiance got a job in the cities so I guess I may as well withdraw from those waitlists. Anyone register for the lottery/driving to campus every day? I don't live terribly far but I love my car and couldn't bear the thought of getting rid of it.

Also, the end of the laptop program was like a message from God telling me to wait for the Windows 8 computers coming out. They look awesome.

I'm not really a fan of Windows 8, but if you buy a new Windows 7 PC between now and January of next year, you can get a Windows 8 upgrade for $14.99 that you can install on any computer running XP SP3 or higher.

--LinkRemoved--

Yeah, plus you get a free Xbox. I have a windows phone as my business phone and I love the metro style which is probably why I like windows 8. Windows 8 should have a classic view if you don't like the new theme. But I'll probably end up taking advantage of the current offer and custom building a VAIO. Sonystyle.com

[minnbills]

Yeah, it isn't compatible yet. So I'll hold on to my old laptop for a while longer. And the lottery is open until July I think. I shouldn't have told you guys, so I could increase my chances, haha.

I've never heard of anyone not getting a spot, there are always people who win but then back out too.

[whatismylife]

What lottery are you guys referring to?!

[Jaeger]

What lottery are you guys referring to?!

For contract parking near the law school. The site says only 2/3 of students get a spot so I dunno.

[swimman06]

Has anybody gotten an UofM email address or any further info from admissions after the initial acceptance packet?

[kalede]

Has anybody gotten an UofM email address or any further info from admissions after the initial acceptance packet?

Nope, I haven't gotten anything. Still waiting on that t-shirt I was promised.

[youn0977]

Hey guys I'll be at the University of Minnesota for 2015! I'm really excited as I went to the University of Minnesota for undergrad and absolutely love the school. Any of you from Minnesota/where is everyone coming from? If you guys need any help with housing or general information about the school I'd be happy to help.

Hey. Congratulations on being admitted. Im from TX, and currently reside in Austin. I will be frantically looking for a place to live (with my fellow OOS 0L roomie) in early August, so ill probably hit you up for tips in a couple months.

Good to hear we've got some people coming from out of state! I'd be happy to help you out with housing so just let me know

[whatismylife]

Anyone gonna buy one of the pretty macs just released?

[youngbuck]

I'm going to start looking in about 1-1.5 months, but I think I am unless it gets bad reviews.

[Nova]

I asked Financial Aid, and they said the $1445 computer loan could include "multiple computer systems", a combination of laptop, desktop, and tablet.

[wallflower1987]

Hi, people. I'm back, and I'm all-in. A few questions/comments I have:

1) Yes, it is awesome that they got rid of the laptop policy. Now I can get a Macbook Air instead of buying an ugly Lenovo that costs almost as much anyway and weighs 20 pounds. Happy happy, joy joy.

2) I am still looking at apartments and trying to figure it out. I found some cheap ones close to campus called the University Apartments (I think), but I'm a little reluctant to sign because the landlord seemed nice but old, and I got the feeling it might be a dust-and-mothballs establishment where one goes to die inside. This could be inaccurate, and I would love input from anybody who might know. I want a place to live; if it isn't super conducive to studying, so-be it... I will just study at the library. What I really do not want to do, though, is sign a lease to live in a virtual nunnery like I have lived in for this past year of grad school. Somewhere I can meet people, meet friends, meet ANYBODY would be nice. I feel like Dinkytown may be the way to go because I like socializing, I like partying, and I like being in the middle of it all, even if that means dealing with some undergrads (maybe). I can handle the work/play balance, but this past year has been all work and no play, and I think we all know what that has made me.

3) If I pay extra to live close to campus and sell my car, I figure that will save me at least like $200 a month between my car and insurance, plus it would mean no paying for parking (possibly at both school and apartment)... swap gas money for occasional cab money and I'm going to call that part a wash, assuming I live close enough to avoid using a cab for anything but bar outings (for which I could not drive anyway). So that leaves me $200 more a month (plus probably a couple hundred for parking throughout the year) for rent to help cover the cost of a good location, and that would be my preference if it is possible to go carless around the university. That said, is it smart for a Midwesterner to give up his car in the Twin Cities area? Or is that a mistake? I will be 10 hours from my parents, and I do not anticipate getting out of the cities much more than holidays, so I would probably fly on those few occasions. Anyway, I'm rambling... my point (in this subpoint) is: is it reasonable for me to swap out my car for a nicer/better-located place, or should I stay way off-campus and keep my car, keep paying for the car, insurance and parking all year, and risk isolation from my peeps (you guys) who will largely be closer to campus? Or will you guys mostly be further off campus anyway/not interested in socializing whatsoever in the first place even if you are near/on campus? I knew several people in undergrad who were from the Twin Cities and had no driver's licenses. I assume this means that driving is mostly unnecessary except in the suburbs, but is city travel itself doable without a car? I went to undergrad in Sioux Falls, and for those of you who are unfamiliar, it is a small 160,000 person Midwestern city that sprawls and sprawls... you really could not reasonably get by without a car unless you absolutely had to. Is the university area pretty well accessible without a car, and would it be sensible to come live close to campus if it meant being without a car? I'm just trying to find a way to afford a nicer place, but I don't want to throw out my independence in the process. Would my independence be substantially compromised by ditching the car, or are cars pretty much unnecessary near the law school?

4) Any of you who are from the Twin Cities, I would love it if you had any insight on where to look for an apartment (websites, neighborhoods, anything). Looking at apartments in a city one does not know is absolutely overwhelming, and the idea of coming up and winging it doesn't sound too great either. I am basically looking at 800- if it is driving distance to the law school or maybe up to 1000 if it is definite walking distance where a car would be totally and completely unnecessary.

5) Sorry for posting such a huge post.

P.S.) I was actually previously deposited at Nebraska and withdrawn at Minnesota until I visited Lincoln this past weekend which helped me understand that that town is a total dumpster-fire and that I should go to Minnesota instead after all, so I just called and got reinstated (thank god) and am really psyched and that is why I am back out of the blue. Hope you guys can help me out!

edit: I should have mentioned... with the apartments, those rates assume no roommates. I would be willing to have roommates I think, but I would not want to pay that much AND have roommates unless the apartments were furnished... then maybe if the location was right.

[Nova]

I have no insight into anything that has to do with apartments, but welcome to UMN's Class of 2015!

[Jaeger]

Man, wallflower...that's a lot. I'll take a crack at it.

First, welcome. I think you made a good call. In regards to the apartment situation, I won't be the most helpful since I am not from the area but I did just get an apartment after looking at some 20+ apartments all over the city. Yes, being close to the law school is nice, but generally it seemed like you had to pay for it. To get anything nice in the downtown area was usually more expensive than other areas. And walking to the law school is nice...but I'd be worried about doing it in the winter if it's longer than a 15 minute walk. In any case, those concerns led me to look at the uptown area. A little pricier than some areas but it is a great area of the city and it seemed like it had a lot of young people and some vibrant culture. It is close to the chain lakes and the greenway, so getting a little nature in your diet would not be difficult. Also, fairly close to the law school. I would make sure if you were considering giving up your car that you make sure you are near an express bus route. Taking the express bus is no big deal, and much faster. Most commutes from uptown near an express bus would be 30 minutes tops. Check out google maps and use the public transportation option to find out the public transpo options for that area. Another option is being close to light rail. The light rail is an easy commute to the downtown area. The problem is it starts down by the airport and mall of america and it didn't seem like that western edge of minneapolis offered much in way of nightlife.

Personally, I got an apartment on the edge of uptown and St Louis Park. It is probably a 15 minute commute by car and if I took the express bus in the morning it would probably take 20-30 minutes. The problem is that there is no express bus back to my apartment, so it would take around 45min-1hour to get back with many transfers. Thus, I decided to keep my car. Where I'm at has free ramp parking though so that was a major cost saver (especially since my fiance needed to keep her car also).

Basically, my impression is that yes, you could reasonably get by in Minneapolis without a car, especially if near an express bus route, but it wouldn't be ideal. I didn't want to make that sacrifice and I am happy with my choice. Then again, since my fiance has a decent job in the cities, I didn't have to make that sacrifice and we could afford an apartment that was a little pricier. But I am sure that they have options for just one person in your price range.