Home › Forums › Random Thoughts › Non-Ebay random question about Massachusetts
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sonia.
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10/24/2020 at 12:26 pm #82807
Hello Forum Friends,
Due to Covid, we are limiting my son’s college search geographically, and for out of state he is focusing on some colleges in Massachusetts (suburban or college towns). He wants to leave California for some place cooler, so weather-wise I think it will be an adjustment but ok for him. I’m writing to see what the vibe and the people are like if anyone here happens to have an opinion on that. We really hope to visit in late March or April. Thanks in advance!
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10/24/2020 at 12:32 pm #82808
Northhampton is where five universities are housed and Ryanne’s sister lives there. It’s an awesome vibe. We love Western Mass. Lots of young people and close to nature.
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10/24/2020 at 12:39 pm #82809
A little less than three years ago, we visited Boston to look at three colleges that my daughter was considering. Boston has a really neat, college city vibe; young and vibrant. It has great things to do, historical, artistic, food, culture, etc. The colleges there are top notch. Hell, I wanted to go back to college.
The thing is, coming from California, this is not just cooler weather. I grew up in Pittsburgh, I currently live in NJ, and I think Boston is cold. (BTW, I lived in LA for 5 1/2 years for my first job out of college). We are talking sub-freezing temperatures and snowfalls measured in feet (not all of winter, but portions of it). We didn’t go during cold weather, but I’m aware of how cold it can get there. If he is looking for cooler weather, I think that the novelty would wear off quickly.
Not saying that he shouldn’t do it. Just be prepared.
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10/24/2020 at 12:46 pm #82810
Applying early to UMass Amherst and WPI. Considering BC (quite a reach), Williams and Tufts (a reach).
He hates being hot but isn’t experienced with snow. He’s a big nature guy so I imagine that he will like it but it will be an adjustment for sure. Originally we had MN, WI, etc. on the list, so MA is better weather-wise than that I guess. It would be nice if we could have visited in the winter but obviously that’s not happening. It’s a tough time to be applying.
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10/24/2020 at 12:50 pm #82811
Does anyone know how MA is handling the virus? My impression is that it’s pretty conservative. The objective may end up being to get out of the total shutdown areas of the West into a school that is heavily and wisely testing and at least hybrid.
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10/24/2020 at 12:59 pm #82812
Hi Christine, a chunk of my family lives in the North Shore. My understanding is that the state is being conservative about Covid-19. For instance, my father has been required to quarantine for 14 days following leaving and returning to the state and/or have negative test results on hand (I believe the test results are not mandatory but the self-isolation is).
I went to school in VT, and I think MA could be a good choice because so much of that mountain hiking is just a weekend trip away. Something to think about is although the summers and autumns are great, he may not be around for the summers if he’s coming home then. So most of his time may be spent in mud/snow, cold (although I don’t feel MA winters are quite as severe as VT normally). It’s something to think about.
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10/24/2020 at 1:01 pm #82813
Awesome colleges that he is considering!
I think that you will have to contact each school to find out what they are doing. My daughter decided to take a gap semester (maybe two) due to the pandemic. Her college went completely remote for the current semester.
On the other hand, my friend’s daughter started college in north Jersey, and they are hybrid. There are restrictions, but she has two classes where she does attend in person.
Is he starting in the Fall of 2021? I hope things will have lightened up by then!!!
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10/24/2020 at 1:05 pm #82814
I actually attended U-Mass Amherst many years ago and grew up in the Boston Area.
I now live in Southern California and have been here about 30 years.
U-Mass, at least back then had a very earthy progressive vibe. The public transit was free and the campus very open and friendly. As Jay says, there are other Universities close by and it definitely has a college town feel.
The weather will be a shocker. It is so far north, that the sun sets early in the winter. I remember days growing up when the sun set at about 4:30 PM. The snow is not near as much as factor as the cold. There will be weeks, when it stays at about 20 degrees and at times it gets much colder.
When the spring does hit and you get the first 50 degree day, people go crazy. Out come the shorts, T-shirts and Frisbees. Spring typically has a lot of rain.
The weather is just a fact of life and many love the change of the seasons.
I have no regrets going there and think it’s a fine school.
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10/24/2020 at 1:17 pm #82817
Thanks Scavengers! He is starting Fall 2021. We are also tossing around the honors college at UV, but that’s even more weather. His favorite weather is Seattle – just cool and drizzly, but we just didn’t find the right fit school up there.
I’m on a forum with other ’21 parents and at first everybody just assumed it would be more or less controlled by their kids’ freshman year. Reality is setting in now. We are asking him to apply broadly and then in spring we will sort it all out. Schools will learn from this year but not all of them will master and invest in good testing and tracing if still needed.
@Sharyn I hope she is managing to enjoy the gap year. 🙂 Our CA State colleges already announced over a month ago that they are online in the spring. I really want a residential experience for my guy as a freshman. It’s kind of the dream.-
10/24/2020 at 1:38 pm #82818
COVID hit the Northeast first so though it still exists, I feel its burned through the population. We see the huge COVID infection rates in the Midwest and Upper West states where it hadn’t touched over the summer. I think in 12 months, we’ll be in a better place with a vaccine and more precautions.
I like Boston, but I think Northhampton area with its five colleges (https://visithampshirecounty.com/explore/culture/the-five-colleges) is ideal. Just a super vital community without all the city distractions. So close to Vermont and NH for skiing and hiking.
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10/24/2020 at 1:54 pm #82819
Born and raised! I love Boston and loved growing up and going to college there, and only visited Northampton/Amherst/Western Mass area in the last year and LOVED it. Lots of colleges in both places, so lots of young culture and young folks around. Lots of outdoors stuff in Western Mass to do as well.
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10/24/2020 at 2:19 pm #82820
+1 for Northampton/Amherst. Western Mass is really a great area.
Many years ago, I went to University of Oregon in Eugene and loved it. I also lived in Seattle and I would say Eugene’s weather is similar.
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10/24/2020 at 2:49 pm #82821
Ryanne since you have lived here in California also, how would you compare the culture? Are people in MA generally friendly, willing to help out a stranger or more polite but closed off like Seattle? Here in Cali it seems like people are kind of wary of being asked for something so we kind of ignore each other. You know, just generally speaking of course.
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10/25/2020 at 10:09 am #82834
Hey Christine – my daughter is now in her senior year at UMASS Amherst. She really likes it, overall. She’s a campus tour guide (doing them virtually this year). When applying to colleges she wanted a winter, and she got it. My sense is that if she had actually lived through a northeastern US winter prior to applying for college she would have had second thoughts at the time, but I think now she’s gotten used to it and does not regret it. (I was stationed in north central Mass in the Army so it’s not like I didn’t warn her.) The school is virtual now (with a few exceptions) and she preferred to go back and live in an apartment there with some friends this year rather than stay here and stay warm. I’d be happy to provide more info on other questions or put you in contact with her. Feel free to gmail me at TheTemudgin.
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10/25/2020 at 8:21 pm #82859
Thank you @Temudgin. I’ll spare her until we find out around December if he got in first. But, I’d love to email with you. I’ll shoot you a message at gmail soon.
As his mom, of course I can say I told you so when he complains about the weather. But, if he learns to dress for it, then in theory he will like the cold vs the heat. The weather here is an eternal mild summer day. All of the plants seem really dry since the drought. I think he will enjoy the seasons on one level.
I had heard that Boston people can be rude, so trying to get a read on that. Thanks everyone for your input. It’s a big deal to think about sending your kid to live somewhere you haven’t been before.
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10/25/2020 at 8:24 pm #82860
As someone who grew up in Houston, I loved living through NYC weathers and now the cold (but more mild) Virginian winters. You son can find out if he’s a “needs to be warm sunshine all the time” kind of guy. I love the seasons.
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10/25/2020 at 8:57 pm #82862
Boston drivers in particular are very rude (and scary), but Northampton is very far away from Boston and isn’t a big city. Completely different vibe.
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