I'm so grateful to have been accepted at both UMN and CSU!
In terms of cost... Based on my partial GI Bill, UMN would be about $4K cheaper overall, and I'd also be getting a slightly higher housing stipend per month in Minnesota than Colorado. So MN would be cheaper but not by a crazy margin.
Both schools have teaching hospitals and both have clinicals starting spring semester third year. It really does sound like both are top notch programs.
I did my undergrad at UMN back in 2017, and I honestly enjoyed the twin cities. It felt like there were always things to do, but a lake day was always accessible if the weather was nice. On the other hand, I've also lived in Utah and have missed the mountains literally every day of being in the Midwest. I love hiking, and I feel most excited at the thought of going to Colorado in terms of location.
My husband has found a lot of job opportunities in the Denver area in the defense contractor field, but that's still a substantial distance from Fort Collins. He hasn't found a lot of jobs he's interested in the St Paul area, but the UMN orientation matches up perfectly with his schedule to leave the military.
In a way, I feel like I can't go wrong with the decision since both are great options. But any insight would be helpful!
Edit to add: unfortunately I was not able to visit either accepted student day in person. But I also know CSU is getting brand new facilities in 2026!
In terms of cost... Based on my partial GI Bill, UMN would be about $4K cheaper overall, and I'd also be getting a slightly higher housing stipend per month in Minnesota than Colorado. So MN would be cheaper but not by a crazy margin.
Both schools have teaching hospitals and both have clinicals starting spring semester third year. It really does sound like both are top notch programs.
I did my undergrad at UMN back in 2017, and I honestly enjoyed the twin cities. It felt like there were always things to do, but a lake day was always accessible if the weather was nice. On the other hand, I've also lived in Utah and have missed the mountains literally every day of being in the Midwest. I love hiking, and I feel most excited at the thought of going to Colorado in terms of location.
My husband has found a lot of job opportunities in the Denver area in the defense contractor field, but that's still a substantial distance from Fort Collins. He hasn't found a lot of jobs he's interested in the St Paul area, but the UMN orientation matches up perfectly with his schedule to leave the military.
In a way, I feel like I can't go wrong with the decision since both are great options. But any insight would be helpful!
Edit to add: unfortunately I was not able to visit either accepted student day in person. But I also know CSU is getting brand new facilities in 2026!
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