@Earthmama68 - My DH and I moved from So Calif to Minneapolis. 22 yrs ago, to start and raise our family (we had family in SD and Chicago) and we have no plans to leave! 
There are great jobs here, lots of nature in and around both Minneapolis and St Paul (we’ve got your choice of TWO cities, don’t cha know!) decent sports teams we root for every year, and tons of fun things to do, no matter the weather. And, of course, cool people! B-)
@morningside95 You forgot to mention the AMAZING restaurants - even at the airport!!!
Yes - French Meadow Bakery Cafe is our favorite. They have two actual restaurants in the Twin Cities: Original in a semi residential part of Minneapolis, and one in St. Paul, not far from Macalester College. I don’t travel a lot, but if you have to be stuck at an airport, I feel that MSP is a pretty nice place. We aren’t NYC, but you could easily find a different place to eat every night, for an entire year. Here’s a sampling for those who think we up here in the Great Lakes area are just an extension of central Canada: http://twincities.eater.com/maps/best-minneapolis-st-paul-restaurants-38. :-bd
Then, is it official? I am following this thread!
@momcinco Not yet. Will report back.
Boy, @Earthmama68, my thoughts are with you, as your D comes down to the wire. Can’t you accept a spot at one school and then treat Skidmore as a waitlist school? I guess Skidmore has to give the kids who were granted the music scholarship the full time frame, up to May 1st, to accept?? They don’t require these recipients to decide before May 1, so that they can be given another student, before Decision Day?
Anyway, best of luck to your D and your family!
Thanks everyone for all your help and support. D2 committed this morning to St. Olaf. We’ve been singing the Um Ya Ya song since last night. Trying it on for size. It’s very catchy. Considered Smith one last time and just couldn’t justify the difference in price. One very happy mom here!
CONGRATULATIONS! It’s a great college, especially for your daughter’s interests.
There’s also a parody of the UmYaYa song, it must be found online somewhere.
Betty White is smiling Congratulations on the decision!
Welcome, daughter of @Earthmama68!! Hope she loves her time “On the Hill!”
From the St O website: The first published account of Um! Yah! Yah! appears in the combined 1913–14–15 Viking yearbook (p. 213, under the title Jeg Har Ute Pulten). St. Olaf is the only American college or university whose fight song is sung in 3/4, or waltz, time.
"We come from St. Olaf, we sure are the real stuff.
Our team is the cream of the colleges great.
We fight fast and furious, our team is injurious.
Tonight Carleton College will sure meet its fate.
Um! Yah! Yah!, Um! Yah! Yah!
Um! Yah! Yah!, Um! Yah! Yah!
Um! Yah! Yah!, Um! Yah! Yah!
Um! Yah! Yah! Yah!"
From what I’ve found on the Internet, there are several versions of the song, both old and new, including a few snarky ones by the students at nextdoor neighbor, Carleton College. Here is a fun geeky singing of the song, by the St Olaf “Marching Choir” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0HD2VZvVXw
Congratulations on the decision!
And when she comes home for the first time, ask her the student version of the fight song 
@Earthmama68 Warn her to not eat cream of wheat - it will ruin her social life :))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEjg4SK5Ilg The Limestones’ classic
Congratulations! So glad your family is happy with the decision. And just think how great it will be to have both kids in the same town.
Sounds like a great choice. Glad everyone is happy. Congrats to all.
Congrats! I bet your girls will be happy to be at nearby schools
Update for folks reading this thread and interested in St. Olaf. My D2 got into their top orchestra as a freshman and is having the time of her life! The orchestra tour in the fall was a highlight and next year they will be playing in Carnegie Hall. She takes private lesson with Dr. Anderegg whom she worships. She spends all her time in the music library and although she’s shy, she has a great group of friends. She’s in Great Conversations as well and is enjoying the challenge of that along with all of her music classes and Spanish. She decided to drop swimming to focus more on music. She’s VERY happy with her decision and she and her sister get together about once a week. A happy ending. Um Ya Ya!
I love stories with a happy ending. 