My son is considering Notre Dame but doesn’t like the cold. (He thinks 50’s is chilly). We live in NJ so have the 4 seasons but he’s not a winter person. How cold does it get and are there long walks from the dorms to the classes? He likes other schools not as cold and I’m wondering if this should even be a concern?
@gigs17 You know, weather and the perception thereof is a very subjective thing. Just as an example, we have lived in Bergen County, NJ for many years and, as a family, have found the weather in Northern Indiana to be more enjoyable across the 4 seasons. Someone else might find this to be the other way round. Tip: you might want to plan a ND college visit for your younger son some time between mid January and end of February, possibly during a polar vortex, which probably will provide for an interesting experience.
South Bend is pretty darn cold. Average hi/lo temps for February:
Ann Arbor 34/19
South Bend 35/20
Detroit 35/22
Chicago 36/26
Boston 39/24
NYC 42/28
Philly 45/30
Denver 49/21
But it is warmer than Minneapolis – 28/12. Or Burlington, VT – 29/12.
We are from CA. My son enjoyed winter at ND this year as more of a curiosity than something to get upset or depressed about. It can be a bonding thing as well. Everyone has to deal with it. Get the warm coat and boots. A pair of fleece lined jeans for those football games and everything will be fine!
I hate to sound cruel, but if weather is that big a factor in the decision process, then I dont think your son has captured what Notre Dame is truly about. You select Notre Dame because you genuinely want to be there and the weather is one of those sacrifices you will make because it’s the top school of choice…I can understand making decisions based on finances etc…but weather…if ND is what he genuinely wants, weather shouldn’t be a factor…buck up and dress warm…its not like he hasn’t experienced 4 seasons anyway. My sons selected ND hell or high water.
I do agree that weather is not really a factor, but I have heard of kids going to school where it is cold and they aren’t cold people and having depression and needing to transfer. So it does happen and if 2 schools are identical in all respects except for weather then it can play a role so no need to be nasty.
I think 50’s is chilly. But my CA kid, who rarely spent time in the snow, went to Ann Arbor this past school year and just loved it. Even through the Polar Vortex, which closed UMich down for two days for the 3rd time in 40 years.
To me, Lou Holtz’s quote captures ND the best:
As @hpcsa says, go visit during the winter. My kid and I visited AA back in early March 2018 and we froze our butts off, but in the end, that didn’t matter.
DH grew up in South Bend area and you’ll want to be aware of Lake Effect Snow
“So it does happen and if 2 schools are identical in all respects except for weather then it can play a role so no need to be nasty.“
I don’t think @gpnnynd89 was being nasty. I think they were trying to describe the ethos at Notre Dame. I know this sounds a bit much, and I’m just coming off of graduation weekend for my first daughter at ND, but it’s truly a unique place. The quote posted by @sushiritto has meaning. If your son gets and wants ND, weather is pretty much an inconvenience.
@gigs17 - To answer your question “Should you be concerned?”, I think @suzy100 and @gpnnynd89 are both saying 'no, you don’t need to be concerned if your DS really buys into ND." The bigger question you need to ask is why does your son want to go to ND? His answer will provide better insight into the impact of weather on his potential happiness or disappointment with his school choice.
The campus is not that big, so walks to classes in the cold are not rough. Plus, my son pointed out the buildings he would walk through to avoid the cold on his way to various classes. As I have echoed before, ND is a special place. My perception of ND before this year was “catholic, sports and strong academics.” Now, I see ND as an amazing community that helps students through the maturation process of college.
It is also fair to say, though, that Notre Dame is not for every student - there has to be a good mutual fit from both sides. First-Year ND students who tend to be most successful during their 4 years here at Notre Dame very truly want to be here. It is very important for this desire already to come through loud and clear in their application. If there are any serious concerns expressed by a student, be they weather or otherwise related, possibly Notre Dame is not the best possible fit for this student in the first place.
I’m going to add some clarity because ND is a place I am passionate about. I am the proud parent of a 2017 ND grad and a current ND junior. My Jr is currently studying abroad and the professor asked them to submit a summary about “why Notre Dame”. My DS explained that his first exposure to ND started at an early age, he started going to football games when he was 5…but his dad kept telling him Notre Dame is much more than a football school. He said he finally understood what his dad meant when he got a little older, more focused on academics, a visited campus outside of football weekend. ND is special. Its mystique, it’s a feeling and you just know you want to be there. Its indescribable. If you dont feel that, ND may not be the best fit. And that’s where I was coming from, if your son doesn’t have that passion to attend and is asking the what ifs, then he might need to weigh his options. I feel extremely fortunate to have 2 children attend this great university and they worked hard to get there. We have no legacy ties, but my sons worked hard they wanted this, it would have been such a let down for them if they didn’t get in. When my youngest opened his admission email from ND and saw the Welcome Home, he was moved to tears…he literally sat at the computer and cried with joy, relief, what ever it was and then called everyone. When he opened his admission email from Yale, there was nothing…he got up from the computer and as he was walking away, casually said I got in. Many friends thought he was crazy to turn down Ivy leagues for ND, but he did…and it was because he just knew…he felt it…so that’s my advise to you…does your son have that overwhelming passion to attend because ND isnt easy and it will take alot of work to learn to balance academics, dorm life, clubs. Intramurals etc…he needs to want it more than anything.
Lake effect snow and sunless days are a reality in that part of the country in the winter.
Note that ND actually closed for a few days during the polar vortex so if it gets too crazy cold, students wont have classes.
I’m a northern so love the 4 seasons and the cold, and believe that you can dress for any weather. That said it’s not for everyone. IMO, it’s perfectly reasonable to use weather as one of the criteria for narrowing down a college list. There are so many schools in this country that it’s as good of a reason as any.
Thank you all for your above comments. My son is just starting the college process and we haven’t visited Notre Dame yet so not sure if he will “have that feeling” described when he visits. We do plan on visiting this winter so he will see for himself the school and all the elements.