<p>I'm a junior this year and I have received alot of mail/e-mail from the U throughtout this past year. I am interested in visiting soon but... my parents say Minnesota is too far, and I'm from Chicago! Are there any students/parents on here that live in Chicago and go to the U and can offer their experiences? Thank you and Go Gophers!</p>
<p>There are lots of Chicago/Illinois kids at UMN. We live on the border and S1 goes there. It is a drive - about 6-1/2 hours with a stop - but it is doable. S1 takes the Megabus that leaves near the campus (near the Metrodome) to go/back and forth most time. This bus leaves Chicago (I believe near Union Station), stops near the Amtrak station in Milwaukee, and then drives directly to the Metrodome near the U. (There is 1 stop in Mauston for lunch or dinner). The lowest I have paid is $10 one way/the highest $55. Maybe knowng there is transportation for the in-between times will help convince your parents. Despite the construction, it is a beautiful school.</p>
<p>S and I visited U of Minnesota a few days before he was due to report to camp in western Michigan. We flew into Midway and then drove to Rockford for the night just to avoid Chicagoland traffic in the morning. It wasn’t a bad drive at all. This, however, coming from someone who had to drive 2.5 hours to get to the airport in Houston. :)</p>
<p>Just so I don’t sound geographically challenged, from Minneapolis, we visited U of Iowa, dropped off S in Michigan, then I drove back to Midway for the flight back.</p>
<p>D goes to the U and we are from the western suburbs of Chicago. At least five kids from D’s high school go to the U (her graduating class size was about 450). If you are a good student you can get the OOS tuition waived and the U will cost less than U of I. The megabus is great, it drops D off two blocks from the Metra station and she trains it home. Sure beats waiting for her at the airport. The drive to Mpls really couldn’t be easier from Chicago, get on the tollway and get off at the campus. Tell them to take a drive up there and experience what “Minnesota Nice” is all about!</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback everybody. I definitely tell my parents about this. Thanks</p>
<p>I’ve met many people from Chicagoland and Illinois in general. Minnesota isn’t that far away, really.</p>