<p>Hi, I haven't posted here in a very long time. I am now onto my search for grad schools. One of my most important factors in choosing where to apply is how the public transportation is in the college area. </p>
<p>If anyone knows any of these colleges (listed below) well, please enlighten me! I do NOT have a driver's license, and have no desire to own a car in grad school. Is it easy for a grad student (who would not be living as close to campus and undergrads, probably) to walk, bicycle or take a bus or a train, etc. to the main campus and surrounding areas? Also, how is transit for getting around the city itself?</p>
<ol>
<li>University of Washington in Seattle</li>
<li>Penn State, University Park</li>
<li>University of Minnesota, Twin Cities</li>
<li>Washington University in St. Louis</li>
<li>SUNY Stony Brook</li>
<li>UNC Chapel Hill</li>
<li>Duke University</li>
<li>UT Austin</li>
<li>U Kentucky</li>
</ol>
<p>If anyone here manages to figure out what program I'm applying to based off these school then you get an extra big thumbs up! ;D</p>
<p>Thanks so much...ANY input or help is appreciated!</p>
<p>Hey there,</p>
<p>I currently go to the University of Minnesota and as a freshman (I’m aware you’re a grad student) I didn’t bring a car to campus and honestly really didn’t need to at all. I purchased an unlimited metro pass (including the light rail to the airport) for $98/semester and it is worth every penny. I was impressed with the metro system here in the Twin Cities. There are multiple routes that take you downtown (10 minute ride) from campus as well as lines to other areas where you’d be interested in living (like Uptown). Also keep in mind you will be in the middle of a metro area of 3 million people and you will more than likely have better transit service than say Penn States or Stony Brooks on your list.</p>
<p>Hi Jota, thanks so much. That is unbelievably helpful! Definitely think I should apply there, in that case :)</p>
<p>I second what jotajota218 said ^ (post #2). The $98/semester unlimited ride Metro Transit pass that U of Minnesota students can get is a phenomenal deal, and the U is one of the most popular destinations on the system, reachable from all parts of the Twin Cities metro via multiple bus routes that either terminate at or run through the campus. They’re also building a second light rail line connecting downtown Minneapolis with downtown Saint Paul which will run right through the heart of campus with stops on both the East and West Banks. </p>
<p>Also keep in mind that Bicycling magazine rates Minneapolis the #1 biking city in America. That may seem counterintuitive to warm-climate folks who associate Minnesota with inhospitable winters, but we’ve got a phenomenal network of segregated bike lanes, bike boulevards, bike paths, and bike trails that make biking safe, easy and incredibly convenient. There are scads of bicycle commuters–at 4.3% of all commuter trips, second only to Portland, OR in that category. Most years I bike to work about 8 months of the year, shutting down during the cold and snow of winter—though many hardy (or foolhardy) souls bike year-round. And every bus and light rail car on the Metro Transit system has a bike rack, so if you bike to school and the weather turns hostile, you can take the bus or train home and your bike rides for free.</p>
<p>UW in Seattle is bicycle friendly about 360 days/year provided you have rain gear and lights. The buses are pretty good to most places you would want to go near the university and run about every 1/2 hour. They are also a good deal for U students (used to be free, $76 per quarter now). Not many of the buses go right to the middle of campus so if you are willing to walk the last quarter mile you can avoid the transfers.</p>
<p>If you think riding in the near dark and/or drizzle 300 days a year is safe or fun you have a strange idea of both. Traffic around the U District is very heavy and streets are overused by cars and buses. Take the bus.</p>
<p>As someone who grew up riding and racing bicycles on the East Coast, I consider Seattle safer for bicycles than most cities - you just need to be smart about the routes and learn to negotiate the bad intersections. Drivers around Seattle see enough cyclists to know we aren’t targets or hood ornaments. There are some bike paths, a lot of bike lanes, and the speed of the passing cars is usually manageable. </p>
<p>Yes to lights, bright jackets and helmets, a big NO to riding with earphones. Wet pavement has about 90% of the traction as dry and never bothered me.</p>
<p>
I use public transit as well, so I can sympathize, but I disagree that it should be a factor - and certainly not an important one. Getting into graduate school is exceedingly difficult, and getting a teaching/research position afterwards is often even more so. You need to pick the best places for what you want to do unless you have the luxury of being in a field with a huge variety of good programs in your precise concentration.</p>
<p>To address your list, Duke is a bit iffy for public transit, as are most southern schools. Living near campus and biking is definitely feasible, and many students and professors do so. I would be cautious about biking at night. For long range travel, the Amtrak train station is within easy walking distance of Duke’s East campus.</p>
<p>Chapel Hill is much friendlier to those using public transportation, and the bus system is free for all riders. It is easy to travel between Duke and UNC thanks to the Robertson Bus, which runs every 30 minutes during the week and every hour on the weekend.</p>
<p>I agree it shouldn’t be the largest factor, but considering how I have a medical condition in which I may not be able to drive for a while, I really have no choice but for it to be pretty important. Plus I personally would rather take a year off and apply again then force myself to go to a grad school in which I would have miserable living conditions. Grad school is hard enough ;)</p>
<p>Thanks all very, very much for the input. Still looking for more if anyone can add!</p>
<p>UT Austin has provides its own shuttle buses that are free to students and they do a pretty good job at it. Capital Metro (Austin’s bus system) is less accessible to riders – i.e., some stops are serviced only once every hour or two. In the past couple of years, Austin has been gradually introducing a commuter rail system, but at this point the number of stations is small and ridership is low. According to poll results, the majority of residents in the Austin area are opposed to the further growth of the commuter rail system, so I’m not too sure if it will ever become as advanced and widespread as that of other major cities.</p>