<p>As I've been chipping away at my college choices, I decided to rule out any schools in the east because I'm from SoCal and am not sure if I could handle weather so vastly different (and likely much more depressing) than the almost constant sunshine I've grown up in. I do like the rain, but months on end of heavy snow and freezing temperatures...I'm skeptical. </p>
<p>I've also read that schools with such weather often have a campus-wide sense of depression and malaise from about November until March. How true do you guys think this is? I'm the kind of person who loves going outdoors and doesn't like to be cooped up too long. So is using weather as a deal-breaker silly or a valid reason to weed out certain schools?</p>
<p>It’s not silly to rule out schools with bad weather if it still leaves you with enough satisfying and reasonable choices. You’re likely going to be there for four years, so be as picky as you want. If you feel as though you may fall victim to the winter depression that some schools have, it’d probably be better for you to steer clear of schools with that sort of reputation.</p>
<p>Contrarily, if you happen to come across a school that you really like despite the surrounding weather, don’t knock it until you weigh the overall pros and cons.</p>
<p>There is something to be said for seasons. Some of us in the northeast look forward to each new season and the changes it brings. Yes, you have to take the bad with the good, but as long as you dress appropriately, you can be out doors in any weather.</p>
<p>If you have reason to believe that you may suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, then you absolutely should take the weather into consideration. College is challenging enough. You do not want to be suffering from a depression that you can reduce just by moving to a different latitude or climatic zone.</p>
<p>I have seen two kids return home because they couldn’t handle the weather. One went to Purdue and one to Syracuse. The Purdue kid ended up at UCSB and the Syracuse one ended up at American after a semester at CC and a gap year (she had junior status because of AP classes and middle college). The weather can be a factor for kids used to CA weather. My son has suffered through Pittsburgh winters, though, and it doesn’t seem to phase him. Everyone is different.</p>
<p>Weather should be a tie-breaking factor if anything although there are several posts on cc if you look for them with students who cannot handle winter weather. On the Indiana University thread there was a student who wanted to shut the school down in November because the temperature got down in the 30’s.</p>
<p>I think it depends. I am a New Yorker, so my whole life I’ve been around changing seasons, and it depends on the person. Some people like my friend become very rude during the winter. But me i stay pretty much the same- bubbly and normal. Also I wouldn’t say that is true… I know a lot of the SUNY (NY schools) have populations mostly from the area, people that have grown up in the constant change in weather, so i doubt they are depressed if they were they might have not picked those schools. For all you know you could love the winter. But it’s easy to rule out a school because of what you expect. I couldn’t see myself in CA at all! Too hot for me… i think its more of a preference thing. However if you are looking at schools like Columbia, Stanford, NYU then weather is a silly reason to cancel it out.</p>
<p>If staying out of the snow is a critical quality of life factor for you, then that’s what it is. It’s not silly to want to avoid something that makes you unhappy. Unless you’re looking at some specialized program, you can find whatever you want in a warm to moderate climate. Heaven knows lots of Northeastern kids don’t consider schools in California or the South. If you were restricting yourself only to schools in SoCal, I might encourage you to widen the search, but if Tulane and Rice and Furman and Arizona and so on all meet your climate criteria, you’ll have tons of choices for your list.</p>
<p>I used to think it was, and used to scoff at those who thought they couldn’t handle the winters that vast majorities of the country manage to handle, but now I’ve changed my mind, and I think it’s just as relevant as urban/suburban/rural or wooded area / area with lakes / area with beaches or high-rise buildings / Gothic architecture / red brick. If it’s your preference, that’s your preference. We toured Tulane on a September day and we were dripping with sweat - my kids (and I) knew that that kind of weather would just not be up their alley. So - off the list it went. I couldn’t handle the South, personally. I would not want constant hot weather. Other people feel that way about seasons and the snow. To each his or her own!</p>
<p>If weather is a big factor for you, then consider it relevant. Some kids choose colleges based on proximity to ski slopes, so cold weather is a factor for them. There is nothing wrong with preferring a warmer climate.</p>
<p>That being said, also from SoCal and both of my kids went to the NE and have loved the changes of seasons.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses, guys! There are several schools I’m interested in that are in New York and Boston mostly. The thing is, however, that I have no clue if I’d actually have SAD (or, even if not that extreme, a strong dislike for the weather) since I’ve only even seen snow once in my life! I spent a few days in Tahoe and didn’t like being cooped up due to the snow (for only one day), so that might be a good indicator. Hard to determine for sure though. :/</p>
<p>You aren’t really cooped up because of snow, however (other than in extreme circumstances, like blizzards). Vast numbers of people in this country live in regions that get cold weather / snow and do just fine. You put on a coat, shovel your front walk (the school will do that for you) and off you go. </p>
<p>And Consolation, I’m totally with you. We’ve had a few days of 80+ weather and now I’m thinking … ok, great, when does it cool off again? Year-round 80/90 degree weather with no seasons would be very unappealing to me.</p>
<p>Not sure why/how anyone would go to Tahoe any time of year and stay indoors all day. Kinda defeats the purpose of going, IMO. Skiing, ice skating, snow-boarding, making snow angels, gambling…the list is endless. </p>
<p>But note that Boston is a big city, with lots to do, rain or shine. There are plenty of sun worshipers at Eastern colleges. Some/many even have ‘Citrus’ clubs where those from warm climes get together every so often. I know of one school which flies in In-and-Out Burgers for the Californians.</p>
<p>There is a huge difference between a college in the snow belt (such as the Syracuse area) vs a college in an area that has a normal northeastern winter.</p>
<p>Most people like the change in seasons, within reasons, but they want nice weather in October and March.</p>
<p>In my opinion, the perfect combination is to go south for college, which encompasses the winter months, and then come back home in the north for the summer.</p>
<p>My daughter hates the heat & humidity. Even more, she hates constant threat of severe storms. I can guarantee that will play a huge part in the schools she looks at. Count ut the tornado belt.</p>
<p>Try to visit the east during the winter! Just once, to hit the colleges you’d most like. See, I’m from the South, and I go to college in Boston. I was really worried that it would be too snowy and cold, because everyone around me kept asking if I was sure I could handle it. I ended up expecting Boston’s weather to be pretty much the same as you’d experience at an Antarctic research station. Not so! It was fine. Fall semester was rather depressingly dark, since we’re so far north, but I didn’t end up minding the snow/cold much at all. Last winter had a particularly large amount of snowfall spring semester, but it didn’t really influence me. So don’t rule them out just yet. If you, with more information (and possibly more college acceptances) in hand, decide to rule out colleges north of Pennsylvania, or east of the Mississippi, that’s totally legit. You just don’t have enough information that you should constrain yourself to so narrow a set of colleges quite yet.</p>
I spent a few days in Tahoe and didn’t like being cooped up due to the snow (for only one day), so that might be a good indicator. Hard to determine for sure though. :/</p>