If I were an international student coming to the United States in 2017, I would consider the politics and the culture of the state in which my college is located.
To see how Massachusetts and North Carolina voted in the recent presidential election, check out the following link.
http://cookpolitical.com/story/10174
@Fifty You’re saying which state is better for internationals?
@redpoodles I really liked Raleigh from what I’ve seen on the internet. The weather, things to do. It looks like a cozy little yet awesome city.
But I’m an international student. I’m not looking to settle anywhere. Just a few years of high quality work experience after graduation. I’ll probably leave the country afterward.
I think Massachusetts will be more welcoming to folks from overseas.
Amherst and Raleigh will other be fine politically even if the current NC assembly is insane. The state, just like Massachusetts, is very divided between rural/uran, and college educated /not college educated.
I have lived in each for several years. In general, Massachusetts is definitely more liberal, and North Carolina is definitely more conservative. No doubt about it. But the RTP area (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill) is a pocket of liberal in a conservative state. There are also plenty of conservatives in MA and once you get out of the Boston area, Trump signs are everywhere (that said, Amherst itself leans liberal, but it does have a more rural feel and also higher level of poverty than Raleigh).
I would be as comfortable as an international in Raleigh as I would be going to western/central Mass.
If you’re in and out and up for a climate adventure, go Mass then. It might be the only time in your life to experience cold. To me, that’s what it comes down to.
(And what LBad says about how nice people are just isn’t true. There are nice people everywhere, and jerks everywhere.)
Massachusetts has the highest percentage for any state of 25-34 year olds with college degrees.
http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/new-state-state-college-attainment-numbers-show-progress-toward-2020-goal
So much hate for cold weather, lol. It’s not all that bad, but it does depends on the person.
As far as political leanings go, @redpoodles hit that on the head.
Having a closer airport is nice, but not something I would use to make or break a college choice. Raleigh may be cheaper, but not 5K a year cheaper, which is the already existing price gap. Even including living costs beyond tuition/room/board, UMass would still be cheaper.
@PengsPhils That figure includes everything. UMass is 20k cheaper over the whole course.
@wolfwing123 I am assuming you’d like to go grab a slice of pizza, perhaps some groceries, here and there. That is where cost of living comes in. Still, it will be minimal.
Well, Raleigh > Amherst for sure. If you like the city of Raleigh better, then going to NC State would be a fabulous idea. 
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True, but some places are friendlier than others, and some places have more rude people per capita…why do you think my home state is the most, and only, disliked state in the country? 
(Even though I think we’re third behind NYC/LI and MA.)
I would go for the cold weather and the adventure of it.
also, should be noted that kids at UMass can also take classes at Amherst…a top 10 liberal arts school. And 3 other schools…it’s an extraordinary opportunity https://www.fivecolleges.edu/
Seriously? You’re citing how nice people are based on how much people like states? When they poll people for these types of surveys, how many people do you think have actually lived in more than a few states? Let’s say on average people have lived in three. So for the 47 others, they kind of just are fudging it? Going off how much they like the concept of a state? No wonder Hawaii is #1 despite most people never visiting, let alone living there.
Also, by that same logic, Pennsylvania, the state directly next to the least popular state, is in the Top 20%. There’s no pattern or reason other than public opinion based on stereotypes.
California would have a bunch of really mean people by that logic as well. You know, the state characterized by relaxation and sunshine and surfer lifestyles stereotypically.
In fact, it is likely politically driven. More republicans dislike Blue states, and more democrats dislike Red states.
https://d25d2506sfb94s.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/cumulus_uploads/document/yfklity4w4/statefavorability.pdf
None of this appears to have anything to do with how nice people are. You’re just finding justification for your own biases and preferences.
@PengsPhils lol well people are asked why they dislike certain states, the people usually come up as the main reason (or one of the main reasons). Don’t act like you don’t have biases or preferences, either.
…And yet I’m a Democrat who dislikes New Jersey but loves North Carolina…
Do you have any source for this?
Your personal preferences doesn’t change the data. Of course there are people who are the opposite. We are looking at macro-level trends. I did not just make that up - it is explicitly asked in the survey.
Everyone has their preferences and biases. The difference is that I am not advising others based on them.
And neither am I. I’m giving honest, genuine advice. I don’t know why you seem to think otherwise.
This is the last post I’m going to make on this, because this has not been relevant to the thread for some time. Apologies to OP.
We just established that your claim that people are nicer in NC is simply not true, and is your personal opinion/bias. In fact, if you use the source you cited, and only look at those college aged or so, the opposite is true. This was listed as support for one school over the other, by you.
Honest and genuine advice can still be biased and incorrect.
What are you talking about?? @LBad96 NC state doesn’t even compare to CS at Umass Amherst