Hello all members from Utah. I am a freshman college student and this January I will be joining the Marine Force Reserves (goin active once I graduate) and after I get done with my MOS school I would like to move up to one of the northern states and attend school. I have been looking at MSU and U of Idaho, but recently USU caught my attention. I haven't been to that part of Utah since I was just a squirt so I have no idea what its like. However, from everything Ive been looking at it looks like a very good engineering school and the country around seems like it would be a wonderful place to live. However, the one thing that I am leery of is Mormonism. Don't take me the wrong way im not trying to insult anyone, its just that Ive never had any experience with the religion. From what Ive read from other college students the LDS community is pretty strong up there and can be kind of closed off, and people that aren't a part of it have a hard time gettin along. Is this true? What is the attitude/lifestyle of a typical Morman? I kinda get the feeling that I would get along just fine, I dont like to drink/party, I work hard, and I basically just love to hunt/shoot.

Also, the town of Logan, from my understanding its a pretty big city (50,000) but the opportunities to get outdoors are amazing, is that about right? Thank yall for your time

May want to think about Montana Tech (of the Univ. of MT) in Butte.  Great engineering school.  Ya used to be able to walk up the hill near the back of campus and there was a "shooting zone" back there.  I think that has changed now though.  

You'll be close to some great hunting, camping, hiking, fishing, kayaking, climbing, shooting, etc. :)

I'm a USU alum.

Mormonism:

The Mormon presence at USU has become stronger over the last 10 years or so.  Believe it or not, in the late 80s USU was ranked among the some of the hardest partying schools in the country.  

There are plent of people at USU that are not Mormon, but the religion issue seems to hover over most social interactions on campus--even among circles that aren't religious.  You'll also find, especially in the engineering department, that most of your classmates are either married mormon males that have returned from two year missions or foreign students.  Both groups can be cool, but the number of "regular" dudes is going to be small.  

A lot of people will warn you off about the mormons.  When all is said and done, they are decent folks.  The worst thing you'll get from *some* of them is some phony buddying up in an attempt to convert you.  Mormon girls may date you, but you won't make it past being friends.  Also some of the non-mormons are little bitter and like to act out a little in being rebels.  

USU:

It's a large public institution.   You'll be a number, but you'll get a solid education.  The College of Engineering is probably the most well-funded and most prestigous of USU's colleges.  You can't go wrong with an engineering degree from USU.

The campus is beautiful.  There are tons of intramural sports, outdoor clubs, and recreation classes.  I took a free course in rock climbing and fly fishing while I was there.


Logan:

Logan/Cache Valley is one of the most beautiful places in the world.  If you like doing stuff outside it is an incredible place to live.  You name it, they've got it within 1 hr.

There isn't much of a night life and for some that is boring.  There is virtually no crime in Logan.  I own rental house a few blocks from USU and for over two years while I renovated it I kept tools scattered all over the place.  The only thing I ever had "stolen" were the pears off a tree in the yard by some hungry students.  

The wages in Logan are low because there are lots of broke students.  But the cost of living is also low, so it's basically a wash.  

My Advice:

If you are a real outdoor nut and/or really want to do engineering, USU is going to be a good fit despite the diminished social scene.  But good fit and right fit are not the same.  IMO, aside from getting a good education college is also about having fun and getting chicks.  I'm assuming you are in your 20s.  If so, there is no reason you can't have you cake and eat it too by going to another school.   My advice would be to fly into SLC and take a road trip north to all the schools.  

Best of luck.

Check out ISU in Pocatello also. It is about the same size city as Logan and outdoor activities are plentiful. I am in rural Idaho and am about equal distances from the two cities, but prefer Pocatello to Logan.

I am Mormon and like to shoot my M-4, .375 H&H Mag, and cowboy loads. I promise I will not try to convert you if we meet & become friends. I just don't drink or smoke. Return missionaries have not learned to leave it behind yet. They are really nice guys who would never do you wrong, but try hard to get you to church...they mean well.  

Tim

MikeHoncho's comments on everything are spot on.  I'm a USU Engineering alumni and LDS (Mormon) - Mike said everything I was thinking about Logan and USU.

If the social scene, nightlife, etc. are important to you I'd suggest somewhere other than Logan.  If hunting, fishing, 4wheeling, hiking, mountain biking, climbing, etc. are important to you (as they were to me), Logan is great.  I live in Colorado now and love it, but I'd move back to Logan if the opportunity arose.

Good luck,

Allan

I am LDS and a RM, and I consider myself to be one of the most well rounded people I know. I dont live in logan, but I frequent logan because of the large ammounts of incredibly good looking single LDS gals . I have had a lot of good times up there. (including one "Pirate Party" that will never be forgotten) they have a HUGE car and motorcycle show in Logan once a year called "Logans Run" and that is one of the most fun places I have ever been! anywhere! I would recommend it in a heartbeat. it does have a lot of outdoor activities and wildlife in the surrounding areas. lots of places to shoot. and lots of nice scenery

I think we have already exchanged emails regarding this, but if not feel free to contact me.  While I am LDS it is not a requirement to have a great time here in Utah and certainly not something I put too much emphasis on.  I would argue that the University of Utah would be your best school for engineering and my reason for that is I am a transfer student from the University of Wisconsin and out of all the schools in Utah the University of Utah rated the best in engineering.  It has also gotten more grants lately and is increasing in status, which is a good time to jump aboard.  Plus, if you were to come to the University of Utah I could assure you that you would be welcome in the group I like to call friends which are outdoor enthusiasts as well as engineer minded individuals.  Even if you decide to go to Logan (where I was born) you would be more than welcome to come down and do builds with our group.  Currently the University of Utah is the only campus where you can carry concealed (I may be wrong since the ruling was any state funded school) and if I get my way the University of Utah will at least offer concealed carry on campus (I'm going to propose they pay for it, but don't think that will go over well).  In the meantime I help organize concealed carry classes right here on the U of U campus.  I also worked as a cold water survival instructor for the military as well as a winter wilderness survival counselor for scouts.  That along with hunting considerably here in Utah I think I could at least help you get things figured out in the state.  Let me know either way and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks engineering in this state might actually be worth it.

Quoted: I think we have already exchanged emails regarding this, but if not feel free to contact me.  While I am LDS it is not a requirement to have a great time here in Utah and certainly not something I put too much emphasis on.  I would argue that the University of Utah would be your best school for engineering and my reason for that is I am a transfer student from the University of Wisconsin and out of all the schools in Utah the University of Utah rated the best in engineering.  It has also gotten more grants lately and is increasing in status, which is a good time to jump aboard.  Plus, if you were to come to the University of Utah I could assure you that you would be welcome in the group I like to call friends which are outdoor enthusiasts as well as engineer minded individuals.  Even if you decide to go to Logan (where I was born) you would be more than welcome to come down and do builds with our group.  Currently the University of Utah is the only campus where you can carry concealed (I may be wrong since the ruling was any state funded school) and if I get my way the University of Utah will at least offer concealed carry on campus (I'm going to propose they pay for it, but don't think that will go over well).  In the meantime I help organize concealed carry classes right here on the U of U campus.  I also worked as a cold water survival instructor for the military as well as a winter wilderness survival counselor for scouts.  That along with hunting considerably here in Utah I think I could at least help you get things figured out in the state.  Let me know either way and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks engineering in this state might actually be worth it.

I fully agree that for engineering the U of U is better than Utah State.  Also, living in Logan makes finding a job somewhat of a chore.  It's kind of a college town.  Many of the "good jobs" are already filled either by nepotism or religious affiliation.  

Out of state tuition at either college won't kill you.  Out of state tuition at the U costs less than in state tuition in California.  The cost of living in Logan will be less than in SLC but there is much more to do in SLC.

I might be able to swing helping you get a summer internship where I work.  It's in Research Park which is right near the U.  If you're doing ME or EE there is plenty of opportunity where I'm at.  You'd be working in the Biotech industry designing/assembling/fixing high resolution DNA detection instruments.

Hey Gixxersixxer you need to join us sometime for a range date or something.  I work in the hospital in Pediatric Genetics (our main office is in Research Park).

Quoted: Currently the University of Utah is the only campus where you can carry concealed (I may be wrong since the ruling was any state funded school)

Way off! Since the U, USU, SUU, and I'm guessing Dixie State, are all government owned institutions and are open to the public, anyone with a permit can carry concealed.  Only Private owned institutions like BYU can prohibit the carrying of a concealed weapon.  

But personally I enjoy going to USU.  You don't have to deal with the huge traffic issues of SLC to get to campus.  There is plenty to do especially if you enjoy being outdoors, whereas in SLC its a chore just to get out of town.  Logan is also more low key than SLC, you don't have to worry about your stuff getting jacked all the time.  The only thing that is a bit rough is finding work, but just come to logan a month or so before school starts and there is plenty of work.  And if you are into alternative fuel research at all, I think the grant, plus other money a group in the engineering dept. received is up to about $25 million.  The research entails creating bio-fuel with algae.  

You will tend to find some people that are a bit closed off, but I think that goes for just about any community.  You'll find all walks of life in Logan.  Some LDS, some not.  The only place people are really closed off is in residential areas.  This is due to the fact that LDS people in a community will get to know each other at church, so they don't really run around meeting all their neighbors since they meet them at church.  But I know plenty of non-LDS folk up here and they are great friends.  Good Luck

PS- The car show is called the Cache Valley Cruise Inn and it is pretty slick.

If you end up coming through and need a place to crash LMK.

You can CCW at any public university in Utah.  The U is the only place that has challeged it, but they got smacked down pretty hard by the UT legislature a while back when they treatened to ignore the law by having U police arrest CCW students.  

The comment about the U being "better" than USU in engineering is not based on any objective facts.  There are many sub-specialties in engineering to which one school may have an edge over another, but to say one is "better" than another is bunk.  

I will tell you this, my neighbor was the dean of the COE for over a decade.  When my BIL was studying engineering at the U and wanted to transfer to USU I arranged a vist.  According to the dean, at that time (early 00s) the U had a lot of attrition that ended up at USU.  

Damn!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEk7V144cck

Quoted: Damn! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEk7V144cck

HaHa that's awesome!