BOZEMAN — If you’ve ever been in downtown Bozeman it’s no secret: most of the stores represent Montana State University. And that’s because Bozeman is a huge college town. But did you know it’s actually ranked the number one college town in the nation, now for a second year in a row?
“I had no idea. That’s pretty awesome though, I’d say,” says Mya, a Montana State freshman.
Watch the story here:
Whether you knew Bozeman had this national ranking or not?
“I love this school. I love Montana. So It definitely makes sense,” says another MSU sophomore, Robbie.
It seems the common theme is agreement when I told Bobcats that according to RentCafe.com, Bozeman is the number one college town in America.
“Yeah. There’s a lot to do around here. There’s a lot of skiing opportunities in the winter. A lot of hikes around. I mean, there’s lots of mountains everywhere. So it's not like there's a lack of things to do around here,” says another MSU sophomore.
And it’s no secret, many students come to MSU for Bozeman’s endless list of outdoor activities. But skiing and hiking are features you can find in, say, Colorado or Washington State University, which ranked number 2 on this list. So, what is it about MSU that helped put Bozeman on the map?
“I think it’s not just about Bozeman, it’s also about the school and the culture of the school. I love that MSU has strong academics but also a great focus on the outdoors,” says Robbie.
According to Rentcafe.com, Bozeman’s ranking is based on a combination of factors, including the affordability and quality of education available at MSU. The university offers more than 250 undergraduate areas of study, more than 115 graduate programs, is the largest research entity in the state of Montana, and just set an enrollment record this past fall with 17,144 students.
“More students than ever before are choosing MSU. Why are they choosing MSU?” asks MSU spokesperson Michael Becker. “We think it’s because they recognize MSU is a place they’re going to learn valuable skills they need to go out in their lives after graduation as successful Bobcats."
WATCH RELATED: Bobcat alum who won LA marathon visits home track at MSU
And as MSU sophomore Robbie mentioned, culture. Between the century-long rivalry of Cat/Griz to the community that MSU has built.
“The first thing you’re going to see at the airport is an MSU mural greeting you when you get off the plane. And when you get to town, there's MSU merchandise—people are wearing their merch, showing their Bobcat pride,” says Becker.
And that's what Bobcats feel: pride, knowing their school of choice has labeled Bozeman number one for now 2 years in a row.
“I know it’s a special place; so does everybody else that goes here. But it’s cool to have it get national recognition on that as well,” says Robbie.
