A Possible Big Mistake on MSU Personal Statement

<p>I've already applied to MSU Lyman Briggs and they've received all of my materials, and was going through my personal statement and realized that I had mentioned "University of Michigan" once in the whole essay. I was writing in response to "Describe a significant experience from the past two years which required you to interact with someone outside of your own social or cultural group (ethnic, religious, geographic, socio-economic, etc.). How did this impact you? What did you learn and what surprised you?</p>

<p>To keep it short and simple, I had a summer program at U of M for physics, and talked of my cultural experience with the many students that came from South Korea. But the thing that is bothering me the most now is whether or not the mention of U of M in the essay will hurt my chances at MSU? (From the people I talked to, my grades, classes, and ACT is fine for MSU)</p>

<p>If you just mentioned Michigan in the context of the program you went to I don’t see why it would be that big of a deal. It would be one thing if you were writing about how much you wanted to go to Michigan State University, but said University of Michigan by mistake.</p>

<p>I wouldn’t worry about it.</p>

<p>If they keep you out for that then I wouldn’t want to go there. I don’t think MSU admissions will hold anything against you for taking a summer program at U-M and writing about it. The admissions at MSU is a professional outlet and is focused on attracting the best students to MSU.</p>

<p>How is that a mistake? </p>

<p>Seriously, the rivalry is far more important to people who never went to either university than it does to those IN the university. </p>

<p>That’s not a mistake.</p>

<p>As long as you didn’t call Michigan State by the wrong name, they will not care in the slightest. Seriously. U of M exists, and they know that. Hell, mentioning the fact that you did a summer physics program there is quite impressive, actually.</p>

<p>Thanks for the responses everyone, it really helps a lot!</p>