Hi I’m a rising senior in New Jersey who is really interested in applying to U-Michigan EA.
I’m looking into majors such as international affairs/business and, or data science.
After visiting the campus in April, I love the campus vibe and atmosphere and its school spirit. The only thing that is keeping me from deciding Michigan is its location. For example, George Washington University is next to some of the most active organizations, and has so many internships a few blocks away from its campus.
I was wondering what type of resources Michigan students have in terms of internship and job recruitment opportunities on campus. I just feel like Michigan’s location might be a loss in terms of getting a job near NYC or any other big cities.
Alumni are very involved, from what I’ve heard from both faculty and friends, in connecting students to internships and jobs. Michigan brags about their alumni network a lot, and when Michigan brags about something, you know it’s good. And there are alumni everywhere. Wear a Michigan shirt out for a day and see what happens.
Internships often provide housing or some kind of stipend for housing if you can’t commute there from your home. My friends are all across the country right now in various internships and a lot of them were provided housing. You can have an internship anywhere in the world if you’re doing it in the summer - why stay in one place?
The alumni network is a big one for recruitment. There are also GIANT career fairs on campus, and these people actually do recruit from Michigan. It’s not just practice here, it is the real deal. Employers know what kind of education we get at Michigan and they want that in their offices. I can’t count on my fingers and toes the number of people I know who ultimately landed an internship or job from a recruiter they met at a career fair. The value of a UM degree goes so far, and even in Chicago or NYC. I wouldn’t worry about that kind of thing right now - so many doors are going to close and so many are going to open in your college career and it’s not always a straight shot to a hotshot job in NYC, although that would be awesome. Just do what feels best (you are sooo right about the campus atmosphere, by the way, there’s not a place in the world where I’m happier) for you and your future.
UM obviously produces great candidates. However, don’t fall into the trap that many UM students and graduates fall into – they believe their degree simply blows everyone away and they should genuflect in your presence. I’m in the midwest and everyone has a story of some puffed up UM grad who thought they were the best thing through the door – but lacked real drive and determination or was too entitled – and the hiring managers chose someone else from “lesser” schools who showed that they were willing to learn and work hard.
Literally everyone I know (including UM grads) say they’ve seen this sort of job applicant from UM. Don’t do it.