Michigan has a much larger and more influential alumni network worldwide. For alumni network, you have to count both undergraduate and graduate alum. A typical PhD student spends four or more years at Michigan. Many PhDs continue to maintain a close relationship with the department or at least with their faculty advisors after they left. It is clear that Michigan has more established PhD alum (both qualitatively and quantitatively). And that’s not even counting law, medicine, and MBA grads.</p>
<p>“Notre Dame has the most overrated alumni network of the 3 by a large margin.”</p>
<p>I have to differ here. Daughter is a freshman at ND (which she LOVES, btw). In just the few months that she’s been there, she’s had the following experiences: offered a summer job by a ND alum she met at the airport… movie tickets purchased for her and her friends by an ND alum who was in line ahead of them and saw their ND shirts… an attorney (and ND alum) offer her a summer internship (she’s not even pre-law?)… we were given 50% off our purchase at a Texas clothing store when owner learned D was a domer… and many other offers of help, assistance or guidance by ND alumni. It’s actually been overwhelming! The ND family definitely takes care of each other!</p>
<p>Definitely Michigan. Michigan is just as strong (if not stronger) as the other two universities, yet will be significantly cheaper. The choice is obvious.</p>
<p>I think all three of these schools are largely comparable. Based on what you’ve listed (Catholic atmosphere, smaller, liberal arts), it sounds to me like Notre Dame would be the best fit for you. However, the other two options are also good. I don’t think any of these will serve you poorly.</p>
<p>“That may be true at Michigan but it may also be that you’ll encounter disdain and sometimes out right hostiliy from others on campus who intensely dislike Catholicism and , by extension, Catholics, whereas at Boston College (Notre Dame too, although its atmosphere, it seems, can be overbearingly pro-Catholic) you’ll find no such hostility. Would that give you more peace of mind while pursuing your academics? I think so. After all, who needs the aggravation?”</p>
<p>Gee, how is the OP going to manage in life with so much anti-Catholicism in the world! I think your remarks are a bit of an exagerration leonid. There are thousands of Catholics in attendance at all large public schools. Most people could care less. Some of my best friends are Catholic. ;-)</p>
<p>ND is more comparable to Northwestern among the Big10 and counting schools. Both about 7000-8000 undergrads, great alumni networks, top 20 academic rankings and school spirit found a mid size private schools like Duke, Vandy, and Stanford.</p>