How to Succeed at UMich?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Michigan
1

<p>Hello! :) </p>

<p>I know Michigan is a competitive environment, but if offers a lot of opportunities and is my top choice if I get accepted. </p>

<p>I would like to know from those of you who have/had ~3.7+ GPAs of how to study well and how to succeed academically at UMich. What tips would you give to a freshman and throughout college? For example, how should you manage time, where should you study, when should you study, etc.? What was different from high school and what did you do to adjust to the new environment? What would you recommend doing to ace your classes?</p>

<p>I'm looking to these majors (either a single major or a double major combining math with either of the two others): math, physics, or chem. I'll be in the LSA hopefully. </p>

<p>Thanks so much! I hope I'll get in to UMich! :)</p>

<p>Go Blue!</p>

2

<p>Can anyone help a prospective student here? I would love your help. :)</p>

3

<p>It being your top choice and the holiday break for me, I’ll humor you. Things like culture shock will pass. High school is a complete joke by comparison, especially if you go into STEM, but even humanities you may get a dozen emails from profs/GSI in a single day. How you come across to others becomes hugely important, because you’re more at their mercy. You will have classes where 20% of your grade is “participation” competing with 25 others to say something profound in a once a week 50 minute section, each time revolving around a different book. That’s unlike any high school I’ve heard of.</p>

<p>It’s not just memorizing and trying to stay awake (although that’s part of it) listening to a teacher who knows less than you. As one of my profs said “If i wanted facts I’d look on wikipedia.” That’ll get you half points. Suddenly you’re expected to synthesize the readings and think for yourself. It can seem there’s no mental break, except when under the influence. So you just gotta plan ahead, decide to spend a whole day on a paper and stick with it. </p>

<p>You won’t have your hand held as much in college, no matter where you go. If your GSI no shows office hours and you got a project due Monday, better find somewhere else to get help. More often it’s just minor inconveniences like they’re doing construction right outside the library, or the line at Panera is way too long. The point is you’re in class a fraction of the time and on your own to figure things out. This is not so daunting as it seems though.</p>

<p>Mostly all i did to adjust is work harder as the expectations required, although you gotta be smart about which classes you pick. Really make sure you can handle it so you aren’t stuck in what some adviser calls an “intro” class trying to just manage a passing grade. Look on sites like ratemyprofessors, studyblue, or ask for a syllabus. Or even ask others who took the class already.</p>

4

<p>“Mostly all i did to adjust is work harder as the expectations required,”</p>

<p>I think this is good advice. I literally did everything and skipped nothing for my first semester and did extremely well (it went downhill from there :-)). Keep track of everything and stay organized with whatever methodology works for you (planner, etc). Manage your class load and make sure there are a couple of easier classes in the mix, ease your way in. </p>

<p>Have some fun, go to the football games, live a balanced life.</p>

5

<p>Thank you both for giving your input. </p>

<p>I’m a first-generation college student and know barely anything about college. I just want to learn more about the academics portion about it and how to succed at Michigan. I’ve already been accepted to MSU and UMich-Dearborn, if that’s helpful. </p>

<p>Thanks! I would love more input too! :)</p>

6

<p>So much depends on your area of study. My daughter who planned to go to med school (where she is currently an M2) and majored in Cognitive Science (Psych) had a very tough 4 years because of the prerequisites for med school. Chemistry classes are incredibly difficult and the competition is fierce. She had to cut-back on many activities (for example, partying on Thursday nights) because sciences always have classes on Friday. </p>

<p>You need to know that especially in weeder classes (intro chemistry/economics) the curve is usually pretty good, so don’t freak out when you get your first score. If you do badly learn to find a TUTOR. They help a great deal, although they will cost you. Find a study group of kids in your class and prep for the tests. Learn to say no. You will find the UGLI (undergraduate library) packed on most nights so you will have plenty of company.</p>

<p>BTW, there are lots of different libraries on campus. My kids love the Law Library because they could hide from their friends and get actual studying done. It could be because both of their parents are lawyers…naw ;-)</p>

<p>My son is in the Ross Business school and had to work his a-s off freshman year to keep up the high GPA necessary to get into Ross. He is great at time management and that is a key component to doing well in any major.</p>

<p>Having said all this, both kids are in a sorority and fraternity, have done research with a professor and joined many clubs. Both of them were in different learning communities, which I highly recommend. Daughter was in HSSP (health sciences) and son was in the Michigan Research Community. Once you are accepted to UM then you can apply separately to these living communities. They lead to great friendships and research opportunities.</p>

<p>Depending on what you want to do post college, most grad schools look to see that you have been involved in activities on campus and shown some leadership ability, so keep that in mind in addition to your classes. </p>

<p>I second the recommendation to visit ratemyprofessor and determine the good courses before you sign-up. If your parents are interested, once you are accepted there is a great Facebook page for parents of UM students called “University of Michigan Parents” (not for students). Once they request to join then as a member you can ask questions covering any subject from housing, classes, names of tutors and great restaurants in AA. </p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

7

<p>I echo everything that’s been said above. </p>

<p>Apart from that, just know that college is a different animal. I enjoy it so much more than high school, live a healthier life (I actually get six to seven hours of sleep now) and love the stuff we get to learn. </p>

<p>Unlike high school with an 8 hour day and activities later, now it’s all on you. As opposed to 40 hours of class a week, you’ll have 15ish. But you must spend the hours outside of class to learn and succeed. You have more time to do everything, but so much more to get done. Time flies by, too. I feel like weeks go by at a whim. Have fun!</p>

8

<p>Thanks for more of the responses.</p>

<p>To answer your question, there’s a chance I may consider trying for medical school, but I’m not completely sure. Plus, it’s so expensive. Congratulations to your daughter, though!</p>

<p>I need a high GPA (at least 3.3) for a scholarship that I’ve been awarded by a very generous donor who will give me a full ride at any public university in Michigan. Because of that I will actually be able to go to college and pursue my academic interests. :slight_smile: I’m also looking into possibly grad school in the future as well.</p>

<p>The MRC and UROP are things I’m looking to as well. </p>

<p>How many classes a year does a typical UMich student take? 4 classes, I would assume?</p>

<p>Would you recommend using AP and college credit for math/science at U of M? Which ones? Which ones should I repeat? The classes at UMich are probably harder and more in-depth than at Dearborn or in AP classes, right?</p>

<p>Math:
I took AP Calc BC (5) and AP Stats (5) sophomore year. After that, I took classes at UM-Dearborn.
I took Calc 3 (A+) and Intro to Linear Algebra (A) in junior year.
I am taking Intro to Differential Equations this semester (A as of now) and will take Math Proof and Structure next semester.</p>

<p>Science:
I took AP Chemistry (5) junior year.
I am taking AP Biology and AP Physics C Mechanics this year.</p>

<p>Would you recommend using my AP credit for other classes like English and History?</p>

<p>Also, I’m not the “partying” type for religious and personal reasons.</p>

<p>Thank you once again for all your help. I appreciate it.</p>

9

<p>I would submit all the AP classes where you have received a 4 or above on the exam (Michigan won’t accept anything below a 4) and this gives you credits before you even start college. The advantage to doing this is that you could conceivably graduate early (although my daughter could have graduated in December, but she didn’t want to miss anything at Michigan in her last year and graduated in May.)</p>

<p>AP credits will also give you a leg up in registering for classes, since priority in registration is based on credit hours completed (this is a big deal if you want a particular professor or good class time). The only negative might be that you would begin at a higher level for stats or calculus at UM, but with your scores I think you would be fine.</p>

<p>As to medical school, in my daughter’s current class every student she knows has taken out some level of loans and this is typical for most students. You can always do a gap year, do research or something else, earn some money and put that towards med school tuition. One of her best friends did this path. Yes, it is very expensive, but if that is your dream you shouldn’t let finances stop you. Also, in state med schools are cheaper than out-of-state.</p>

10

<p>Well medical school isn’t my dream, but it’s not something I won’t outright reject to try for if I can (unlike being a lawyer, politician, economist, or engineer or something).</p>

<p>All my AP scores are a 5 except for English Language which is a 4. I didn’t know that people with AP classes can register before those without them. That’s interesting and helpful. Thank you.</p>

<p>Did your daughter feel behind in her chemistry class after AP Chem compared to other students who took chemistry at UMich?</p>

<p>What do you think about my UM-Dearborn credits for math? Should I just take them all or should I go back to, I don’t know, Calc 3? If U of Michigan has a different style of teaching mathematics and some different subject material, it would be in my interest to retake some classes, right? I don’t want to go back to Calc 1 or 2, though–especially since, after Calc 3, my entire view of math has changed and I might use different strategies and skills in those classes than those that are taught.</p>

<p>I don’t really like applied math too much so I probably won’t continue going down the line of statistics. Pure mathematics and logic is what stimulates my brain the most, as well as chem and, to a lesser extent so far, physics.</p>

11

<p>The majority of your questions will be answered by your advisor when you go for registration during the summer. You will be asked to complete a variety of tests online to place you into math, chemistry and language classes. The advisor will be the best person to discuss the issues of which classes to take. </p>

<p>My son was placed at a really high level of calculus from the courses he had taken and from the pre-test and he argued with the advisor that he wanted to take the easier level (calc is required for Ross App), since he was not interested in continuing in science or math and didn’t want to take an overly difficult class. He got the class he wanted. My daughter took a seminar calc class that was very unusual in that it had a handful of students and they worked in groups without much supervision. She didn’t love it. She felt she was at the same level as most students in her chemistry class after taking the AP chemistry classes in high school. Most of the kids at UM had taken the AP level classes.</p>

<p>Basically, talk to the advisor and discuss your concerns. Hopefully, you will get a good one (the quality of the counseling varies and if one doesn’t work, ask for a different one, which my kids have done.) There are specialized counselors within particular disciplines (pre-med/engineering/Ross) and you will use them once you decide what path you will take.</p>

<p>Have a great Thanksgiving!</p>

12

<p>I am in LSA and I currently hold a 3.85 GPA and my biggest piece of advice would have to be this: GO TO CLASS!</p>

<p>I know it’s tempting to skip because you’re tired or need to study for another class or whatever, but seriously, go to every single class. Every 8AM lecture, every Friday morning discussion section, every 3-hour seminar, every 4-hour lab. This is seriously the key to success. If you attend every class, teachers will recognize you, you’ll get maximum participation points, and perhaps most importantly: you WILL be aware of 100% of the material. If you skip classes, how can you be expected to know the information that’s on your tests, in your essays, on your midterms and finals? I know there are some self-study classes - I would guess maybe more in the math/sciences where it’s concrete material and you either get it or you don’t - but in any of the humanities, knowing what’s being taught and how to synthesize it and think about it is absolutely essential to getting good grades.</p>

<p>Seriously, take it from me. I’m a pretty good case for attending class religiously - I have nothing lower than an A- and I have literally skipped one class in my entire time here at U of M and it’s because I was at UHS with the flu. If you go to class, you WILL be armed with the information and thought processes necessary to do the work, and that really is what succeeding academically is all about.</p>

<p>As far as social/work success goes: don’t bite off more than you can chew. Take it slow to find out your limits and your comfort zone. Take as many courses as you want, get a job, go out with your friends every night, go to football games, rush a sorority, whatever - but pay attention to how you’re feeling and what effects your schedule is having on you. Listen to your gut. If you can handle everything, that’s fine, but make sure that you ARE handling it. If you need to drop a class, or cut your work schedule by a few hours, or quit a club, or put off rushing till next semester, do it. Also, if you’re finding yourself bored or unhappy or with too much free time, listen to that too - join a club, start looking for a UROP project, apply for jobs or internships. </p>

<p>Basically it’s all about putting into classes what you want to get back out of them and making sure you find a balance for yourself academically, socially, and mentally. Pay attention to what you’re doing and try your best to be smart about it, and it’ll work out. </p>

<p>:)</p>

13

<p>Tips for success:</p>

<p>Minimize socializing and partying. You came to school to go to school.</p>

<p>Don’t be intimidated by the professors or the other students.</p>

<p>Develop a concrete career goal. Don’t just dabble in the liberal arts, but figure out how to make a living out of your studies. This can be tricky. Colleges actually aren’t designed to help with careers. You have to take control of that. The focus will inspire you.</p>

<p>Related to last point, know that most of what you’ll study you really will not use in life. Don’t be upset by that. Just keep studying anyway and try to package it together into something useful. Your professors will give you the impression that you need to master advanced mathematical and theoretical models of everything or you’ll never go anywhere in life. Likelihood is that you’ll never use any of that stuff unless you become a professor.</p>

<p>Don’t just gravitate to the common majors. In high school, you only learn of the same old professions: lawyer, doctor, engineer, investment banker. The world actually is quite big and there’s much more you can do. </p>

<p>Eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep. Don’t get all stressed out even if those around you do.</p>

<p>Find a spiritual or philosophical path of life if you don’t all ready have one. If you have one, honor it.</p>

<p>Enjoy yourself. UM is an amazing place.</p>

14

<p>Great response. Thanks for the words of wisdom.</p>