It’s Post #1903
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/22116998#Comment_22116998
To OP: No. Many kids do not care for UMich or any of the schools that are considered 'popular" and dream schools for most people. The surprise for us was Notre Dame with my youngest son. He preferred UM to ND hands down.
Five years ago, my OOS son was offered $10k/year from Michigan in merit money to study engineering, but turned it down in favor of Texas A&M, which funded his OOS tuition. But now he’s a first-year PhD student at Michigan.
My kiddo decided not to go to Michigan, I don’t think any amount of merit aid is going to change that. As of now she wants UCLA, but we will know about UCB this Thursday.
I agree with you @cptofthehouse many kids where we are don’t care much for UMich. No one was “impressed” nor cared that my D got into UMich lol.(I know I know it’s not the point, my point is to show many people just do not care for UMich or that it’s a huge sport school and whatnot). They just assumed D would “obviously” pick something else. On CC and this forum everyone drinks the UMich kool-aid. We also tried to get hyped for UMich and D would genuinely LOVE going to UMich if there weren’t better options. Heck she even picked UMich over John Hopkins and JH was a much much higher ranking and harder to get in. But as soon as UCLA acceptance came (higher ranking, better program for what D wants to study, the weather, etc.), I was surprised that it wasn’t a hard decision at all for her to pick UCLA.
Oh well.
Fit is individual. To some rank and prestige are big factors in fit, but not everyone. I’m grateful for the UMich experts on this forum.
@Nhatrang. Congratulations to your daughter in finding a school with a great fit for her. As far as drinking the Michigan kool-aid. I think this is posted on the Michigan forum… Ha. What do you expect… ?.
Good Luck to your family.
Thanks @Knowsstuff Yes I expected as much 
And it’s contagious, I love this forum and I drink the kool-aid as well. Nothing wrong with that, I love the passion. Just saying the rest of the world may have a different idea all things considered.
FInding a “fit” is important. One has to be happy about their choice.
UCLA’s quarter system wasn’t a good fit for my '18 and neither one of us were big fans of UCB or the City of Berkeley itself. And neither school has been relevant in football and basketball for a decade or more. 
And the difference in rankings between the three are immaterial for my kid’s major/minor.
@Nhatrang. I was in Tampa this past weekend for a conference. Why anyone would want to go to school in the Midwest beats me. Can’t beat that ocean and sand and sun. OK… Now back to my Midwest 40 degree weather… Lol…
Certainly not Tampa Bay, but we have Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz beaches nearby, but some kids here want seasons!
Sunny skies and 44 today! No jacket weather, just a sweatshirt. 
“I agree with you @cptofthehouse many kids where we are don’t care much for UMich. ”
Where are you from?
“They just assumed D would “obviously” pick something else. On CC and this forum everyone drinks the UMich kool-aid. We also tried to get hyped for UMich and D would genuinely LOVE going to UMich if there weren’t better options. Heck she even picked UMich over John Hopkins and JH was a much much higher ranking and harder to get in.”
Sounds like someone here drinks the USNWR Kool-Aid too much themselves while berating the Michigan faithful.
No, there is nothing wrong with you for not wanting to go to Michigan. My son is a Freshman at Michigan. He loves it. He loved it the moment he stepped on the campus for a visit between Junior and Senior year of high school. He loved it when we visited at Admitted Students Day on a very cold Spring Day. I thought it seemed rather cultish…I went to another Big 10 school for undergrad. The Hail to the Victors sing a longs, “Go Blue” everywhere, and the huge Admitted Students Day event did not make love the school. We were not sure he was making the best choice turning down other schools for Michigan.
Then we spent a few days in the summer in Ann Arbor for Orientation—I started to see the appeal. Then my son had a medical Emergency about 3 weeks after school started…I saw the great medical care available right on campus, the care his professors showed him, and his great group of friends. I flew out to be there and was alone on campus a lot once he was back in classes. I spoke with students at the book store, coffee shops, during breakfast, etc etc…so many exhuberant, happy Students proudly wearing their Michigan gear. I attended a football game while out there and watched my son’s friends (new relationships as he’d only been there 3-4 weeks by then) rally around him, watch out for him. I felt ok hopping back on a plane knowing he was at a great place that he loves. He’s now at the end of his Freshman year and still loves it. He knows he made the right choice for him.
The way you describe the school is completely opposite to how he would so if I were you, I’d cross it off your list. It’s not going to be more affordable than your other options, which would be the only reason I could see yourself trying to force the school. It’s just not the right fit and that’s ok.
The weather in Michigan is horrible for many months in Winter. We live outside Boston and I can assure you Boston weather is much more manageable than Michigan. My son says he’s never been so cold and he has all the right gear to wear.
I hope your parents support your decision to choose a school other than Michigan. You have many great options & one that is right for you.
Everything that is popular, it seems, is accused of as being a “cult” or “cultish” nowadays. Have “you” (the royal you) been to Penn State? When you’re on campus, all you hear is “We are!” and the response “Penn State.” Have you been to USC? If I hear “Fight on” one more time, I think I might go crazy. UMich isn’t alone, it’s just school spirit and you see it many places. Students and parents are proud of their schools.
One of the many things I like about is UMich is that the schools year starts after Labor Day and the last day of classes is April 23. So, my kid will be home in about a month! And then four months of summer! 
Unfortunately, two tests tonight from 6 PM to 10 PM. 
Clearly you did not objectively read through my entire post. First impression, off the cuff “cultish” to the current impression I have (supportive school with lots of spirit and energy). Don’t be so defensive to critiques. This original poster didn’t feel the Blue Love when visiting. It is entirely possible that Michigan is not the right school for this particular person and that is absolutely ok.
OP–I visited UM with my son and I liked it (he was fine with it, but not wowed). But your comment about the law quad was spot on–it was dazzling! So if he goes to law school–I’m making sure that’s on his list.
Comment deleted.
More than 1/2 of admitted students choose to go somewhere else, so Michigan is obviously not for everyone. That said, Michigan has a combination of elite academics, great sports/school spirit, and a great college town that very few schools in the country offer. If you talk to students, you quickly realize how proud they are of their school. That speaks to the special quality of the “Michigan experience”.
I was at Home Depot yesterday. Some guy with a Michigan hat walked by and we exchanged “Go Blue” pleasantries. It a common occurance just about anywhere I go.
Thank you for this post. My daughter is in a similar situation. She was admitted to LSA during the big Regular Decision wave at the end of March. Now that her long-time dream is a reality, she is hesitant. The A’s for her in high school did not come easy. I understand what Michigan saw in her - her performance consistently exceeds her test scores and she has exceptionally strong team leadership skills. As I advise her, I’m trying to sort out what of her reaction is a natural anxiety about the unknown, a simple inability to see her many strengths, loyalty to friends who were not admitted, and/or a legitimate concern that the fit isn’t right.