Looking for universities in Michigan?

College Search & Selection
1

So I am in the process of looking for a university and I would like some help. I really would like to stay in Michigan because I know my family won’t help me with anything more than IS tuition.

Quick Stats
GPA: 3.85/4.00
AP’s: 2
Honors: 11
Senior Year: 4 AP’s. I exhausted all the Honors.
EC’s: None. I grew up in a household of alcoholics and drug addicts. They didn’t even let me start going outside until I was like 13. There’s no reasoning with them.
First Generation College Student.

SAT- 1060. I have really awful test anxiety. I was able to manage it a lot better last year because my tests were shorter and usually writing based, but I am still not past it. I can’t get accommodations due to my alcoholic parents. I have had several teachers notice the anxiety over the years. I am going to take the September ACT and maybe another in November. It’s so frustrating that I can score like a 27 while I am relaxed, but the moment you turn that timer on I get a 22 or 23. Done venting.

So can anyone tell me about any universities in Michigan? Like, what is the overall atmosphere of the school like, how are the academics, and stuff like that.

I really want to branch out and leave home so I won’t apply to any schools that are close to me (Oakland, Wayne State, and UM-Dearborn). I am trying to go on tours, but it’s hard to make it to them since I have to convince my grandparents to take me on them (they don’t want to).

-No privates unless the cost of them can be pushed down to like $20,000-$30,000.
-The school has to have no religious affiliation
-I prefer urban/suburban areas.
-I love living in Michigan so I would like to stay here.
-Size is not important to me.

I’ve been to Grand Valley and I surprisingly did not like it. I thought EMU was a lot nicer.

I was just going to apply to every public in MI, but that seems like a waste of time. I want to build a list of schools I could see myself at. I’ve got MSU and EMU on that list right now.

2

you should base your decision more on your major than location. Every university is just a collection of buildings and housing. Find out what subject you want to study and then see how each public university stacks up in that category. There are plenty of out of state universities that will also waive the added expenses of out of state tuition. And don’t dismiss universities because they are close to home, dismiss them for not being viable in providing you future employment. College is just a short 4 years, you have your whole life to live far away from home.

3

If it helps, I am debating between Biomedical Science (not premed!) and Mechanical Engineering (biomedical engineering for grad).

I have found some sort of a biomedical science and MechE program at every university I have looked at. I can’t say that about biomedical engineering (undergrad), but apparently that is more of a graduate school thing anyway.

So if every university you look at can supply you with a degree in your area of study, then how do you narrow them down? All the schools I have looked at brag about how their grads get jobs quickly.