Lyman Briggs vs Regular MSU

<p>Is it better for me to go to Lyman Briggs or just major in Biology?</p>

<p>I want to:
go to medical school
do undergrad research and internships
get involved in school activities and clubs
meet a lot of new people (not really looking for close-knit community but im ok w/ it)
want a real college experience with SOME partying (no hardcore stuff)</p>

<p>I really wanted to go to Lyman Briggs until I heard that you live and go to class in the same building (that is far away from everything and the food sucks)(doesnt sound like a good college experience to me), and its just a bunch of nerds and geeks who go there. Is this mostly true?? If i choose not to go to Lyman Briggs this year, could I go my sophmore year??</p>

<p>I suggest you check out bus routes, maps and menus at MSU. You might find out it is a lot better than some people suggest.</p>

<p>I can kind of answer your question about Lyman Briggs. I overheard a group of people in the Physics/Biomedical Sciences help room and they were just ranting about how terrible Lyman Briggs is. I don’t know anyone in Lyman Briggs, which I think it is kind of odd, considering that I’m an Animal Science/Pre-vet major and know a lot of Human Biology/Pre-med people. So, maybe that’s a sign.
I wish I had more info for you. I’ll try to talk to some friends and PM you if I find anything out.</p>

<p>I have a friend in LB and she loves it. Haven’t heard anything about the food. I am in a residential college (not LB though) and I can tell you that living in a RC is amazing and you should at least try it :). You can always transfer out if you don’t like it. You could transfer in as a sophomore, but it is difficult to miss out on the freshmen classes and try to transfer in.</p>

<p>Psilovethomas, what were they ranting about? The classes, the food, the dorm rooms? You just put down the place without giving any info.
My son really likes Lyman Briggs.</p>

<p>The food is good. I go out there all the time to eat with my son. I love the cheesecakes. Holmes Hall (Lyman Briggs) has changed their cafeteria a little this year so people serve the food to you and there is a hot sandwich place and salad bar and so much!</p>

<p>You are more likely to meet more people in a residential college than in a dorm where people don’t have anything in common. Trying to get together with classmates for a project is a lot easier when you are in the same dorm. Plus the professors and tutoring are right there in the building.</p>

<p>I haven’t heard that much about Lyman briggs in particular but I can speak to the residential college experience. The only things I’ve heard about Lyman briggs (through friends) is that it is challenging and (stereotyping here) the students are a bit more nerdy/lack some social skills/have less free time than average, but also that the program is excellent, mainly full of pre-med students and highly reputed with lots of opportunities for student research. The food in holmes is mediocre from what I’ve heard, but there are the hubbard, mcdonel, akers cafes nearby so if you want to avoid food in holmes it isn’t hard to do. </p>

<p>As a whole, the students in a residential college are more friendly within a dorm because they tend to have a lot more in common and can bond over their sufferings/teachers/assignments. I am in the james madison residential college and I don’t feel it is limiting in any way, as I make friends in and out of my dorm with a variety of different majors and interests. You will meet a lot of new people, especially if you are in a residential college. It’s also ridiculously convenient to have classes and professors in the building in which you live because they just become so much more accessible (not to mention East Lansing weather is not that great, especially during the winter). Finally, you have to understand that this is Michigan State University - even the engineering majors/lyman briggs students party some, although maybe not to the same extent as the average Brody freshman. If you want to get into some partying, it’ll be pretty easy because most people are just like you, with the “study hard, party hard” mentality. Just because you are in Lyman briggs doesn’t mean you’ll be holed up in your room studying your entire life away and miss out on the college experience…my point is, i think being in a residential college actually accentuates the college experience more, and it is completely up to you whether you want to party or not.</p>

<p>I am still wondering what people think they are far away from when they go to Lyman Briggs. The bus stops right in front of the dorms and other buildings. It’s not like you can’t go anywhere.</p>

<p>The bus isn’t the most convenient though, at least from south complex…I have no patience to wait 10-15 minutes for the bus when I can walk the distance in the same amount of time; I’ve always been a fan of walking anyways! But holmes is awfully far from Spartan Stadium and the Breslin Center where all the basketball and football games are. So if you are planning on going to a lot of those sporting events, expect to walk a lot (or take the bus if you prefer). Also, if you wanted to visit the other side of campus i.e. brody/south complex, holmes is a good 30-40 minute walk away (which I’d consider pretty far)</p>

<p>What are chances to get Lyman Briggs when you are wait listed? How is College of Natural Science compared to Lyman Briggs.</p>

<p>When you graduate from one of the residential colleges, is the degree from MSU or from the residential college?</p>

<p>^ MSU. The major listed is the residential college and then whatever your specific major is within that.</p>

<p>If you are waitlisted from Lyman briggs, this just means that they are at capacity (there is a limited amount of spots available for first year freshmen lyman briggs students, it has nothing to do with your stats). Don’t worry, students fortunately change their majors very often especially before school starts and either by AOP (summer orientation) or fall welcome you should be able to switch into lyman briggs. Just be persistent in asking your advisers</p>

<p>I actually know quite a few people in Lyman Briggs and they love it. Despite its rigor, Briggs people gets perks that others who are just general science don’t. My younger brother’s friend was considering it and my Briggs friends said that they have more access to help labs than regular biology students. I bet it usually helps to be with like-minded students who want to go to medical school too, since Briggs and Madison both had Rhodes Scholars nominations this past year I believe.</p>

<p>OK so I chose to go to Lyman Briggs and Im gonna answer my own question:
Its better to go to Lyman Briggs instead of just majoring in University sciences, going to class in the same building that you sleep in is AWESOME because you can actually get to class on time if you by some chance oversleep and wake up 10 mins before class starts. And plus you dont have to take lyman briggs courses, you have the choice of taking university courses too.
The food does not suck at all, Holmes has the best cafeteria in all of east neighborhood. Plus it is the only cafeteria in east neighborhood that is open until 12AM so all the other dorms have to come here if they want food after 8pm.
Its not just a bunch of nerds and geeks. If you want to find a crowd that parties a lot you will find one and if you want to find a crowd that studies a lot you will find that too.
And all the help you need for all your classes will be in the same building, such as tutoring, or extra help from the TA’s and professor’s offices as well.
SOOO choose briggs.
Im glad I did.</p>

<p>^lol good to hear skittles! Thanks for updating us :P</p>

<p>Hello, I’m actually in the same boat as you were in! I just applied to MSU a couple days ago and im REALLY hoping to get into lyman briggs. Do you think applying in early october was a little too late? i always mistook lyman briggs as an honors college so i never bothered looking into it because of my ACT. do you happen to remember when you applied to MSU?</p>

<p>Holly, I submitted my app 10/3 and msu didn’t receive my high school transcript until 10/15. I got my acceptance letter yesterday. I don’t think you applied too late :)</p>

<p>Hey guys, I am an incoming freshman at lyman briggs for the fall semester and I was wondering if anyone had any input as to what the best schedule is for a freshman majoring in human biology who plans to go to medical school. Which class/time schedules are best for getting everything I need, while still having time to work/exercise/study etc.</p>