OP, others will disagree, but I’m not sure the “better academic environment” is wholly accurate. Yes, UMich has become prestigious, right up there with UNC-Chapel Hill, UT Austin, UC Berkeley, and so on. But I really don’t see that much different between one public flagship and another. There’s a rivalry between MSU and UMich, and, yes, UMich is very selective, but strictly from an undergraduate perspective? These are peer institutions. For the life of me I don’t know how UMich provides a stronger undergraduate education that MSU. I mean, we’re talking about undergrad!
MSU seems like the smart play, and there’s nothing you cannot do at MSU that you couldn’t also do at UMich. Even the undergraduate experiences will be pretty much the same. As for “everyone” who thinks that UMich is a “far superior” choice, these people are responding solely to name recognition and prestige. Oh, and BTW, it’s not as if people haven’t heard of MSU. Who hasn’t heard of MSU? Go Sparty!