<p>“NU is academically stronger than UMich. I don’t know how you think there is an argument for this.”</p>
<p>If you compare departmental rankings between the two schools, Michigan more times than not is rated higher. That is what I consider academics. You obviously have a different opinion, which is of course your prerogative.</p>
<p>Departmental rankings of graduate schools, which, again, UMich is way more focused on. A public school is usually more focused on graduate work because it provides them more money, and UMich is no different. NU is more focused on undergraduates.</p>
<p>NU has better graduate departments in a number of subjects than UMich anyway including Economics, Chemistry, and Materials Science. The OP is applying to be an undergraduate, not a graduate student. NU is the best Big 10 school and Michigan is #2. This is how the entire country sees it.</p>
<p>The difference in prestige is not significant. More laymen have heard of Michigan because of its athletics programs. NU is more selective and is perceived as a bit more prestigious among high-caliber college applicants. It’s all debatable and inconclusive.</p>
<p>What really counts is the perception among the employers and the graduate schools, when they receive the applications from students of these universities. And here is where NU scores higher. Here, I am only concerned with undergraduate students.</p>
<p>“NU has better graduate departments in a number of subjects than UMich anyway including Economics, Chemistry, and Materials Science.”</p>
<p>Leave it to goldenboy to find the three areas where NU is marginally better than Michigan. LOL</p>
<p>“The difference in prestige is not significant. More laymen have heard of Michigan because of its athletics programs. NU is more selective and is perceived as a bit more prestigious among high-caliber college applicants. It’s all debatable and inconclusive.”</p>
<p>Thanks Sam for a fair and balanced response.</p>
<p>NU is better than Michigan in other areas too, he just mentioned a few. Being more selective means better students, and being more prestigious helps them get better jobs. Better jobs + better students = better outcome. Stop trying to argue the misguided idea that UMich is the better of the two. They’re close, but for undergrads, NU is better.</p>
<p>“It’s all debatable and inconclusive.”</p>
<p>Once again, yes it is.</p>
<p>Think what you want, but in pretty much everyone’s eyes; you’re wrong.</p>
<p>I was quoting one of the more thoughtful posters on this website, Sam Lee.</p>
<p>“NU is more selective,” and “In general, top private schools like Northwestern tend to have less red tape and offer better support, such as advising and research opportunities, on per capita basis than public flagships. It also has lower student:faculty ratio.” were also things he said that show that NU is going to provide for it’s undergrads better, and has better students on average. You keep trying to drill this point home, and everyone has brought points back to show you you’re wrong. People here agreed, almost all rankings agree, employers agree, etc.</p>
<p>NU may be marginally more prestigious and selective, but they are peer schools. If I were an in-state applicant at MI, I would probably argue for Michigan.</p>
<p>I agree that Sam’s statement is reasonable</p>
<p>At the national level the general consensus is that NU is a bit more regarded, in my opinion. </p>
<p>Scores and GPAs of the incoming NU class are also quite significantly higher than those of Michigan. </p>
<p>Umich acceptance rate is 37%, while NU is less than half that at 17%. </p>
<p>I may be mistaken but I also believe that Northwestern enrolls the largest % of National Merit Scholars of any university. </p>
<p>Basically this means that NUs freshmen class is much smarter in general. </p>
<p>NU also is smaller which means a more intimate setting, offering more research opportunities and personal interaction with professors.</p>
<p>Both are great schools though.</p>
<p>To be clear, I never said UMich wasn’t a peer; I said in their peer group, NU is at the top. Instate the argument for UMich would be much better; instate tuition vs 50,000+ dollars is a big difference depending on aid.</p>
<p>Silly argument comparing apples and oranges for undergrad. For MI residents U of M is a great choice</p>
<p>Echoing what kimfuge88 said in post no. 34, and despite my comments in post no.2, if I (or my kid) were a Michigan resident, so that Michigan would cost a fraction of what NU would cost, I would then lean heavily toward Michigan.<br>
My post expressed my personal preference for NU was premised on an “all things being equal” basis, but for a Michigan resident, all things are definitely not equal, and college tuition and fees these days are so exorbitant and onerous, that if my kid could get a Michigan education at the in-state rate, I don’t think I could justify the cost of NU.</p>
<p>For OOS, Northwestern is likewise the clear winner.</p>
<p>I agree with WCASParent. While my personal preference lies with NU (spouse, me, son), I think it’s a different equation for a Michigan resident than it is for anyone else.</p>