<p>I'm not a senior applying to UMich, but I was just wondering what all your impressions of the school are to get more of a feel of the "personality" of it. Are there any factors that would make you choose UMich over other schools, besides distance from home and financial aid? I know it's very ra-ra, but that's as far as my knowledge goes.</p>
<p>When I visited in October, everyone seemed very relaxed and laid back (a plus for me). Also, everyone seemed generally happy and content with being there, and pretty much everyone was smiling (even when we went to the library!). I have been on 4 other college visits, and the students seemed to not care, be very depressed or bored, or were pretending to be happy (and doing a bad job at it) for our tour group.</p>
<p>Granted, none of the other schools I visited was on the same caliber as Michigan</p>
<p>Well, trust me–people aren’t that cheerful all the time. Come back in December. ;)</p>
<p>How’s the food? Are there lots of variety in dining halls/restaurants near campus?</p>
<p>Let’s just say I often find myself questioning whether the food in the dining halls is actually real food or not.</p>
<p>The dining hall food sucks, food off campus is very good.</p>
<p>I’ll third that: dining hall food is pretty lousy. I found a lot of things in the salad bar that didn’t belong there. The town has many other good options, though.</p>
<p>Yes, that was one of the negative aspects of my visit. I think we ate at East Campus, and the Pizza was terrible.</p>
<p>I calculated it and the standard meal plan is equivalent to buying a $5 footlong for breakfast, lunch, dinner everyday for a semester (5.3<em>3</em>30.5*4=1939.8).
If I were to do it differently my freshman year, I’d just keep the money I would’ve used for a meal plan in my bank instead. Then I would’ve split that money between for meals around cheap restaurants and groceries. </p>
<p>Then occasionally eat in the dining hall with people.</p>
<p>Don’t you have to purchase a meal plan if you live in a dorm? I believe you do.</p>
<p>Campus food is what it is. Most universities have below average to above average on-campus dining options, and Michigan is right in the middle of the pack. </p>
<p>Ann Arbor has a lot of solid-good dining options for college students on a college budget.</p>
<p>Not sure, but I don’t think it’s required. It’s just not that common. Not sure why it’d be enforced.</p>
<p>Housing says it’s required: [Meal</a> Plans & Rates2013-2014 Academic Year | University Housing](<a href=“Michigan Housing”>http://www.housing.umich.edu/meal-plans)</p>
<p>I imagine it would be enforced because food is cheap to buy in bulk and profitable for the college. Housing is too expensive here, yes, but the university does end up putting out a lot of money on electricity, water, heating, repairs, etc., for it. Overpricing the food and requiring students to purchase a meal plan is an easy way to make money off of dorm residents.</p>
<p>this is exactly I want to ask . Except food, anyone know the atmosphere in campus? the kind of students? I know there is diversity in campus, but I am sort of artistic, prefer something quiet like reading, going museum, do not like party,football,non-drinker, can I fit in the whole personality of Um? or anyone please describe the personality? In terms of spirit and the value of the undergraduates. Do many come to Um just for a good job in the future?
That is definetaly not my opinion. I do not want to attend a college where nobody understand my thoughts.<br>
btw, what about art history major in Um, undergraduate. Someone told me the art related major in Um is bad… and all majors discussed in the talks are to do with engineer, business, not mention any liberal major like literature, drama at all.
I am sort of desperated…</p>
<p>anyone …bmm…</p>
<p>The University of Michigan is so diverse and so big that anybody can find a peer group there. They have fantastic museums and there is a very artsy feel to Ann Arbor in general. Ann Arbor hosts the biggest art/street fair in the country in the summers. You sound like you should check into the residential college, which is very art and literature focused.</p>
<p>U of M really is a unique school. It’s hard to find such a spirited school where so many departments are in the top 15 while having a top notch athletic program and being in an artsy college town with so many great restaurants and events. </p>
<p>The only drawbacks I can think off would be the weather, a secluded North Campus (where, unfortunately, many Freshmen are forced to live and are away from the whole culture of the university), and the size of the school (28,000 undergrads is a bit much…I think we should go down to around 21,000 like a decade ago)</p>
<p>Thank you so much !</p>
<p>…say what? How can you guys not like the food that much? I’d be lost without the dining halls here. Sure Bursley and Markley kinda suck (except Bursley’s cookies <3) but East Quad, North Quad, Mojo… They’re all great, especially east and north. Sometimes I feel like I’m eating in a restaurant. I literally had mussels, teriyaki wings, nachos, a cinnamon bun, and au gratin potatoes all on one day at East and practically **** my pants because it was so good.</p>
<p>As for the personality, most everyone I meet here is very “work hard play hard” including me. Pretty much all of my friends here take their work really seriously and it’s not uncommon at all for us to head to the Dude or UGLi to start studying at like 11 PM on any given day. But the reciprocation is that we like to party on the weekends. This school attracts the type of kid that likes to put a lot of effort into both is what I’m trying to say I guess. There’s certainly the occasional lazy kid or introvert (cough North Campus cough (and I’m allowed to say that because I’m an engineer)) but the “ra-ra” aspect you talked about is pretty much on point. </p>
<p>Another thing I’ll talk about is how the size affects things. The school is obviously huge and this means some things:
Pros:
-feel like you’re part a huge family
-immense amount of resources
-every type of person
-plenty of clubs, organizations, events, etc.
Cons:
-rough transition from personal high school learning to impersonal college lecture learning (at least for intro classes)
-sometimes can feel “lost” in your first semester, but it’s a good experience to go through in order to enhance your social skills, force you to do participate in things, put out feelers, etc.</p>
<p>This is just some general stuff I’ve noted after my first semester here. I will say that I absolutely love Michigan so far along with all my friends. The academics are rough but rewarding and the school itself and people are amazing. I already can’t want wait to go back after winter break.</p>
<p>thank you for your reply！I have already applied and am waiting for the result now ~</p>