Pros and Cons Michigan State University

Colleges and Universities A-Z Michigan State University
21

<p>Since you said you are planning on going premed, here are a few pros and cons that may be a little more specific to your major. </p>

<p>Pros:
- Access to many research labs (if you are interested in research as an undergrad)
- Excellent research facilities in the biomedical-physical sciences building
- Med scholars program which guarantees admission to MSU MD or DO school, depending on which track you are in
-Honors college gives you priority in enrollment for courses (a HUGE advantage at a school with 35,000+ undergrads)
-Hundreds of on campus organizations, some devoted to medical/premedical interests </p>

<p>Cons:
-Huge class size for 100-200 level classes (although this is the same as at any other large university)
-Most science professors devoted more to research than to teaching (same at any other large university)
-Not as highly regarded or ranked as UMich and other schools (could be a disadvantage in applying to medical schools outside of Michigan) </p>

<p>With that being said, the "disadvantages" can easily be overcome. For example, if you do not like huge classes, the Lyman Briggs school offers a residential college experience with smaller classes and more immediate access to professors. In terms of low ranking (around 70th in the US according to US News/World Reports), just make sure you have high grades and get some research experience in while you're at MSU and you'll have no problems getting into med school. There are plenty of labs on campus and a variety of ways to get involved in research. The Professorial assistant program allows entering students with a composite ACT of 32 and above to conduct paid research for their first two years of college. If you cannot get a PA, then there are always a lot of professors looking for new students, just email a few and you are bound to get some offers (most people start this way). Although you might have to start off doing simple tasks, by the end almost everyone has some significant experience to add to their med school application. Also, there is a med scholars program which provides entering students guaranteed admission to the MSU allopathic (MD) or osteopathic (DO) medical (although it is quite competitive and the deadline may have already passed). </p>

<p>Anyhow, MSU is a great school with a lot to offer both academically and in terms of social scene. Although there are a lot of people from Michigan, it is such a large student body that there is definitely a lot of diversity and you can easily find your own niche.</p>

22

<p>oooh me too, im interested in majoring in zoology but there’s not a lot of information about the pros/cons for that</p>

23

<p>^MSU has one of the top zoology/pre-vet programs (top 5-10) in the country. I don’t know anything more about it than that, but if you go to MSU there is no doubt that you will get a good education.</p>

24

<p>To correct fa-la-la, there really is NO prevet “program.” It’s just a track so you can get all of your vet school prerequisite courses. You cannot graduate with a degree in prevet, but you can get a degree in zoology, or a degree animal science like me! I don’t think MSU’s zoology program is even ranked. MSU’s vet school is number 9/28 in the USA. However, vet school rankings don’t really mean anything at all.</p>

25

<p>My son says he knows less than 10 people at MSU from his high school and we don’t live too far away. As for there being a lot of in-state students, well of course there are. Thousands of them have the Michigan Education Trust that pays for their tuition so they go to in-state public schools.</p>

26

<p>^my mistake! I just said what I heard from my friend/acquaintance who is a zoology/pre-vet major :slight_smile: you probably know better.</p>

27

<p>Stemming off what you guys have said about registering for classes, I’m a transfer student (incoming sophomore) and I’m also an international student so my AOP isn’t until like the week before classes start.
Do I stand a good chance for getting all the classes I want? Or will most of them be full and I’ll be stuck in crappy classes?</p>

<p>Also, will I be able to register for classes now or do I have to meet with a counselor first?</p>

28

<p>Punkchique- I also went to the very last AOP. I was able to get into every class I wanted and I had a pretty decent schedule. You can usually get an override to let you in a class that is full.</p>

29

Hi! I am also a junior planning to apply to michigan state. Do you think that the tuition reflects the professors and education performance(want to do business). Is it worth it? Also is it really difficult to make friends (im out of state and asian)? Thanks!