Should I go to Michigan or Notre Dame?

College Search & Selection
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<p>“South Bend is in the middle of nowhere…”
South Bend is nowhere</p>

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<p>Thank you so much for the great responses! I didn’t mean to start a trash-talking session, but hey, you guys are passionate!</p>

<p>I do have a couple thoughts:</p>

<p>

Why is that whenever Michigan comes up in any discussion, some random Ohio State fan responds in the most predictable “Screw Michigan Go Buckeyes” way? They must REALLY hate Michigan.</p>

<p>Anyway, sorry to say that I already ruled out Ohio State as an option. I got a 32 on my ACT and scholarships to both Michigan and Notre Dame, and there’s no way I’m blowing that for Ohio State. When I was considering academic reputation, I learned that Ohio State’s is…uh…nonexistent. They are known for football though, so there’s that. I figure that since you go to Ohio State or are at least a fan you think it has a decent reputation academically. And that’s fine: you’re entitled to your opinion.</p>

<p>But you should know that us high-schoolers around the country, when we ask about the academics of Ohio State, it’s like “WHAT academics?” Sorry but that’s just the truth. Besides, shouldn’t the choice be based on what’s best for my future, not on which school you personally have fan-based allegiance?</p>

<p>Plus I don’t want to get killed in one of Ohio State’s riots. Maybe you guys should do more to make the campus seem safer. </p>

<p>I’m told that Michigan and Notre Dame have roughly the same academic reputation, but Michigan’s is actually a little better. But hey, that’s why they’re my top 2 picks.</p>

<p>I’m not sure what major I want yet, but I hear that Michigan has top-ranked programs in practically everything, and Notre Dame’s pretty good too. So I figure if I go to either I’ll do well academically. Again, that’s not the issue.</p>

<p>The issue is football. I want to go where there’s more tradition. From what you all have said, Michigan and Notre Dame are both exciting and storied programs, which is good, but it doesn’t exactly narrow it down for me any further. It’s like choosing between Superman and Batman.</p>

<p>Any ideas?</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>Yes, you’ve summed that up quite accurately.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Not just storied - the most storied. Kind of like picking the two hottest supermodels in the world and trying to ask people which one is better-looking.</p>

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</p>

<p>OK!!! You’ve embraced the smack-talking imperative so it looks like UMich it is! :)</p>

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<p>I’d say Notre dame hands down basically wins in all categories expect their football team as been sucking recently but has a strong tradition.</p>

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<p>"(not to mention the College Football Hall of Fame is IN south bend), "</p>

<p>Not for much longer. It is moving to Atlanta by 2012. Even the HOF doesn’t want to be in South Bend. The ND campus is attractive, but South Bend is a dump! This is old news btw.</p>

<p>[College</a> Football Hall of Fame moving to Atlanta - ESPN](<a href=“College football's most interesting new coordinators in 2023 - ESPN”>College Football Hall of Fame moving to Atlanta - ESPN)</p>

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<p>“I’d say Notre dame hands down basically wins in all categories expect their football team as been sucking recently but has a strong tradition.”</p>

<p>I’d say you have a reading comprehension problem. ;-)</p>

<p>Seriously, South Bend is completely depressing. Ann Arbor is so much better as a town and overall environment. Once you get off the campus at ND, there is NOTHING.</p>

27

<p>

I don’t mean any disrespect to Ohio State at all, actually. It’s just that when I’ve worked so hard to get scholarships to universities that are considered great, why would I give them up to go to Ohio State?</p>

<p>I mean, I like football, but academics is still part of my selection process. Again, I’m sorry but I just don’t see Ohio State giving me a solid education when I’ve already worked so hard for it.</p>

<p>

Exactly! That’s why this is SUCH a tough decision! PLEASE HELP!</p>

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<p>^^^^You will see one or the other play every year as long as you are in attendance at either. Michigan will play ND next year at the Big House at NIGHT! This will be the very first night game in Michigan Stadium history. It will be an unbelievable event!</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/031810aac.html[/url]”>http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/031810aac.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Michigan and Notre Dame have probably the strongest football traditions in the country. You really can’t go wrong either way</p>

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<p>Notre Dame, hands down. I know you said winning wasn’t important right now, but ND is set for a solid next 4 years and is back on top while scUM is rebuilding and will be total s**t this year… </p>

<p>ND’s game day traditions are better, and although the Big House does hold more, ND Stadium is unmatched in tradition.</p>

<p>South Bend city may be crap, but the campus is 10x nicer and you will spend your college years mostly on, you know, campus… </p>

<p>ND has a better reputation (especially in the Midwest and among Catholics), is higher ranked by a significant margin and a way better alumini network and connections for job placement.</p>

<p>UM is sometimes considered with a better reputation mostly because of it’s superior graduate programs and research, but ND tops it by a lot for undergraduate (what you are!) teaching.</p>

<p>To me, it seems like a no brainer to go to ND. Besides, Irish > Wolvernines.</p>

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<p>Let me highlight the above statements:</p>

<p>the Big House does hold more</p>

<p>South Bend city may be crap</p>

<p>UM is sometimes considered with a better reputation</p>

<p>no brainer </p>

<p>There you have the above diatribe in a nutshell.</p>

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<p>“ND has a better reputation (especially in the Midwest and among Catholics), is higher ranked by a significant margin and a way better alumini network and connections for job placement”</p>

<p>Michigan and ND both have very strong reputations in the midwest. They are ranked closely by most measures and both have great alumni networks for job placement. Michigan has one of the largest living alumni networks in the world, almost 500,000 strong. Even both schools are closely ranked for undergraduate teaching quality.</p>

<p>[Best</a> Undergraduate Teaching | Rankings | Top National Universities | US News](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching]Best”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching)</p>

<p>In terms of academics, Michigan has NO weaknesses.</p>

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<p>I agree with gadad, you sound like a smacktalking (end my referencing gadad here) snob, so UMich seems to be for you! No seriously though, you just attacked OSU, and while obviously I understand since I dislike Michigan just as much, so that naturally means you belong at Michigan.</p>

<p>And as for the OSU/UMich rivalry…I take it more as a silly grain of salt. I mean, both of my parents went to OSU so i’ve been conditioned to be repulsed at the thought of UMich. If you go to UMich, you’ll be conditioned to hate OSU. As I said, I do it more in jest, but there are people who really genuinely hate Michigan and vice versa.</p>

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<p>" but the campus is 10x nicer and you will spend your college years mostly on, you know, campus…"</p>

<p>I have been to the ND campus a few times. While I agree it is attractive, it is also IMHO boring. zzzzzzzzzzzzz</p>

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<p>“If you go to UMich, you’ll be conditioned to hate OSU. As I said, I do it more in jest, but there are people who really genuinely hate Michigan and vice versa.”</p>

<p>Actually, most Michigan students could care less about Ohio State except for the few times a year they play them in football, basketball, or hockey. TUOS and it’s fans are totally obsessed with Michigan.</p>

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<p>Notre Dame is actually fourth in overall college football victories, trailing Michigan, Yale and Texas. Both schools have great football traditions but have different atmospheres. Michigan is a public institution and Notre Dame is a Catholic institution. Both have strong alumni support and great campuses. Ann Arbor beats South Bend. Michigan has stronger professional schools which enhances its academic prestige. South Bend is probably my favorite place to watch a Michigan game after the Big House and the Rose Bowl.</p>

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<p>Okay, I plan on visiting both universities this soon. Are there any places on campus either at Michigan or Notre Dame that I should check out, specifically “tradition”-centric? If that makes any sense.</p>

<p>Thanks again! You all have been really helpful!</p>

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<p>“Notre Dame is actually fourth in overall college football victories, trailing Michigan, Yale and Texas”</p>

<p>Yale doesn’t count. It’s not a Division I school in football.</p>

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<p>Last time I checked Yale played Division I football. They are in the FCS and they have more victories than Notre Dame.</p>

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<p>If you are going to Michigan for a visit, they will take you to some places on the tour but the following places are not on the tour: The Big House, Yost Fieldhouse, the rock, State Street, South U, Cottage Inn Pizza, Blimpy’s, Pizza Bob’s and Zingerman’s.</p>

<p>Don’t know much about ND except for Touchdown Jesus. It’s pretty cool to see from inside the stadium but less so since the expanded capacity from 55K to 80K.</p>