<p>if you could list the top 5 - 10 things i need to know before deciding to apply to michigan, what would they be?</p>
<p>I can probably name the #1 thing: Apply before November 1st. Darn.</p>
<p>oh, really? haha. k nevermind. it’s just that i JUST received a little brochure from the uni and never even considered it before. oh, well.</p>
<p>edit: wait, someone on a different thread said that there IS an rd round too? :-/</p>
<p>^ Yeah there is and you should still definitely apply. It’s just that lots of people get admitted early, so it’s much harder to get in through regular decision (seats are limited).</p>
<p>oh, ok. so i can still apply to lsa residential through rd? or would that pretty much be already filled?</p>
<p>Nah you should be fine, it’ll just be more competitive.</p>
<p>residential college is also a bit of a special case - I have a friend who simply applied to LSA and got in, and then in August this fall she realized that she would love the RC, so she sent them an email and they let her in. :)</p>
<p>^so residential lsa is not more competitive than normal lsa?</p>
<p>^out of curiosity, what are your stats?</p>
<p>gpa and sat wise?</p>
<p>gpa: 3.85 uw, 4.6 w
sat i: 2140 overall (800 w, 740, 600 m) [but getting my retake results back in a week and i think i improved]
sat ii: literature - 730, u.s. history - 710</p>
<p>does that look good for u of m? (of course there are other things, like essays, ec’s, recs, but just from those cold stats, what do you think?)</p>
<p>I’m not really sure if it’s not more competitive, but I do think that since it’s more “fit” based than the rest of the university, if you’re a good fit, then you might have a little more leeway.</p>
<p>so what are the 5 things i should know about the school before deciding whether to apply or not?</p>
<p>hmmmm. here’s my biased opinion:</p>
<p>1) Ann Arbor has freaking awesome food downtown.
2) Blue Bus transportation is incredibly convenient.
3) According to my letter from President Coleman, we have 9 museums. I only know what 3 of them are, but if you come, you can find the other 6!
4) Strong programs in pretty much everything - science, engineering, math, polisci, language…
5) Big university=incredibly diverse array of opportunities.</p>
<p>Honestly, U of M is probably the most well-rounded universities in the country (there’s a sticky note called ‘Is Michigan weak in any way’ or something like that), has an awesome social scene, and an awesome sports team. It’s a realllly big university compared to some others and the weather in the winter can be pretty harsh. What do you want to major in btw? That could make a difference in what you need to know.</p>
<p>Amen on the weather point. Michigan winters suck, and weather here likes to be crazy just because it can.</p>
<p>yeah i was reading a little of the ‘is michigan weak’ thread but its super long and was wondering if you guys could summarize the main things i should know. maybe i should ask some specific questions:</p>
<p>1.) how intellectual is the school? i’m looking for a uni where people are very excited about learning and academics, not just sports and greek life.
2.) i personally don’t care much about sports and wouldn’t join a frat. would i still fit in there or is the culture really heavily-sports-based?
3.) what’s the social scene like? i don’t drink and don’t “party”. i’d love to join a lot of student organizations though, and i know u of m has like 1000+ which is awesome. but how prevalent is partying/drinking as compared to being involved with organizations, and just in general?
4.) i’m a bi guy. is u of m bi-friendly?
5.) what is ann arbor truly like? i know it’s one of the best college towns, but why exactly?</p>
<p>i’ll try to think of some more q’s, but that’d be great to know for now. :)!</p>
<p>1) Very! Some call many of the students too cut-throat and focused on grades over learning, but from what I’ve heard, that’s just a stereotype.
2) There’s plenty of things to do and U of M is a big place. You’d certainly be ignoring a large part of the culture by not getting riled up over Big Ten sports, but there’s so many different kinds of people and groups at UMAA, you’d be hard-pressed not to find one you didn’t like.
3) The parties are around, sure. It’s not a “party school,” per se, but you also don’t have to look very hard to find one. I guess my point is it’s definitely avoidable if you really don’t wanna be a part of it.
4) Well, it’s one of the most Liberal/Progressive campuses on the country, so I’d say you’re safe. Also, two words: Co-ed Dorms. 
Have fun haha.
5) Ann Arbor’s just a cool city. There’s just a BUNCH to do there. Although I personally think it’s a fairly ugly city…</p>
<p>thanks!! that’s all really good to know. co-ed dorms sound great, btw. 
so…compared to usc (which i think has a big sports culture and greek life, maybe like u of m?), how would you say the two schools differ?</p>
<p>also, it seems like u of m people on this board are so happy and lively. that’s exactly the kind of student body i’m looking for. would you say MOST people at u of m are this way, outgoing, happy, nice?</p>
<p>Kind of offtopic here,but have you looked at the university of Chicago? It sounds like you’d be a perfect fit and you’d love it there.</p>
<p>^You won’t find out until you get there. I’ve seen people write that Michigan is a cut-throat environment where professors set you up to fail. But my impressions are that if you work hard you will do well</p>