<p>I am a current Freshman in the LSA Honors Program at the University of Michigan considering transferring to Michigan State University. I am a Michigan resident, and I would start at MSU in the Fall 2009 Semester.</p>
<p>My reasons for this are many and varied, but the main ones are the following:</p>
<li><p>My primary goal is to gain entrance into Medical School in 3.5-4 years, however I would like to major in Political Science. At MSU I would be in both the Honors College and James Madison College, a world-renowned institution arguably better than Michigan’s political science program.</p></li>
<li><p>Michigan State has a cheaper tuition than Michigan; in hard economic times, this really does matter.</p></li>
<li><p>The Michigan State atmosphere is much friendlier and less arrogant than that here at Michigan.</p></li>
<li><p>At Michigan State I would stay in an apartment with three of my good high school friends. I am the only person in my high school to go to Michigan in the last three years, a situation most people do not find themselves in.</p></li>
<li><p>My college decision last spring came down to the wire between Michigan and Michigan State. I largely chose Michigan based on its name and “prestige” alone, reasons I now realize are not truly logical or practical.</p></li>
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<p>For all you experts out there, my questions are the following (please keep in mind that I have been in Ann Arbor for four months, and therefore I have had adequate time to form rational opinions):
Would transferring to Michigan State University be a wise move, given my situation and reasoning? As far as earning entrance to Medical School, would a U. of M. degree really carry that much more weight than an MSU degree? Personally, I assume that performance matters over anything else. And, for those of you in the Honors College and/or James Madison College, how do you like it? </p>
<p>Well if your not comfortable there, and feel your not getting the experience you want as a college student... I would recommand to transfer. Will University of Michigan- Ann Arbor help you get into a medical school, maybe due to his prestige and status in the medical field. Although Michigan State University is also good in medicine, known to have 3 medical schools.</p>
<p>My friends in the honors college say it's not worth it, but my friends at JMC LOVE it. </p>
<p>Transfer. You are going to have to spend another 3.5 years there, you want to be happy. It's probably not going to get better. </p>
<p>Just remember that it's 4 years of your life and you want to make the best of it. MSU will not hurt your chances of getting into a top medical school, and also remember that you might decide later on not to do med school and change your major. </p>
<p>My advice: Ignore prestige, ignore what you think will get you into grad school (within reason, you should avoid god-awful schools of course) and go some place that 1) you will like and 2) has a strong program in your major. James Madison is definitely a strong program, so decide based on where you will be happiest.</p>
<p>I think the honors college is worth it for a few reasons: more course leniency. Instead of taking the required integrative studies classes, you can take more specific classes that you are more interested in. Other things; a smaller class size (i.e. 40 person class instead of 320 person class). Better teachers in general. More advising. More sense of community. etc</p>
<p>I love my experience in both the honors college and james madison, and have essentially no complaints about it (aside from the difficult curriculum for 1st year madison majors, but that's just my laziness talking). As for being a transfer student, I have a friend who is a sophomore and has transferred into james madison and everything seems to be great with him.</p>
<p>So pretty much...transfer. You sound like you have your mind set already anyways</p>