<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>Please offer me your upper-echelon advice.</p>