I just finished my first year at Umich AA. Got all A’s and A-'s and did research so I did very well academically. I also am getting to graduate from the school with very very little debt. However, I was miserable the entire year. I Tried the entire time I was there to enjoy it, but I never did. I hated the culture and atmosphere of the school, not to mention living in the city. Made a good amount of friends and was social, but was still absolutely and utterly miserable.
Back in 12th grade when deciding where to go, I definitely wanted to go to MSU, however it was hard to turn down the money offered and prestige of Umich. I absolutely love states campus, the philosophy of their academics, and it has always seemed like the perfect fit for me.
Now I am deciding again and would appreciate some input. State offers me a lot less money than Umich, however I am still going to be able to graduate from State (if I attend) with 10,000 of debt or less.
Am I stupid for turning away the opportunities, prestige, and money from Umich? Does the difference in bachelors degree really have an outstanding impact? And does around 10k or less of debt sound like a turn off?
I would try to avoid debt. What did you not like about Michigan and how do you expect that MSU would be better? Classes in Umich tend to get a lot smaller and more personalized as you progress. Have you taken advantage of all of the things in Ann Arbor? It is a much nicer city the E Lansing.
Don’t stay at a school you hate just to save $10,000. In fact, don’t stay at a school you hate, period.
What’s your major? If it’s in something like engineering, school prestige doesn’t matter that much. On the other hand, if you want to be an investment banker on Wall Street, then a Michigan degree would serve you better than a Michigan State degree.
What is it you didn’t like at umich that would be different at msu? What made you miserable?
Ann Arbor is a much nicer town than East Lansing, both campuses are large with a big sports culture, the weather’s equally cold at both… And you’re right, umichigan is a more prestigious school and it’d cost less, so if you transfer you have to know it’s the right decision (umich won’t 'give you your scholarship back’if you leave and want to return). It’s also important to know if you are truly miserable somewhere not to hang on to prestige and choose ‘right’ ; on the other hand it’s not like you said you really wanted to attend Carleton but went to Michigan instead (two very different schools) but here, the schools are quite similar and one is more expensive. I’m afraid you’re romanticizing msu so convince me otherwise.
I don’t think it is possible to be “miserable” at Michigan if MSU is a good fit. There are differences, obviously, but you have admitted to having made friends. As MYOS points out, if you were considering some tiny LAC in another part of the country, I would understand, but you are looking at two large universities located within 60 miles of each other. Ann Arbor is larger than EL, but it is not exactly “urban”.
I can’t imagine that whatever you don’t like at UMich would not be also at MSU…both big spirited schools.
Are you sure that you’d get that good aid at MSU? Have you seen your aid pkg…as a transfer??? (Not your original pkg…the transfer pkg)
Are you saying that your NEW aid pkg from MSU is the same as UMich except that for the next 3 years you will have a tiny loan in each pkg…totalling $10k after 3 years??? That doesn’t sound possible.
This seems odd to me. How could the “philosophy” of MSU’s academics be that different from UMich’s or any other big state school? What philosophy is it that is unique? Anyone else find this hard to understand???
I hate living in the city environment of Ann Arbor, and the competitiveness of the student body, especially engineering and north campus. I know I will be just as stressed with school at MSU, that’s not my problem because I know what hard work looks like. It lies more with the culture of the student body. When I say I was miserable, I was miserable. Here me when I say I’m not the type of kid to admit that I struggled.
Also, recently worked out the financial aid numbers from MSU. Due to aid and local scholarships I have, I will be able to graduate close to debt free (AT MOST around 4,000$).
If you don’t like it then you don’t like it, it’s as simple as that. I’m sure that when you wrote your question you began to answer your own question a bit. I’m from Michigan too (I’m just going to assume that you’re from Michigan), and I really want to go to Mich. I don’t hate MSU, but I don’t think I’d like it there nearly as much. For that reason, I’m working to transfer over to Michigan, and I am not considering MSU because I don’t like it. For you, it’s the opposite. You don’t like Mich, so remove it from your life and go to MSU.
