<p>This is a tougher decision than I had anticipated, now that I've been admitted at both places. It depends on how much scholarship money MSU is willing to give me. The Honors College and Lyman Briggs are really attractive. But then again I've wanted to go to U of M all my life!</p>
<p>Don't be stupid. Go to Michigan. It's a much better school with a much better degree that will get you more money.</p>
<p>yeah, there's probably truth to that.</p>
<p>Stupid, A2Wolves6? </p>
<p>Let's see, weve got Sam Raimi, top Hollywood Director ("Spiderman" "Darkman" "A Simple Plan") who, at age 45, is in Spielberg's league in terms of earnings and wide respect; there's Donna Hrinak, first female ambassador to Brazil, and Nancy Dick who was the first woman Lieutenant Governor of Colorado; Wallace Jefferson, appointed 2 years ago, elevated last year, as the 1st African American and youngest (41) Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice ever, and Dan Snyder, 43-year-old founder, Rock Financial/Quicken, owner the NBA Cleveland Cavs -- youngest owner in the league, then U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, and Eli Broad, founder/owner of Sun Financial/AIG, one of the richest men in the world (15 years ago he gave a $20M endowment to MSU's business school which now bears his name), and... </p>
<p>... tell any of these uber alums (and thousands more) how "stupid" they were to choose to go to college at Michigan State over U of M, how little respect or earning power their degrees had and how much better off they would have been if they'd been "smart" and gone to UM.</p>
<p>IcicleRose, I'm very happy you got into both schools, you strike me as a thoughtful person -- you are blessed for, unlike me, a Michigan out-of-stater (Ohio), you live in a state that's graced by not 1, but 2 great mega state U's. Such a luxury over, really, any other state save, maybe, huge California. At either East Lansing or A-Squared you appear smart enough to do fine, and afterwards in life... I just hope you make your choice on what actually you realistically believe is best for you and not based on the always pervasive peer pressure to go to Ann Arbor, because I've known a number of kids who have gone there and been sorely disappointed (MSU has a bunch of UM refugees that transferred there); and resentful for all the money they/their parents are spending. And I wouldn't base going to MSU on how much scholarship money they'll give you -- that is going to MSU only if they come up with the cash but going to UM with little or no scholarship... Plus dont get locked into believing that a quality MSU education is based solely on Madison, Briggs or the Honors College. Most programs are very good to excellent there are no bad majors at MSU; I have no reason to lie to you.</p>
<p>... So earth to A2Wolves6: UM is not a "much better" school than MSU with a "much better" degree. I'll give you, it is generally more prestigious in many quarters -- but not all, but that does not mean MSU isnt a prestige school in its own right, because it is. And if you think only UM alums are the achievers with high-profile, high-paying jobs, think again (MSU's raised an unprecedented $1Billion -- mainly from alums - in 3 years, w/o a research medical school -- only Purdue and Berkeley have done that). I dont know why, but so many UM friends and alums feel they must put down MSU to validate their own sense of greatness. I personally recognize UMs greatness, but to deny the same of MSU is simply ridiculous, foolish and runs counter to fact.</p>
<p>So Iciclerose, don't drink the maize & blue Kool Aid like A2Wolves6, you can trust the hype or your own lyin' eyes... best of luck.</p>
<p>IcicleRose and A2Wolves = pwned.</p>
<p>Both my parents went to Michigan State. They both transferred to Michigan. I'm not getting in an argument here. I'm from Ann Arbor, I have a biased opinion, and what I say will be regarded as $.02. I've had enough message board arguments to know who you don't get into arguments with.</p>
<p>Hmm, interesting topic... I too have been wondering about this decision myself and believe the best way to decide is to listen to your own opinion... </p>
<p>Now, with that said, I'm not trying to create a stir but heres an experience of mine which has influenced me. I have always regarded these two schools as near equal academically but I'm curious to know how MSU students act. I'm hoping Quincy can help shed some light on this because from what I'm expeirencing right now, I will probably attend U of M instead. I have been accepted to both universities but I've gotten a lot of negativity from MSU prospectives/students/etc.<br>
When I was accepted to MSU before some of the other hopefuls at my school, they seemed furious and instantly targeted my race as the reason why I had been accepted and denied my merit.
This problem got even worse when I received my acceptance letter to U of M. For every congratulation I got, there was twice as much criticism. More MSU prospectives taunting me and telling me my acceptance was luck. Others saying U of M is overrated and that I'd be wasting my money. Then there are even those GUARANTEEING that I am wasting my time because I will not get into Ross Business School or how Broad has a better business program.<br>
I am getting taunted on a near daily basis now. </p>
<p>Yes, I know generalization is wrong. Yes, I know there are great students at MSU and I personally know a few. Yes, I know people with negative attitudes exist on all campuses but I've already seen a lot wishing to attend MSU just at my school.
I guess my experience is a bit contradictory to what Quincy has said as a lot of the MSU fans I know tend to deny the "greatness" of U of M. Quincy, again, I hope that you will prove me wrong and say that an overwhelming majority of the students at MSU are positive, respectful, and unlike some I've met already but this is just a rant of mine and what I have experienced thus far.</p>
<p>soniqwave - congrats on your acceptances to both universities! I'm sure you will make the right choice on where to spend your next four years.</p>
<p>one thing i worry about at u of m is doing really bad there, like getting Bs and Cs. I've heard of this happening to lots of people who did well in high school. But at MSU, I have the feeling that things would be much easier, class wise. But, maybe I'm totally wrong here?</p>
<p>I think you'll do fine wherever you go. You have proven to be a hard worker who is capable of great things. Don't let a school that others find difficult stop you from working hard and getting good grades.</p>
<p>Go to U of M...my roomate's dad teaches at MSU and she knows a lot about both schools and says that u of m is better</p>
<p>IcicleRose, you seem smart enough to cut it anywhere, Harvard, included.</p>
<p>"IcicleRose and A2Wolves = pwned"</p>
<p>Not my point, at all, ... not my goal to "win" (or lose) any "argument", just to exchange ideas. I just want people to judge schools by experiences rather than rumors. A2Wolves, you're parent's experiences are their experiences Im not here to judge, there is no right or wrong. Ill be the 1st to admit that MSU is not perfect or the right place for all students. Ditto, the U of M. With 2 great schools of 25 and 35K undergrads, you'll have 60,000 experiences, ... good and bad, mainly the mixture of both. I don't believe in putting down schools, its bad form. I like to accentuate the positive about schools, and have gone to bat for schools (on this board and elsewhere) beyond MSU, though MSU is MY school Choosing a college is extremely personal, ... and scary. As Ive said, the State of Michigan is blessed to have 2 great state Us to choose from where, frankly, I don't think you can go totally wrong at either one... but YOU must decide what YOU want in a school, and no one can decide that but YOU...</p>
<p>Soniqwave, it sounds like you have some jerks in your HS class. The affirmative action issue is very serious and emotional and should not be joked around with, or to tease someone, in your case (note the cc thread entitled Affirmative Action made me a Republican). Both MSU and UM have expanded their application processes to include essays (in MSU's case) and extended essays (in UM's case), in reaction to the UM Supreme Court decision a few years ago... And I must say, I sided with UM on this case and was really disappointed and embarrassed that MSU's (now retired) Republican president, McPherson, did not back UM against the plaintiffs Center for Equal Rights (CEO) whose motive is to limit diversity on our great university campuses nationwide. Both Wayne State and Ohio State's presidents, among others, backed UM... MSU should have, too!</p>
<p>As for your question: what are MSU students like? I can't answer that Q. No one can make a definitive statement about such a large and diverse student body such as MSU's ... or UM's... MSU has genius/nerds, genius hip folks, party animals, knuckleheads, liberals, conservatives, intellectuals, frat boys/girls, etc... Unfortunately, the entire student body has been popularly defined as partiers, and that's unfair, because make no mistake about it, there IS a strong intellectual/cerebral aspect to Michigan State. I've spent significant time at Illinois, Carolina and UVa, (among others) and can tell you that the general party atmosphere is no less at those schools than at MSU (even moreso when it comes to UNC) and, obviously, all 3 of those schools are awesome academically. Schools such as these are balanced, giving kids exposure to the full range for what college should be all about but you will be on your own to choose.</p>
<p>I do know that, as recently as earlier this fall, I had trouble finding parking at MSU's library on a Friday evening; ... trouble finding an open seat/table on the main floor during those times (as well as in the library's Cyber Cafe), if that tells you anything. And the lib is open 24/7 during the school year.</p>
<p>It depends on the program.</p>
<p>Hospitality management, vet medicine, agriculture, and education programs at MSU are the best in the country. The Honors Program is recognized as the best honors program of any public university in the country, and the James Madison College has an international reputation for int. affairs and public policy.</p>
<p>East Lansing also has a reputation for being "the happiest place on Earth". The student life at MSU is a lot more laid back and less snooty.</p>
<p>UMich is much more prestigious but not deservedly so. If you live in Michigan, MSU has a bad reputation only because East Lansing and Ann Arbor are 40 miles away. An objective view is impossible to those who live in Michigan like myself.</p>
<p>But on a broad scale, MSU is a good school. And a great school for certain programs.</p>
<p>I'm a Michigan Native but I didn't apply to any in state schools as a senior in high school. I was accepted at 2 top private colleges and 2 of the most prestigious theater programs. I ended up going to DePaul because it was the most difficult to get into. I've now decided I don't want to pursue theater and am trying to transfer back to the Great Lakes State. For me the choice was simple, MSU (well okay, it was really hard but now that I've made it I feel really confident about it). I'm not going to say that the fact I get 1/2 tuition because my father is on faculty didn't play a role but there are a lot of other reasons I'm going back to East Lansing. First off, I think if you're going to grad/law school (as really most of us will be, a bachelor's degree is quickly becoming what a high school diploma was to our parents generation) those diploma's have the same weight. A 3.9 @ UofM is going to have just as tough a time getting into UChicago law as a 3.9 @ MSU will. I think the places where UofM is really regarded as vastly superior are the wealthy high schools that send a lot of students there (like my own). When I was trying to figure out where to transfer this year most of my non-Michigan/Ohio friends didn't know there was a prestige difference between the two schools except for where musical theater is concerned. So yeah, if you're going to grad school don't even let the reputation factor into your consideration. As someone who is interested in public service MSU was a really easy choice for me because of its proximity to the capitol, I can go back to the internship I had in high school. Also, I'm going to attempt to graduate from Madison even if they don't have space right away and that's where most of the legislative assistants I know in state government went. MSU study abroad is also a draw and just the campus atmosphere, if that's what you prefer. But...</p>
<p>Don't decide to go somewhere just because its more "prestigious" (I already did that)
Don't go to the place that offers you the most money if you don't love it (did that too)
Visit as much as humanly feasible (didn't do that)</p>
<p>good luck deciding!</p>
<p>I just visited Michigan State's campus today. It's a lot different than Ann Arbor. Much more spread out, much less of the downtown-type cafe shops and corners, rather more agricultural with parks and trees all over. All I saw was one strip of shops, whereas Michigan has many streets all over. The buildings at MSU were all very similar in architecture, seemed bigger than the buildings at UM. The Stadium, Breslin Center, are kind of the main features of the campus, centrally located. Wasn't divided like Michigan's campus is, because the campus makes the town, unlike Ann Arbor. Had a bus system that students seemed to get around in. Just seemed a lot more "green", all the buildings had a lime green touch to them, tons of trees and fields. I questioned the transportation from class-to-class because of how big the campus was, but I suppose it wouldn't be too hard of a hassle. Dorms were better than UMich, tons had A/C that I saw whereas Michigan wouldn't allow that. Anyways that's what I saw, I guess it's more of what you like and what you don't. UM was more urban, downtown type whereas MSU was more parks and recreation spread out.</p>
<p>so, do you like the MSU campus better than U of M? At MSU, everything just feels more laid back/relaxed whereas when I went to U of M, it was the opposite. but then again, i visited in the summer, so it might be totally different when there's students there.</p>
<p>Well, it just depends on the type of person you are. Michigan is the hustle and bustle of an urban/city life, with the big downtown. MSU is more open, spread out, much larger area and less confusing. Almost rural, but a big campus. </p>
<p>I love the big cities, but not too big. Before I was 14, I had never been to a big city besides Detroit's West Side, and that's not the pretty parts that Ford Field and Comerica are at. I personally like UM, but i've lived here my life, so my opinion is worth .02.</p>
<p>The towns of East Lansing and Ann Arbor aren't that much different. Ann Arbor has the reputation for being more "urban" which I think is a joke because there's only like 115,000 people there and the downtown area, while nice, is basically six blocks. East Lansing has all the same stuff but it's just not as condensed. It reminds me a bit of Traverse City, while Ann Arbor is more like Royal Oak or Birmingham.</p>
<p>The only difference really is that MSU actually has an enclosed campus seperate from the town, where the city of Ann Arbor blends with the Michigan campus.</p>
<p>Oh, and coffeeandcoke - you're definately right. Outside of Michigan and Ohio, there's not much of a difference in prestige/name recognition.</p>