I was accepted to both institutions, and I want to major in neuroscience. By going to Michigan, I will be closer to home, but at the same time, I want to get out and be with new people. Even though I want to major in neuroscience, I also have an interest in music. I’ve toured both campuses and I have no idea what to do. Which one has better research as well?
Bring your $100K contribution to the UC system out West! Thanks in advance, from a CA resident & taxpayer
Assuming you are out of state for both, they will cost the same, unless one has given you more FA/scholarship money and the other. So cost is probably not a factor.
Reputationally and academically, both universities are outstanding. You cannot go wrong.
Both universities are located in great settings. UCLA is in a very nice part of LA while Ann Arbor is one of the nicest college towns.
Demographically, both universities are diverse, but in very different ways. UCLA is racially diverse, with 30% of its students being Asian, and another 20% being hispanic (at Michigan, two thirds of the students are caucasian). Michigan has more geographic diversity, with over 40% of its undergraduate students coming from other states and countries (compared to 20% of UCLA undergraduate students).
Also, Michigan students tend to come from upper middle income and upper income families while UCLA students are more socioeconomically diverse (36% of UCLA students qualify for Pell grants, compared to 12% of Michigan students).
Financially, Michigan is better off than UCLA, partly thanks to its significantly larger OOS student population paying high tuition, and partly thanks to its larger endowment ($9.7 billion, compared to UCLA’s $3.2 billion endowment).
What do you mean when you say you have an interest in music? Do you mean you wish to play in a band, or do you mean you want to study music at university? And if the latter, are you interest in music theory or performance?
Your comment about “wanting to get out and be with new people” made me smile. While your sentiment is perfectly natural, you do realize that Michigan has 28,000 undergraduate students. How many of those do you actually know? a dozen? You will still have 27,988 new people to be with! 
I am interested in maybe a minor in music. When I toured UCLA, I found they don’t have one, but they have plenty of opportunities to play in the band, just like Michigan. I know that I can even play in movie orchestras out in LA, but at Michigan, obviously I can’t do that. Also, I would love to be in the pep bands at either university, and I would like to be in the jazz band program. I know that Michigan music program is unbelievable, but I was very impressed by UCLA. Another note, I am very torn. I am a Michigan fan since birth, and have a lot of emotional connection to the U of M, but I was surprised when I got into UCLA.
Are you in-state for Michigan? If so I would unequivocally recommend going there. I’m going to write some comments below. But that’s under the assumption that you’re NOT a Michigan resident, and hence, finances are similar.
I’m not sure exactly how much you like it, but Jazz is HUGE at UCLA. Several very famous jazz performers are at UCLA’s Herb Alpert school of music. These include Kenny Burrell and Herbie Hancock. The school also holds several Jazz related events annually at Royce Hall. It also does a jazz/raggae festival annually. Outside of UCLA, Playboy also hosts a jazz event annually in Los Angeles.
Here are some links you might want to check out:
No, I am out of state for both schools.
Michigan has a very strong Jazz program , but does not offer a Minor in music. You would have to go for a double major.
In your case, it really boils down to fit. If you are a diehard Michigan fan, the decision is pretty straightforward! What is drawing you to UCLA other than the novelty factor?
I really like California (and maybe eventually end up there), but at the same time, I want to extend my studies into graudate school and beyond. I really want to go into research, and I informed Columbia, Harvard, and UChicago that I’d rather do graduate work there. I’m nervous about the reputation of the insitutions, and Michigan is ranked lower that UCLA in most of the rankings I’ve seen. This does make me a little nervous.
Which rankings are you referring to dgkamper? Most rankings I have seen do not seem to distinguish between the two (they are almost always ranked within 3-6 spots of each other, out of hundreds of universities).
You are not nearly in a position yet to know where you’ll be applying for graduate school. I certainly wouldn’t count on being admitted to any of those three.
There is no difference between Michigan and UCLA as an undergraduate neuroscience major. Michigan has plenty of research opportunities.
“Michigan is ranked lower that UCLA in most of the rankings I’ve seen.”
Michigan is ranked higher in most comparable disciplines at the graduate level. (Can only refer to those since there aren’t many undergraduate major rankings available.) Both schools are pretty much academically equivalent. Personally, I prefer the college town vibe of Ann Arbor over Westwood. Also, it’s a bit hard to get too excited about football when your team’s main rival’s stadium is closer to your campus then your own!
For music go to LA no doubt. Bc environment matters too in that case
Go to UCLA. It’s the obvious choice; to pick Mich u have to go through all sorts of mental contortions, hopes, rationalizations. I’m not a fan ofL.A. in general, but the area UCLA is in is great.
I can’t see why UCLA is the obvious choice at all.
My son goes to Michigan, and he says that he sees all the time valedictorians and other really smart kids struggle to keep even a 3.0. Just know, you might not get the grades needed for an elite graduate school. I don’t know much about UCLA.
Just in case you care about the school’s international reputation, UCLA is regarded much much higher than Michigan outside of US.
truefalse, it depends where, but I doubt UCLA’s reputation is “much much higher than Michigan outside of US”. For example, in Europe (I lived in France, Germany and the UK for several years) and the Middle East (I lived in the UAE and Lebanon for decades), Michigan’s reputation is as strong as UCLA’s among the general population that actually care, and a little stronger than UCLA among the educated. I am not sure about Asia or South America, but I can imagine that UCLA may have a slight advantage in those parts of the world, although Michigan’s history with China has been around longer than UCLA has been in existence!
“Just in case you care about the school’s international reputation, UCLA is regarded much much higher than Michigan outside of US.”
A bit dramatic aren’t we?
^ I think truefalse’s statement was meant to be a true/false question. The answer is false.