<p>I'm choosing between Northwestern and the honors program at Michigan and can't really decide. I'd be studying something in the humanities (social sciences, english, poli sci., etc.). I love smaller, discussion based classes and close relationships with professors. For a long time I was considering going to a small school (I can still choose Colgate or Bates), because of my interest in those smaller classes. I also come from a relatively small high school with a tight knit community that I love. But those smaller schools just didn't have enough going on, and there wasn't any energy to the campuses. I'm not a football nut but I love the energy of a big school like Michigan. I've slept at Northwestern and found that the kids seemed a little weird/nerdy/grade-grubber-kid-from-high-school, and that the social scene was kind of small. I'm going back again hoping that my observation was wrong, and it is entirely possibly that my observations were subjective and wrong. I would describe myself as a pretty normal kid that leans towards athletics, and most of my friends in high school are similar. I love Michigan because of the diversity of the types of people there. I'm leaning towards Michigan because I want to be able to hang out with kids that aren't as nerdy and I still get a great education. I'm worried that if I stayed in South Quad with the Honors kids I might be living with the kids I wanted to avoid by not going to Northwestern. But then again I'd be getting the tight knit community that I've been wanting if I stayed with the Honors kids. I'm sorry that this is so long I'd just really appreciate some help. Are Michigan Honors kids nerdy/different than the students in regular Michigan? Should I live with the honors kids? Are the honors kids looked at as being snotty or smug by the regular kids? (I definitely don't want to be with kids that think they're better than the rest of the student body). Also, s my analysis of Northwestern correct? </p>
<p>I don’t know much about Northwestern but I assume your analysis is a bit of a stereotype. It seems like you’re predisposed towards Michigan. You probably will not be able to avoid all large classes but there are several smaller classes in the areas you mention. Also in honors many of the discussion sections are led by the professor. The benefit of honors housing is the South Quad location - one of the best on campus. I think you are dealing with stereotypes if you try to categorize the students in honors housing. In any event not everyone in South Quad is in honors housing and if you don’t like it, you can meet people in other activities and it is only a one-year commitment.</p>
<p>“I don’t know much about Northwestern but I assume your analysis is a bit of a stereotype.”</p>
<p>Not really res ipsa. That was the vibe I got when I visited Northwestern back in my day. Obviously, a university with over 8,000 undergrads is going to have variety, but the general feeling at Northwestern is very different from the one at Michigan. Some prefer the Northwestern vibe while others prefer the Michigan vibe. </p>
<p>Lemonz, Michigan and Northwestern are both excellent. If you still feel like you fit in better at Michigan than at Northwestern after your second visit, go for Michigan.</p>
<p>“weird/nerdy/grade-grubber-kid-from-high-school” is a stereotype. I agree that the social scene and general feeling at Northwestern and Michigan are different and that the fit at Michigan seems to better based on the OP’s post.</p>
<p>“weird/nerdy/grade-grubber-kid-from-high-school” is a stereotype."</p>
<p>I agree. Like I said, it was a vibe on the general campus feel, not an indictment on individual students there. The OP should revisit Northwestern to ascertain whether nor he prefers Michigan or Northwestern.</p>
<p>D is in LSA honors. She was worried about the nerd stereotype but decided it was worth it to live in South Quad. It turns out, however, that at least for her hall in South Quad, those nerdy honors students don’t exist. She loves her hall and her only regret about living there is that it is almost over and her all of her friends from her hall will now be spread out on and off-campus next year.</p>
<p>Are you from Michigan? Well then the tuition break provides your answer. Go to Michigan. Don’t overspend on college. Save your money.</p>
<p>If you like intimate, try the Mich Residential College in East Quad. You’ll have lots of seminar type classes. You can do that while in the honors program. Honors housing is not required. I don’t like South Quad so much. It’s a bland building on the outside at least. I love West and East Quad which are pre-war stately buildings. Gorgeous. You could also live in a specialized community like the health profession, writers, etc - living learning communities.</p>
<p>I have another question:
I was thinking of doing the residential college because I want to minor in music and I heard that it has a lot of music-related courses. However, I’m in honors as well. Does that mean that I’ll have to complete double the amount of requirement? And what’s a better community to live in (more friendly, outgoing people)-- south quad or with the RC?
Thanks (:</p>
<p>Well, I can’t say that I can help you with a comparison between these two schools, as I’ve never visited Northwestern, but I can answer your question about being in the Honors program and the RC at UMich! (Although I’m going to be a freshman in both this fall, so I can’t really say anything about RC vs. South Quad, either. Sorry!)</p>
<p>But, yes, you do have to complete requirements in both, but some of the requirements of the Honors program are reduced. For example, during your freshman year, instead of taking Great Books/Civ each semester, you take an RC English class and then a GB/Civ course. Also, during your first two years, you only have to take 6 honors classes instead of 8, in order to account for the intensive language requirement of the RC. (This topic is covered on the honors website, under a section about “joint programs.”)</p>
<p>You do not have to take an RC concentration to be in the RC. You can be an honors student and major in anything you want and still be an RC student, where you’ll need 4 RC classes or something like that. So no, you will not double up your classes.</p>
<p>There are other communities besides the RC. There are a number of living learning communities like the one dedicated to public service, one dedicated to art, one to health students. RC is left leaning and hippie like; although not everyone there is like that. East Quad is much more intimate than S Quad.</p>