<p>I'm faced with a problem: I have to decide between two schools, one great, the other good...and will probably offer more money.</p>
<p>I have two teachers, one is an UMich alum and the other is a MSU alum and both want me to attend their respective schools. The UMich alum claims that I wouldn't be challenged enough at MSU, and the extra cost to attend UMich is completely worth it--I believe that UMich might be too hard, my schooling blows but I'm adaptable. The MSU alum claims that college prestige isn't important, MSU is a good school as well, and that MSU will most likely give me the most money--that's true, as I doubt I'll get much merit aid from UMich. I'm pretty sure that I'll get some need based aid at both schools(hopefully).</p>
<p>I have yet to visit either(though I'm scheduling visits soon), but I'm already leaning more so toward MSU for all of the wrong(?) reasons. It seems like a more relaxed environment and I'm sure I'll do well there socially, academically, etc., UMich, on the other hand, is a completely different story. I know that UMich has a good social life but I'm not sure if I'll fit in. I'm sure I'll graduate but I worry that UMich's academic rigor will become overly stressful. I've never been in an academically challenging school. I've always been a big fish in a small pond. I don't know what to expect from UMich and it's troubling. I'm almost positive that my high school education hasn't prepared me for such a challenging school. And I'm not sure I'll be able to adapt if I'm too far behind.</p>
<p>And of course my mother wants me to attend the state school that's offered a little more than full-tuition on merit. =P It's not a bad school, but it's not a good school either.</p>
<p>What should I do? I'll probably decide once I've visited both schools, but some advice would be helpful too.</p>
<p>Alchemy, You need to go visit. You are the only one who can make this decision. U of M is a great school but it will be terrible for you if it is the wrong fit. MSU may not have the prestige of U of M but depending on what you major in, it is a great school. The two schools definately have different cultures. U of M is located inside Ann Arbor. MSU has a big campus next to East Lansing. You will be challenged at either place. College is what you make it. What do you want to study? That may help your decision. Do you live near these schools? If so, go spend a night at one. This is a big decision, so go and check them out. Good luck!</p>
<p>Your reasons for wanting to go to MSU seem legitimate. Social fit, happiness and cost are never "the wrong reasons" for chosing a school. You pretty much seem to feel that MSU is a better fit for you. And from a cost angle, if MSU ends up costing you very little to attend (free tution and room and board) vs Michigan's $20,000/year price tag, I would tend to agree with your mom. $50,000-$60,000 over 4 years is not easily justified. Michigan is a great university, but it may not be worth $80,000 more than MSU. Yours are the right reasons for chosing a school. Definitely visit both campuses and if you still feel that Michigan isn't the right place for you, go for MSU. </p>
<p>3 points I wish to make:</p>
<p>1) MSU IS a good school. It may not be a top school, but it is a very respectable institution. </p>
<p>2) If Michigan admitted you and if your teacher feels that you should go there because MSU won't challenge you (a faulty assumption because you can always find challenging courses at any university), there is a good chance that you can cope with the intensity at Michigan.</p>
<p>3) You mentioned that you are used to being a "big fish in a small pond". Whether you atted MSU or Michigan, that cozy feeling is going to go away. Nobody feels like a big fish at MSU or Michigan because those two schools aren't ponds...they aren't even lakes. I would say they are more like oceans! I don't care how big a fish you are, or how well you swim, nobody feels like a big fish at a school that has more than 10,000 undergrads. Michigan (25,000 undergrads) and MSU (35,000 undergrads) are way too large to make anybody feel like a big fish.</p>
<p>Being a resident of Michigan, and having been accepted to both schools, I had to make the same choice. I ultimately chose Michigan.</p>
<p>Basically, if you're very serious about school, go to Michigan. If you want a laid-back environment without the cut-throat competetiveness in Ann Arbor, go to MSU. It's about finding your fit. People at MSU are a lot more laid back and party-minded. UM people party, but take studying very serious. You'll find UM students are a lot more ambitious and serious about school.</p>
<p>I'm in the same boat as you. I attend an inner-city high-school that consequentially must appeal to the lowest-common denominator, meaning our academics take big hits with funding for advanced programs and AP courses being sucked up by various programs designed for people who cannot pass elementary courses like Algebra 1 or Biology in order to make sure they actually graduate. I've been asking my friends at UM to see some of their work to gauge the academic rigor, and I want to sit in on some classes as well. You should probably try and do the same. If you find that UM's academics are too much for you, then maybe State would be the best choice.</p>
<p>MSU Alums tell you that prestige in colleges doesn't matter, but people wouldn't be fighting tooth and nail to get into top-25 schools like Berkeley, Notre Dame, or Stanford if it didn't matter, would they?</p>
<p>I agree with Onward, totally, don't just rely on what two people -- or popular 'opinion' - tell(s) you. Visit the campuses, 1st. Do some research on your own, esp on-line... U-M is more prestigious overall, but MSU has some prestige too, a lot of great programs and competitive students. MSU's atmosphere, overall, is probably somewhat more laid back but don't by any stretch think it's an easy, purely social school. Also, there are a lot of programs geared more toward small groups of undergrads, including the new Residential College in Arts & Humanities... Too many high-quality students and profs opt for MSU for it to be considered a schlock school by any stretch....</p>
<p>Too many high-quality students and profs opt for MSU for it to be considered a schlock school by any stretch....</p>
<p>Quincy is right.</p>
<p>I think if you visit each school while classes are in session and see the students and the pace of activity, it will be very easy to make a decision.</p>
<p>"MSU Alums tell you that prestige in colleges doesn't matter, but people wouldn't be fighting tooth and nail to get into top-25 schools like Berkeley, Notre Dame, or Stanford if it didn't matter, would they?"</p>
<p>No WaleedF, I'm an MSU alum and would never say anything that silly. Prestige does indeed matter, esp after college. Just don't always count out schools based on what you've heard while, to the contrary, don't buy into a school, sight unseen, for the same reason.</p>
<p>Prestige matters but don't think that MSU has no prestige. It's a top 50-60 school in this country. I have many friends who are very happy there, but then again, they are the party type. I also have friends at Michigan who are happy, but they are indeed the serious academic type who still party, but put academics first. </p>
<p>Visit the schools, talk to students about atmosphere, difficulty, etc. My visit to MSU was showed me that it was a very down to earth school, whereas Michigan seemed a bit more concerned with their prestige. MSU opened their visit with an inspirational speaker and a Q&A with current students. Michigan handed out fliers showing their test scores and then had videos about how successful their alumni are. They are different environments.</p>
<p>MSU's campus is awesome, I go there all the time and stay at this bed and breakfast, their campus is awesome, you can walk anywhere and they have awesome shops right around the campus.
I think you should go with your gut and your "wrong reasons" for going there, aren't wrong at all, they're very important factors in choosing a college.</p>
<p>Many of my questions would probably be answered by visitting the colleges. I'll try and visit overnight for both colleges--I know MSU does overnight visits, but I'm not sure about UMich.</p>
<p>I'm not sure what my major will be. I was thinking about majoring in an art related field. I was also thinking about majoring in engineering or artchitecture. I absolutely love the social sciences. History, sociology, economics, government, political science--as long as it deals with some facet of human interaction I'm interested. But somehow, I feel like I'll end up being a teacher. That thought doesn't disturb me one bit. I guess I'm undecided. </p>
<p>My interests don't exactly help. Michigan is ranked highly in almost everything, particularly social work and engineering. State is supposed to have a respectable education program and I've heard good things about their political science program too.</p>
<p>Good thoughts from everyone. I'm the last person who would say prestige matters...honestly...it doesn't all so much, if at all. Getting a good job is all about getting good grades, good internships, research, whatever. It's not about whether you went to Harvard or State U, unless you want to be a big businessman or i-banker for the most prestigious company - and even then, if you are smart you can work up the ranks. If you are interested in learning and getting a good job that pays well, you can go anywhere almost if you do well there.</p>
<p>But if you are admitted to UMich, it means they think you can handle the work. I wouldn't worry that the work there will be "too hard". You can take it easy at UMich, or you can make your courseload more challenging. That is the only reason I see that seems silly for you wanting to go to MSU. It's ok to step out of your comfort zone a little. If UMich is not financially taxing on you, it would be worth it to go there.</p>
<p>On the other hand, you can challenge yourself at MSU, too. If you feel it's really a social fit for you and you get good merit money, that is a great option as well. </p>
<p>In the end it's up to you and what you want out of your college experiece. Just don't be afraid of UMich because it seems big, scary, challenging. Your teacher thinks you can handle it...if you are admitted, UMich thinks you can handle it. Adcoms are not dumb. Worry about a school being not challenging enough, not being a social fit, not having your major, not "feeling right", not having a laid back student body...but don't worry about it being too hard.</p>
<p>Like everyone else said, visit. Whichever one feels right is probably right. Good luck :).</p>
<p>Alchemy, you're correct, education at MSU is tops; political science is also very strong. An excellent quasi-political science/international relations-type program at MSU is James Madison College, a academically-intense residential college (meaning your classrooms and faculty offices are in your dorm-- you take about 1/2 your classes there). This breaks down the size of campus into, essentially, a competitive LAC w/in a large public research U. You should check Madison out – in Case Hall – when you visit East Lansing.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if prestige matters in the careers that I'll likely pursue. I don't want to change the world. I just want to live comfortably and enjoy my work. I might open a book store, or hotel. Maybe I'll be a teacher--a teacher changed my life and since then I've had an admiration for good teachers. Education especially appeals to me--the salary not so much. Anyway, even if I did want to become a famous businessman or lawyer, would the place I recieved my bachelors really matter?</p>
<p>It sounds like you are being thoughtful about it, and I think in the end you can't go wrong. Both are fine schools; both have a lot to offer. U-M may be better known globally and somewhat more prestigious, but not so much so that MSU is a poor choice. Go for what feels right, fit-wise, as others have said....or if they both feel like they could be a good fit, there is nothing wrong with choosing the college that is offering you the better scholarship. I know you'll make the best of it either way.</p>
<p>What people need to realize is that prestige only really matters depending on what your major is going to be. If you want to do health prestige is a virtually nonexistent factor, due to there being more jobs than people to fill them and the problem only getting worse.</p>
<p>If you want to be a teacher prestige also doesn't really matter unless you want to teach on the University Level and even then it is a small factor.</p>
<p>So if the above are careers you are considering I would go to MSU. More laidback, good academics, and U of M is known for being stingy with financial aid (I live in Michigan and know a lot of UM students).</p>
<p>If you are going to do business, law, engineering, politics, or anything along these lines I would say go to U of M. Prestige is VERY important in these careers and I would only say not to go to U of M if you think your gpa would extremely suffer.</p>
<p>All in all you know yourself, and know how you are. Succeeding in college is not necessarily about how smart you are, than how hard you work. No topic is unlearnable and at any college to succeed you just have to buckle down and get to studying.</p>