<p>I live in NY and can't decide whether to go to UMich or Wake Forest. UMich has great school spirit and a great reputation, but I will be just another number. At Wake Forest, the student is body is much smaller and the classes will be smaller and I love North Carolina. Money is not an issue. What should I do?</p>
<p>What is your intended major? </p>
<p>Have you visited the two campus and surounding areas. Winston Salem is much more conservative than Ann Arbor, and Wake Forest is also more conservative. If you are liberal, you would probably prefer Michigan, if you are conservative, you would probably prefer Wake.</p>
<p>I can’t see Wake Forest for the trees. Go to Michigan. At least people will know approximately where it is located. :-)</p>
<p>My son had the exact same scenario last year, and decided on Wake Forest. He loved the sports atmosphere at Michigan and was planning to do the sports mgmt major. Michigan certainly has a fine academic reputation and a great alumni network. But, he chose Wake for several reasons (I’m going to leave out FA, which was a consideration). The class sizes at Wake are much smaller than Michigan. He has had 15 - 20 students in his classes this year, except one intro physics class was about 40. Professors at Wake are very accessible, office hours very available. No big lecture halls of 100 or more. Housing for all 4 years at Wake - you can move off campus if you want to, but you don’t have to. We were concerned with the availability and quality of off campus housing at Michigan. Climate - obviously Wake is gong to be warmer, sunnier, etc. Wake has a walkable campus - Michigan is huge - has shuttle buses - but we were concerned about the possibility of being assigned a dorm on North Campus and having classes on ther main campus. We still think Michigan is a fantastic school and some students love the energy of a huge campus. But for our son, the smaller school in the milder climate won out.</p>
<p>Wake Forest student body has as good school spirit as Michigan fwiw. It’s really up to you. Winston-Salem’s alleged conservatism is a non-issue. I can’t imagine a scenario where if it did exist would ever matter. I guess every city that hasn’t legalized pot is conservative to the Maize and Blue.</p>
<p>As for a conservative school, its not really conservative, just more conservative than many. The non business/econ faculty isn’t as universally liberal as other schools, but its still more liberal than conservative. The student body is more conservative but is not politically active. Conservatism shows up in preppy dress more than anything else.</p>
<p>I chose Wake because class and school size were important to me, but you can’t go wrong with it or Michigan.</p>
<p>Ann Arbor>Winston-Salem. I don’t care if they have milder winters!</p>
<p>Both are great schools. Never been to Michigan, but Wake is beautiful and is located in a nice area. Close to beaches and mountains, depending on your mood. Ann Arbor is supposedly one of the great college towns in this country, though. Tough call.</p>
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Does he get to do sports management at Wake?</p>
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beaches?</p>
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<p>Yep-90 mins away, close enough for a day trip or even a weekend excursion, which many fraternities and sororities take advantage of when the weather is nice.</p>
<p>Ninety minutes to go to the beaches? What are you doing, flying a plane? I would say it’s more like at least three hours to get to the Altantic Ocean from Winston-Salem. Don’t believe me? Try looking at a map.</p>
<p>You can get to Lake Erie in under an hour from Ann Arbor. But to be honest, I’d pass on that trip!</p>
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<p>Wake is pretty conservative/preppy–pink collared shirts and Sperries abound–but it’s not Bob Jones conservative, just Southern conservative.</p>
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<p>Uh…what beaches? I live an hour from Wake and at least four hours to an NC beach (eight to any decent beach, since they’re all in SC).</p>
<p>OP, Wake and UMich have fairly different environments. South/North, small/huge, etcetc. This is a decision that should be made as much on personal decision as anything.</p>
<p>Chapel Hill is only two hours from the beach, and Wake is even closer unless you drive like a grandma. I don’t need a map, I live here and go to the beach all the time.</p>
<p>Cuse has revealed himself to be 55+ years behind the times. Doesn’t know Wake is now in Winston, and not particularly close to the beach.</p>
<p>I agree Ann Arbor is better than Winston. Keep in mind that while at Wake undergrad you’ll be in a bubble most of the time, which is something to keep in mind.</p>
<p>“Chapel Hill is only two hours from the beach, and Wake is even closer unless you drive like a grandma. I don’t need a map, I live here and go to the beach all the time.”</p>
<p>This is scary. If you can drive that fast in NC, I’m glad I don’t live there. Seriously, look at a map Cuse507 or get yourself a new watch. You are time challenged!</p>
<p>Well both are great schools and as posters pointed out it may come down to more little things, in that case you should probably consider money as a factor. If there will be debt or outpocket in money, how much to save or go in debt for the latter are questions you would wan’t to ask.</p>
<p>University of Michigan would be the choice for me, but I don’t really know what you’ll be basing your decision on.</p>
<p>Cuse, I always thought that Winston Salem was roughly 200 miles from the closest coastal town. Isn’t Chapel Hill closer to the Ocean than Winston Salem?</p>
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<p>It gets even crazier in South Carolina, where posted speed limits on highways can reach 80 mph. I’m going from experience-you aren’t. I don’t think I need a map! :)</p>
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<p>Yes-my mistake. I google mapped “Wake Forest to New Bern, NC” and was given directions from the town of Wake Forest, not Winston Salem. My apologies.</p>