So I got into both Case Western and Ann Arbor LSA with very similar financial aid awards and I need to choose between them. I want to study physics with a potential minor in computer science. I don’t care much about sports, I mostly care about academics, internships, research. I’m thinking Ann Arbor is the better choice but I just wanna see if I might be missing something.
If you would like a few points in favor of CWRU, note that (1) its standardized scoring profile lands a trace higher than UM’s and that (2) it offers more geographical diversity based on its higher percentage of out-of-state students.
Either school would seem to offer you good faculty-mentored research opportunities: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/undergrad-research-programs.
Best of luck with your decision.
Very different campuses and vibes IMO. Have you visited?
I would vote for UMich, but CWRU has the academics, internships and research too. Great options.
Are you a transfer student?
Asking because UMich’s transfer policy is punitive (they recognize few credits toward your major but count them as electives, meaning you lose electives slots, are immediately billed upper level tuition, yet cannot take your major’s classes).
Thanks for your answers.
@MYOS1634 What do you mean, could you elaborate on this point (billed upper level tuition), because yes I am a transfer student.
There are two levels of tuition billed, depending on how many credits you’ve earned. Once you reach a certain number of credits the bill is higher. There’s a ~$3,000 surcharge if you have 55+ credits.
Perhaps ask for a transfer of credit evaluation to see how many of your current credits transfer toward your pre-requisites and major courses (v. General electives, which you want as few as possible since they cut into your ability to take actual electives v. Being pre-requisites they refuse to count as such, forcing you to retake them).
Ask the same evaluations from Case Western.
“its standardized scoring profile lands a trace higher than UM’s”
Merc, I would say that their test scores are identical (within 1 point of each other on the ACT composite and within 20-30 points/section of each other on the SAT).
@Alexandre: In the interest of consistency, I based my post on IPEDS data. By this source, the composite middle-range ACT for both schools registers at 30-33. However, the SAT profiles total to 1330-1500 for UM and 1340-1520 for CWRU.
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Michigan&s=all&pg=2&id=170976#admsns
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Case+western&s=all&id=201645#admsns
UMich CDS states the 25/75 as 30-34.
Physics ranking:
UMich #13
CWR #61
CS ranking:
UMich #11
CWR #68
The issue for a transfer student is whether the classes they took as pre-reqs will transfer as pre-reqs (not as general credit).
Op needs to email both colleges to find out.
Re the rankings in reply #8, the OP will not at this time be enrolling in one of these schools’ graduate departments.
You can get the latest test scores here (for the enrolled class of 2022) - https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-university-search/university-of-michigan
Umich:
SAT: 1330-1510 ACT: 30-34
Case:
SAT: 1350 - 1520, ACT: 30-34
In other words, identical.
merc, do you honestly think there is a noticeable difference in test scores at those two universities?
Since trace refers to an aspect that’s “barely perceivable,” everyone should conclude that I regard their profiles as equivalent. However, the OP seemed to give the early academic edge to UM. My intent was to point out that there’s no obvious reason for this to be the case. My recommendation to @zzaver, then, is to choose between these schools based on matters of personal preference.
Michigan has a significantly higher research profile than CWRU, with $1.5 billion in research spending annually, second nationally only to Hopkins. It also has a better global reputation,which may help you for grad or professional school. As others have mentioned, watch the transfer credit. You will need to have a minimum number of credit hours taken at Michigan to graduate - check that with your advisor.
You may find after attending that you end up liking some of the sports at Michigan (there are about 30), and Ann Arbor is consistently ranked in the top 10 college towns. Detroit has become a fun place to visit again, and it’s a 40 min drive away.
The downside of Michigan is that you will have to do some additional work to find the research that suits you. The majority is in the medical area, with engineering/CS second.
merc81, I appreciate that you are trying to point out alternatives to the OP, but do you think a 15 point variance on the SAT range and identical ACT ranges will create an even “barely perceivable” difference between institutions?
CWRU is obviously an excellent university, and the main difference between those two universities is campus feel. CWRU feels smaller, more compact. CWRU will also feel decidedly more “mature”. Graduate students make up 56% of the overall student body, compared to 35% at Michigan.
The breadth and depth of academic (research and writing publishable material) and non-academic (student clubs and organizations as well as off campus internships) offerings at Michigan will far exceed those available at CWRU, but as TooOld4School points out, students need to research those opportunities and actively seek them out.
The University of Michigan is at the heart of Ann Arbor, a pleasant and relatively safe college town. CWRU is not as ideally situated, being in a less desirable part of Cleveland.
CWRU offers much greater flexibility to move among majors. This could be a plus, but then again as a transfer you won’t have too much time to explore. Have you looked at CWRU’s Engineering Physics major? It includes a required sub-concentration, and one of the options for this is EECS… so you could potentially combine Physics and CS in this way, and earn a degree that would open up a number of grad school options if that is your goal. http://bulletin.case.edu/schoolofengineering/engineeringphysics/ At UMich you wouldn’t have the option of a degree from the engineering school; but you may or may not care about having that option.
Do you think the undergraduate rankings would be much different? They’re not.
I don’t know how much more flexible it could be to change/add majors than UMich LSA. It’s quite easy to do.
Note that CWRU is in a really cool area of Cleveland (University circle) near lots of hospitals, research labs, start ups, restaurants, etc, etc.
Ann Arbor is also a great college town. Where sports at CWRU will be Cleveland’s, UMich’s teams will be the ones to cheer for.