<p>I am deciding between the honors college at the University of Michigan and Brown University. I live in Ann Arbor (where umich is located) and have taken both undergraduate and graduate level courses at umich over the past two years so I have an idea of what to expect from the umich classroom experience. I visited Brown and sat in on a few classes, but I know I didn’t get the full picture. I am interested in microbiology and music theory, but that is definitely subject to change, so I’m not too concerned with the individual departments as much as I am with the undergraduate academic experience as a whole.
This decision is still really up in the air because, while I like the fact that umich will instill ‘survival skills,’ I have a hard time giving up the air of collaboration and innovation that Brown seems to have for the cutthroat competition of umich’s hard science and engineering classes.
I can provide additional information if requested, and any advice or input is appreciated.
Thanks for your time!</p>
<p>^If you like Brown more, go with Brown. I don’t get what you mean by “survival skills”: if you mean hyper-competitiveness, that’s a far less valuable (in the long run and for your own welfare rather than merely earnings potential) survival skill than is sociability and cooperation. If you really think that’s false, then you need to do a personality check and see where you’ll fit in.</p>
<p>Thank you for not replying with an Emma Watson related anecdote 
Anyone else?</p>
<p>Go to Brown because Emma Watson is coming back in September.</p>
<p>my brother double majored music theory and computer science at brown and loved it, do that</p>
<p>Is it odd that I want to do exactly that?</p>
<p>OK Emma Watson is not coming back to Brown but you should still go to Brown</p>
<p>Michigan without doubt. Are you kidding me? A public Ivy with a sense of place, and midwestern work ethic that will take you far. U of M by a mile.</p>
<p>Brown’s open curriculum would make it much easier to seriously combine two very different fields of interest, such as your microbiology and music theory areas. It’s also a great idea to get away from home during your college years, if its affordable.</p>
<p>Need everyone’s input. I’ve been accepted to Brown and U Mich for engineering and would appreciate some guidance as to which is a better choice. I want an environment that fosters entrepreneurial/incubator opportunities and also want business classes. My concentration will be computer electrical engineering. Providence and Ann Arbor seem comparable, although proximity to Boston’s tech industry is a plus. UMich may have more funding, and it certainly has better facilities, but Brown may be a more joyful place to be. They are both accredited and likely have equally competent faculty. Obviously reputation-wise I believe Mich wins, but how much does that really matter at the end of the day with job opportunities, people connections, networking, etc. for post-undergrad career/life? Thanks for your help…please advise.</p>
<p>Brown for sure.</p>
<p>cu: is there a particular region you see yourself settling after graduation? UMich has a HUGE footprint in the midwest and beyond for Engineering. Brown has less of one outside the NE, I would say. Would you like the smaller feel of Brown over UMich? These are preferences you’d have to weigh.</p>
<p>I was in your similar situation and ranked UMich above Brown when it came down to deciding. Ultimately I attended another school but UMich was my #2 and Brown my #3.</p>
<p>Is the prior poster’s comment that UMich is cut throat competitive whereas Brown is collaborative and sociable in comparison a widely perceived and agreed upon statement?
What about the engineering schools in particular in terms of creativity, opportunity for research, entrepreneurship?</p>
<p>I don’t know much about UMich, but I do know a lot of grads in EE and Comp Sci/eng from Brown and they have GREAT job opportunities and networking. If you were interested in construction/ Mech Eng etc I would say U Mich. but Brown will give you the freedom to learn in a way that your engineering background will never become out dated in the ever rapidly changing field of CS/EE. The EE/ CS grads I know from Brown are all working for very dynamic (creative/ well paid) firms, or running them. (oh and one decided to teach middle schoolers, but that is another story.) Message me if you want to talk to some grads.</p>